Billy Crystal
“Harry and Sally” star celebrated by Meg Ryan for life’s work
Billy Crystal is happy about the Kennedy Prize.
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Honored by Joe Biden, celebrated by Meg Ryan: Billy Crystal receives Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Special honor for Billy Crystal (75): The comedian and actor was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors for his life’s work in the presence of US President Joe Biden (81). The Kennedy Prizes, awarded in Washington, are considered one of the most important cultural awards in the USA. Before Sunday’s gala at the Kennedy Center, Crystal and the other honorees were guests at the White House. Crystal revealed told the Guardian that Joe Biden had chatted with him about his cult film “City Slickers,” which the president had just seen.
According to media reports, Billy Crystal was celebrated by several companions. Robert De Niro (80), who filmed “Purely a Matter of Nerves” with Crystal, shouted “You’re only 75” at his slightly younger colleague. “That means you’re still six years away from reaching the perfect presidential age,” De Niro joked, referring to Joe Biden’s age.
Whoopi Goldberg (68) called for an honorary Oscar for Crystal. The actor has presented at the awards ceremony a total of nine times.
Appreciation for famous “Harry and Sally” quote
“Harry and Sally” co-star Meg Ryan (62) paid tribute to Billy Crystal, as did Rob Reiner (76), the director of the cult comedy. Reiner recalled that the most famous quote from “Harry and Sally” came from Crystal: “I want exactly what she had,” says an old lady in a restaurant as Sally imitates a climax. “I’ve never been with someone who made it easier to fake an organism,” Meg Ryan said of her colleague.
Kennedy Prizes for Dionne Warwick and Queen Latifah
Billy Crystal wasn’t the only showbiz great to receive the Kennedy Prize on Sunday. Singer Dionne Warwick (82), rapper Queen Latifah (53) and opera singer Renée Fleming (64) were honored for their life’s work, as was Barry Gibb (77), the only living member of the Bee Gees.