Conan O’Brien responds to criticism after Kennedy Center appearance following Trump takeover

Comedian Conan O'Brien responded this week to criticism over his acceptance of the prestigious Mark Twain Award for American Humor last month at the Kennedy Center. 

President Donald Trump has become the chairman of the Kennedy Center since taking office, in a move that has made the theater a new front for the culture wars and prompted some liberal commentators and performers to announce that they will not attend shows in protest.

O'Brien used his acceptance speech to address the Kennedy Center’s leadership shake-up following Trump's ascendance to the chairmanship. He also thanked the Kennedy Center’s former president Deborah Rutter and chairman David Rubenstein, as well as other staff members "who are worried about what the future might bring."

TRUMP 'EMBODIES WHAT BEING AN AMERICAN IS ALL ABOUT,' UFC'S DANA WHITE SAYS

Comedian Conan O'Brien responded to criticism over his acceptance of the prestigious Mark Twain Award for American Humor at the Kennedy Center.  (Getty Images)

"Obviously for the last couple of months with the new administration, there’s been some controversial stuff going on with the Kennedy Center," O'Brien said in this week's episode of his podcast, "Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend." 

"There was a question of, ‘Should I go? Should I not go?’ And I felt like it was important to show up," O'Brien said on his show. 

"We were brought in under the old regime," he explained, adding that the old leadership of the Kennedy Center is "no longer there but we should honor their decision." 

HOLLYWOOD TAKES SHOTS AT TRUMP WHILE CELEBRATING CONAN O’BRIEN AMID KENNEDY CENTER SHAKE-UP

"We were brought in under the old regime," O'Brien said. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

"It was really lovely because the young people working at the Kennedy Center for years were delighted that we came," he said. "They don’t know what their future is."

Other comedians present at the award ceremony for O'Brien, including Sarah Silverman, took the opportunity to attack Trump several times at the Mark Twain event, specifically citing a 2016 appearance of hers on Conan on TBS where she dressed up as Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

"They wrote a bit where Conan interviews Hitler, who comes on because he's embarrassed that he's being compared to Donald Trump," Silverman said. 

Fox News' Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP