Carol Burnett, who became famous for playing a variety of characters in sketch comedy routines on her namesake American television show, was named the winner of the nation's top humor prize on Tuesday.

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts said Burnett will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Oct. 20 in Washington. A gala performance will feature top names in comedy

The 80-year-old Burnett said she can't believe she is receiving the prize.

"It's almost impossible to be funnier than the people in Washington," she said in a statement.

Burnett had her breakout on Broadway in "Once Upon a Mattress," performing at night in 1959 while also appearing in the mornings on TV's "The Garry Moore Show." She is best known for her own long-running variety show, "The Carol Burnett Show." It ran from 1967 to 1978, averaging 30 million viewers a week on CBS. Her guest stars included Lucille Ball, Jimmy Stewart, Ronald Reagan and Betty White.

Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein called Burnett a "unique and beloved entertainer."

The Mark Twain Prize honors people who have an impact on American society in the tradition of Samuel Clemens, better known as Twain, as a social commentator and satirist. Previous honorees include Bill Cosby, Steve Martin, Tina Fey and Ellen DeGeneres, who won last year.

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Kennedy Center: http://www.kennedy-center.org

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