Robin Williams to Be Honored as Stand-up Icon at Comedy Awards

Robin Williams has been a star on screens big and small, but it's his success on stage that will earn him a major honor at the upcoming Comedy Awards.

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The show announced on Wednesday that Williams will receive the Stand-up Icon Award at April 28 show, which will be broadcast on May 6 on Comedy Central.

"Robin Williams is a comedic force of nature whose intensity and explosive free-associating style as a stand-up comedian made him a superstar," Casey Patterson, the show's executive producer, said. "Academy Award-winner, beloved TV star and passionate activist, Robin used stand-up comedy to literally change the world with ‘Comic Relief.’  Robin Williams is more than an ICON… he is one of the most important comedic voices of our time. We're thrilled, and just a little bit scared, to be honoring Robin at ‘The Comedy Awards’ this year."

Williams' stand-up success came around the same time that he began starring on Mork and Mindy, as he put out three HBO specials, the first coming in 1978. Putting down stand-up in 1986, he returned in 2002 with a one-man show that was subsequently also put on HBO and earned him five Emmy nominations. His most recent tour, "Weapons of Self-Destruction," hit 65 cities.

Nominees for the show's competitive categories have already been announced, with 30 Rock, Modern Family and Parks and Recreation leading the way for TV shows, and The Artist, Midnight in Paris and Bridesmaids earning nominations in the film categories. Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld and Kevin Hart lead the names of those vying for Best Stand-up tour.