Bill Maher - classic!

He's willing to change his mind and take criticism. He tries to play fair; shushes the audience when they are not being fair to a guest. He gets great guests, like the former PM of Canada.

I love Bill Maher! I used to think he was annoying, but I've come 'round.

hurray for those who don't fall neatly into one camp -- it shows they think for themselves.

the HELL?

OTM. I don't agree with Maher on a lot of things and he is often obnoxious as hell (I think it comes with the job description), but non-prepackaged sets of opinions are k-classic.

nobody loves no one

Get thee behind me, Satan.

Well, that's one way of looking at it.

Of course, I like John Maher; and also Fred Maher's drumming on Lloyd Cole's early solo work - magnificent.

I used to think that he was unbearable -- but get past his smirk and he has some intelligent things to say.

http://www.thezreview.co.uk/posters/posterimages/d/dccab.jpg

Since no one has really responded to Maria D's question, I'll go ahead and agree- it was exciting to see Michael Moore butt heads with protofascist David Dreier, and to Maher there representing Common Sense, backing up more, and shutting up Dreier.

Also exciting was proving how ridiculous Nader's stance is, though the former PM of Canada made the point stronger than the comedians (they are comedians, both Moore and Maher, remember).

hurray for those who don't fall neatly into one camp -- it shows they think for themselves.

-- Maria D. (maria...), July 31st, 2004 4:15 PM. (later)

Thinking for yourself = classic; Pro death penalty = unthinking acceptance of american cultural values (but that's my opinion)

huh? i thought the hipoisie CW on maher was that he was a crypto-fascist hack, ie his whole schtick is making a very average american political position sound angry and 'edgy' and somehow under attack.
-- g--ff (gffcnn...), July 31st, 2004 8:41 PM

If only the average american political position was an eagerness to legalize marijuana, and acknowledgement that the terrorists are 'courageous' if nothing else. Crypto-fascist? That's Brit Hume, not Bill Maher.

xpost Ann Coulter - I had a theory that he was sleeping with her- why else would he even listen to her babble?

thanks google

-- oops (don'temailmenicelad...), July 28th, 2004.

Not classic

nah he's why I'll never do ket

aw don't let one jack-ass dissuade you. the weed and amphetamines probably have more to do with enhancing his already existing megalomania as anything else. not sure if he's on speed, but he talks like he does.

this thread title is the only funny thing about bill maher

It’s is just me or does Maher look like late stage Jimmy Carter, size-wise

I did watch a few minutes of Real Time once recently, I figured he's such a sniveling unlikeable dipshit that he must at least be kinda funny, but nah this is like Babylon Bee level shit

the video where he talks to young children and keeps bringing up trans helicopters and crt is all time cringe

duddest

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/bill-maher-reacts-larry-david-hitler-essay-1236200344/

don't know if ya'll like big joel on youtube, but his latest is an absolute banger of a maher takedown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8THCFfg2BY8

big joel ― "bill maher: an autopsy" (posted 5 aug 2025)

fck maher btw appropriate that his initials are bm

I thought you were referencing his recent bonkers 'interview' with Billy Joel

Big Joel's Banger on Bill's Bonkers Billy Joel interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcbfFVSeRLo

that is nuts

Haven't watched that, but keep seeing it in my YT recs and LOLing at the title.

When he pulls out that dumb "hits of 1968" or whatever sheet I was fully expecting it to tie in - "oh look there's the Hassles at #99, do you remember those times?"- but no, he just wanted to show Billy Joel he had a list of 60's hits that he sent out for once. Baffling.

yeah also the lit cigarette is wtf as well.. does his think he's Edward R. Murrow or something?

watched the Big Joel vid on a plane and yeah it gets to the heart of what I find so weird about this guy. it's hard to critically think about it since he's so fuckin annoying and mean all the time but I've always felt his political views were completely incomprehensible for a guy who talks so damn much. I mean guys like Rogan & Elon turning right was extremely predictable but I really don't think he will. he's got kind of a Scott Adams thing going on. also in disbelief at how unfunny his show actually is. these are all piss poor punchlines.

