B.J. Novak will host PEN America’s 2026 Literary Gala, the literary nonprofit announced in a news release.
Novak, the comedian and actor best known for his role on the sitcom The Office, has a literary background. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English and Spanish literature and has published the books One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories and The Book With No Pictures.
“B.J. Novak is a brilliant creator in entertainment, film and publishing, and we are thrilled and honored to have him host our annual gala,” said PEN America co-CEO Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf in a statement. “His exceptional and wide-ranging artistry on screen, on the page, and in writing rooms makes him ideal to celebrate the written word and free expression at a moment when governments want to censor and deny both at alarming levels.”
The PEN America gala, which is chaired by David Remnick and Kwame Anthony Appiah, will honor author Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, Tom Lake) with the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award and Jason Blum, founder and CEO of the film and television production company Blumhouse, with the Business Visionary award.
The gala will be held on May 14 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
