Carol Burnett, who became famous for playing a variety of characters in sketch comedy routines on her namesake 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 featuring top names in comedy will be taped and broadcast nationally Oct. 30 on PBS.

The 80-year-old Burnett said she can’t believe she is receiving the prize from the Kennedy Center.

“It’s almost impossible to be funnier than the people in Washington,” she said in a statement.

Bolivia official slams Penn’s proposal

Bolivia’s culture minister calls it actor-activist Sean Penn’s “worst performance” ever. He isn’t talking about a movie.

Minister Pablo Groux is slamming Penn’s proposal to a U.S. congressional subcommittee Monday that Bolivia be cut out of the Dakar motor sport rally unless it frees a U.S. citizen under house arrest two years after he was jailed without charge in a money-laundering probe.

Penn suggested that unless Jacob Ostreicher is freed, sponsors should drop their backing for the January event, which is to include Bolivia for the first time.

Vegas’ ‘happiest mayor’ writes book

Oscar Goodman ran Las Vegas for 12 years with a showgirl on his arm and a martini in his fist.

A former mob lawyer, he promoted his city and himself with antics that lent credibility to his self-given title of “happiest mayor in the universe.”

Now, two years into a semi-retirement, Goodman has written a memoir about his career representing figures out of Martin Scorsese films, his three terms in office and his continuing role as Sin City’s cheerleader-in-chief.

Weinstein Books released “Being Oscar: From Mob Lawyer to Mayor of Las Vegas – Only in America” on Tuesday.

The book does not contain any real bombshells. Instead, it reads like a fun, relaxed tour of Las Vegas from the mob era to the present day.

The birthday bunch

Actor Michael Constantine is 86. Actor-director Richard Benjamin is 75. Actor Frank Converse is 75. Actress Barbara Parkins is 71. Songwriter Bernie Taupin is 63. Singer Morrissey is 54. Actress Ann Cusack is 52. Actress Brooke Smith is 46. Model Naomi Campbell is 43. Olympic gold-medal speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno is 31.