He was way ahead of the curve being a libertarian who chose lib-ness over fascism but kept some residual bigotry as a bonus.

Yeah, there is a certain stripe of boomer that hates Trump and Those Damn Woke Kids equally, perhaps it is more popular here in Europe where a lot of bigots still have "smarter than those dumb Americans" as part of their self-image.

BM: I sent away for this when I was 12. [Holds up ratty old pamphlet] The Top 100 Hits of 1968.

[embarrassingly long pause]

BJ: Am I supposed to know?

BM: No, I'm just saying...I still have it.

BJ: Why?

lol

tomorrow's guest on club random: woody allen!

strong potential for vic berger to edit them into one form for the subsequent Office Hours

will absolutely watch (listen to from the kitchen) whole episode if Maher gets Woody baked tho

woody sneezes and disperses all of bill's overpriced ragweed across the room

What I heard (via a friend, obv, not watching that shit) : Woody starts going on about Bicycle Thieves, Maher loses interest.

miss the days when pseudo intellectual right-wingers at least pretended to be interested in art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idjSjD_KGGo

I liked this.

I watched the interview despite finding Bill Maher sufferable. In retrospect, I can’t help but believe Woody Allen’s love of film is performative.

Gen Z?

"Maher has been chosen to receive this year’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, two people familiar with the selection told us. One of them, who works at the center, said an announcement is expected soon. A third person said that Maher had been offered the award—and that Trump had been supportive of the idea—but was not sure whether Maher had accepted it. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because Maher has not yet been officially announced as the award recipient. As with all decisions involving this president, the move could still be reversed until publicly announced. The White House declined a request for comment."

https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/03/trump-bill-maher-kennedy-center/686474/

Rob Schneider lobbying the President for a last-minute switcheroo

but Maher isn't funny

Is anyone who wins this award funny?

Bill Cos-- uh...

Conan O'Brien won it!

I suppose some were but Kevin Hart won this award two years ago.

At least it's Maher and not, say, Joe Rogan.

Richard Pryor was the first winner. Bob Newhart, Carl Reiner, Steve Martin, George Carlin, Bill Murray, etc....some duds too, but I guess comedy's all subjective. But Mel Brooks refused the award three times and Robin Williams also refused the award.

I'm on the edge of my seat over whether Maher will accept it. He's so well known for his modesty, a humble craftsman.

No prize for you, Bill Maher.

If the award is presented by the Trump Center for Performing Arts and Sycophancy, then this means Maher has missed his perfect chance to stand on his dignity and refuse it. I'm sure he's disappointed, but wait until you hear who does get the award.

Russell Brand

So the next few years are going to be some combo of Gutfeld, Joe Piscopo, Joe Rogan, Rob Schneider, Whitney Cummings...

Kelsey Grammer

If it's Dennis Miller, at least I can pretend it's for his mid-'80s run on Weekend Update. (Easy for me when it's like 95% of what I've seen from Dennis Miller.) Same with Joe Piscopo's work with Eddie Murphy on SNL - he was the best and only constant foil for Murphy during their time there. (Also, he had a good novelty record that he recorded around the same time.)

Piscopo apparently so hard to work with SNL staffers had a running joke - "Eddie Murphy's success has gone to Joe Piscopo's head".

Bill Maher will win the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the Kennedy Center said Thursday, less than a week after the White House forcefully denied that the comedian, who has had a hot-and-cold relationship with President Donald Trump, would win it.

Oy veh

If Maher actually has to give it to Trump, that is a really fucking sad level of fealty and venality.

Trump is much funnier than Bill Maher, so it would also be correct.

otoh idiocy that's unintentionally funny doesn't deserve to be recognized with that kind of prize, not unless they rename it as the Mark Twain Prize for American Stupidity.