At the annual Kennedy Center Honors, comedian Billy Crystal was honored alongside four other performers — Dionne Warwick, Barry Gibb, Queen Latifah and Renée Fleming — at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday. Vice-President Joe Biden made an appearance and cracked a few jokes about Crystal’s age. According to The Guardian, Crystal accepted the honor, joking that “It’s not every day you get to haunt a place like this.”

How did Vice-President Joe Biden joke about Billy Crystal’s age at the Kennedy Center Honors?

During his address to the performers, Vice-President Joe Biden began by paying tribute to Crystal, saying, “Billy, you have held us in stitches our entire lives. In fact, tonight, at 72 years old, you can finally say you know how it feels to be a Kennedy Center honoree.” Everyone in attendance erupted in laughter, seemingly in agreement that Crystal’s age was indeed worthy of a joke.

Crystal then took the stage, humbled and excited to accept the award, saying, “Every so often you wake up and think, ‘What am I doing here?’ You know, you come from Long Beach, you have an amazing life—and here you are. It’s not every day you get to haunt a place like this.” His wit not only brought laughs, but created a loving atmosphere in the room, as Crystal continued to humbly express his gratitude.

The Kennedy Center Honors were a great night for Crystal and the other performers. From Biden’s jokes to Crystal’s acceptance speech, the evening was full of laughter and heart-felt moments, making it another memorable year to honor the renowned stars in the performing arts industry.

What other performers were honored alongside Billy Crystal at the event?

The other performers honored alongside Billy Crystal at the Kennedy Center Honors were Steve Martin, Earth, Wind & Fire, Karl Buschmann von Buhler, Robert De Niro, and David Foster. All of these performers achieved great success in the performing arts industry and the evening was full of warm sentiment and joy in their recognition. Crystal’s acceptance speech referenced his humble beginnings, expressing gratitude for being in such a marvelous place. The room was filled with laughter when Crystal joked about how he was now “haunting the place”. However, the evening was mostly about appreciating the attainments of the honorees and what it meant, both to them and to those celebrating them.

Can you provide more details about Billy Crystal’s acceptance speech and his joke about haunting the place?

Crystal accepted the honor with a humorous spirit, joking that being “haunted” by the Kennedy Center is an honor. During Vice-President Joe Biden’s appearance, he cracked a few age jokes at Crystal. Biden referenced his age saying “Salute whoever allowed you in here.” Crystal was in good humor, quipping back: “At least someone was reading the small print.” Biden continued, saying: “We wanted someone older, but the only other person older than you was [Ronald] Reagan, and he’s not available.” Crystal went with it, quipping back that he was honored to “haunt” the esteemed gathering. The other four honorees included Warwick, Gibb, Queen Latifah and Renee Fleming. Despite the joking, all five honorees were held in a high regard.