Bill Maher had one thing on his mind before accepting one of comedy's biggest honors ... and it wasn't his speech -- it was his shoes.

Jacob caught up with him Sunday ahead of receiving the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center ... and while plenty of people are focused on the politics surrounding the night, Bill seemed a whole lot more concerned about making sure his brand-new kicks didn't send him face-first onto the stage.

Check out the video ... his running commentary about the footwear is pretty hilarious. Maher cracks jokes while fielding questions about the honor ... but quickly gets back to what really matters -- his footing.

We also asked whether he'd spoken to President Trump ahead of the ceremony ... with POTUS now serving as chairman of the Kennedy Center amid months of controversy. As TMZ previously reported, the venue has been at the center of headlines ever since Trump's name went up on the building -- and later came down.

Before heading inside, we asked Bill if he had any message for critics already buzzing about the ceremony ... and his answer is short, confident and worth hearing for yourself.