White House U-turns on ‘fake news’ denial that Bill Maher will get Kennedy Center award – but insists it was ‘right at the time’

The White House has U-turned on its denial of reports that Bill Maher would receive a prestigious Kennedy Center award, insisting that its comments were right at the time.

The comedian will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in a ceremony to be aired on Netflix in June. The Atlantic first reported the news last week, though officials at the time blasted the report as “fake news.”