Jon Cryer finally gets a jab at costar Sheen

Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jon Cryer took to the stage at the inaugural Comedy Awards, slyly commenting on costar Sheen.

Somebody at Comedy Central's inaugural Comedy Awards has an ear for irony.

David Letterman, who was denied the actual "Tonight Show" in 1992,� was given the Johnny Carson Award for Comedic Excellence at the Hammerstein Ballroom last night.

A standing ovation greeted Letterman after he was introduced by Bill Murray.

Letterman was predictably unmoved, telling the crowd receiving the award was like "NASA giving the Neil Armstrong Award to Balloon Boy."

Standing in front of the original rainbow-colored curtain from Carson's "Tonight Show," Letterman said that everyone who does a talk show today "labors under the shadow of Johnny Carson. Except for Regis [Philbin]," Letterman deadpanned. "I don't know what his deal is.

Letterman also got a big laugh when mocking the often profane tone of the evening, he told the crowd he forgot to say, "Hello, motherf-----s."

Jay Leno, who beat out Letterman as Carson's "Tonight" show successor in 1992, and consistently beats CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman" in the Nielsens, was not mentioned.

In fact, when Murray was introducing Letterman, his only reference to Dave's late-night competition was the tongue-in-cheek comment that "every four years NBC has the Olympics and that just crushes him in the ratings."

Earlier in the evening, Stephen Colbert yukked it up about his supposed inferiority complex towards Jon Stewart, who won the Late Night Comedy Series award.

Colbert said he was tired of playing second fiddle to the lefty laughmaker and ordered everyone who'd joined Stewart off-stage. Colbert then announced that he was accepting the award for "everyone whose soul has been crushed by Jon Stewart."

Among the afflicted he named were Jimmy Kimmel and Carson's predecessor Jack Paar, who's been dead since 2004.

"Two and a Half Men" star Jon Cryer, who introduced the Best Actress, Comedy Series award, took several thinly veiled digs at his wildman co-star Charlie Sheen.

Cryer said that he was "kind of a private person" who felt that it's "important for an actor to keep out of the public eye." Then after a hip-hop crew that included gyrating dancers and two rappers performed a song with the chorus, "Jon Cryer will f*** you up!"

After the song, Cryer told the crowd, "Luckily a lot of talented people are working on shows that are still in production," then gave the award to "Saturday Night Live" cast member Kristen Wiig.

The Comedy Icon award went to Eddie Murphy, who didn't exactly seem thrilled with the honor.

"I'm startin' to feel old," the 49-year-old comic told the crowd of 800.

It's "definitely an old man's honor," he added before paying homage to the comedy greats who inspired him: Richard Pryor, Charlie Chaplin, Bill Cosby and George Carlin.

Bruce Willis avoided eloquence entirely.

After taking the stage, the "Die Hard" star proceeded to lead the crowd in a brief chant of the f-word.

On hand were a virtual who's who of funny people:� Will Ferrell and his pal, "The Other Guys" director Adam McKay; "Saturday Night Live" star Bill Hader, Andy Richter, "South Park" and "The Book of Mormon" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Lonely Island trio Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer, comic Garry Shandling, "30 Rock" stars Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan and Tina Fey, and "Kick-Ass" teen star Chloe Moretz.

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