Bill Maher | |
|---|---|
 Maher in 2010 | |
| Born | William Maher (1956-01-20)January 20, 1956 (age 69) New York City, U.S. |
| Education | Cornell University (BA) |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Medium | |
| Genres | |
| Subjects | |
| Website | billmaher |
William Maher[1] (/mɑːr/MAR; born January 20, 1956)[2] is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is popularly known for theHBO political talk showReal Time with Bill Maher (2003–present) and the similarlate-night show calledPolitically Incorrect (1993–2002), originally onComedy Central and later onABC. In 2022, Maher started the podcastClub Random.[3]
Maher is best known for hispolitical satire[4] and sociopolitical commentary. He targets many topics including religion, political correctness, and the mass media.[5] His critical views of religion were the basis for his 2008 documentary filmReligulous. He is a supporter ofanimal rights, having served on the board ofPETA since 1997.[6][7][needs update] Maher supports thelegalization of cannabis, serving on the advisory board ofNORML.[8]
In 2005, Maher ranked at No. 38 onComedy Central's 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time.[9] He received aHollywood Walk of Fame star in 2010.[10] Maher has earned 41Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a win for his work as executive producer forVice in 2014.[11] He has also received nominations for twoGrammy Awards and aTony Award.
William Maher was born in New York City. His father, William Aloysius Maher Jr.,[1] was a network news editor and radio announcer, and his mother, Julie Maher (née Berman), was a nurse.[2] He was raised in hisIrish-American father'sRoman Catholic religion. Until his early teens, he was unaware that his mother, whose family was fromHungary, wasJewish.[12][13][14][15] Owing to his disagreement with theCatholic Church's doctrine aboutbirth control, Maher's father stopped taking Maher and his sister toCatholic Mass when Maher was thirteen.[16]
Maher was raised inRiver Vale, New Jersey, and graduated fromPascack Hills High School inMontvale in 1974.[2][17][18] He then attendedCornell University, where he double-majored in English and history, and graduated in 1978.[19] Maher has said, "Sellingpot allowed me to get through college and make enough money to start off in comedy."[17]
Maher began his career as a comedian and actor. He was host of the New York City comedy clubCatch a Rising Star in 1979. Maher began appearing onJohnny Carson's andDavid Letterman's shows in 1982.[20] He made limited television appearances including onSara (1985),[21]Max Headroom (1987),[22]Murder, She Wrote (1989, 1990),[21] andCharlie Hoover (1991). His feature film debut was inD.C. Cab (1983).[21] He later appeared inRatboy (1986),[21]House II: The Second Story (1987),[21]Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death (1988),[21]Newhart (1988), hosted the talk showMidnight Hour on CBS (1990) andPizza Man (1991).[21]
Maher assumed the host role onPolitically Incorrect with Bill Maher, a late-night political talk show that ran on Comedy Central from 1993 to 1997 and onABC from 1997 to 2002. The show regularly began with a topical monologue by Maher preceding the introduction of four guests, usually a diverse group of individuals, such as show business, popular culture, political pundits, political consultants, authors, and occasionally news figures. The group would discuss topical issues selected by Maher, who also participated in the discussions.[23]Jerry Seinfeld, a regular guest on the show, stated thatPolitically Incorrect reminded him of talk shows from the 1950s and '60s "when guests interacted with each other as much as with the host".[23]
Politically Incorrect won an array of awards, including anEmmy Award for Outstanding Technical Direction, twoCableACE awards for Best Talk Show Series, and aGenesis Award for Best Television Talk Show. Maher earned numerous award nominations for his producing, writing, and hosting ofPolitically Incorrect, including ten Emmy nominations, twoTV Guide nominations, and twoWriters Guild nominations. ABC decided against renewing Maher's contract forPolitically Incorrect in 2002, after he made a controversial on-air remark six days after theSeptember 11 attacks.[24] He agreed with his guest, conservative punditDinesh D'Souza, that the 9/11 terrorists did not act in a cowardly manner (in rebuttal toPresident Bush's statement calling them cowards). Maher said, "We have been the cowards. Lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away. That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building. Say what you want about it. Not cowardly. You're right." Maher later clarified that his comment was not anti-military in any way whatsoever, referencing his well-documented longstanding support for the American military.[25][26] After receiving complaints,FedEx andSears pulled their advertisements from the show, costing the show significant revenue.[27][28]
Maher's remarks after 9/11 were not the first time he had sparked controversy onPolitically Incorrect. In the same year, he expressed his deep regrets and apologized after being widely criticized for comparing his dogs to mentally disabled children.[29] The show was canceled on June 16, 2002; theSinclair Broadcast Group had dropped the show from itsABC-affiliated stations several months earlier. On June 22, 2002, six days after the cancellation ofPolitically Incorrect, Maher received the Los Angeles Press Club president's award (for "championing free speech").[28] Maher was on the board of judges for the 2002PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, which was given to writerVanessa Leggett, imprisoned for 168 days for protecting sources and research notes.[30]
In 2003, Maher became the host, co-producer, and co-writer ofReal Time with Bill Maher, a weekly hour-long political comedy talk show on the cable television networkHBO. In 2016, HBO renewedReal Time through 2018, for its 15th and 16th seasons.[31] During an interview, Maher toldTerry Gross (on NPR'sFresh Air) that he much prefers having serious and well-informed guests on his program, as opposed to the random celebrities that fleshed out his roundtable discussions onPolitically Incorrect.[32]
As with his previous show,Politically Incorrect, Maher beginsReal Time with a comic opening monologue based upon current events and other topical issues. He proceeds to a one-on-one interview with a guest, either in-studio or via satellite. Following the interview, Maher sits with two or three panelists—usually consisting of pundits, authors, activists, actors, politicians, and journalists—for a discussion of the week's events.
Real Time has earned widespread praise. It has been nominated for more than ten Primetime Emmy Awards and sixWriter's Guild awards. In 2007, Maher and his co-producers were awarded the Television Producer of the Year Award in Variety Television by the Producers Guild of America.[33] Maher holds the record for the most Emmy nominations without a win, having been nominated on 22 occasions and not winning once. Eleven of the nominations were forPolitically Incorrect, while nine were forReal Time. The other two were nominations for two of his HBO comedy specials:I'm Swiss andBill Maher: The Decider.[34]
Maher is a frequent commentator on various cable news networks, includingCNN,MSNBC,Fox News, andHLN. Maher has regularly appeared on CNN'sThe Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer[35] and has also been a frequent guest onMSNBC'sHardball with Chris Matthews,[36]The Rachel Maddow Show,[37] andCountdown with Keith Olbermann.[38] Maher has also appeared as a guest onHLN'sThe Joy Behar Show.[39] He wrote the foreword for the 2002 book,Spin This!: All the Ways We Don't Tell the Truth by show hostBill Press.[40]
Maher hosted the January 13, 2006, edition ofLarry King Live, on which he was a frequent guest. Maher appeared as a special guest on the June 29, 2010, edition of the show, on which CNN anchorLarry King announced his retirement.[41] Maher co-emceed the final show ofLarry King Live on December 16, 2010, withRyan Seacrest.[42]
In 2004, Maher appeared on stage as Satan inThe Steve Allen Theater production of "Hollywood Hell House", a spoof of Christian-runhell houses. The show was a faithful reproduction of an evangelistic scare-experience written by Reverend Keenan Roberts to terrify teenagers into declaring themselves Christians. "Our faith is that putting this up as itself, it will hoist itself on its own petard, that it's comical just as it is," explained producer Maggie Rowe. The show featured a rotating cast of over 160 celebrities, includingAndy Richter (Jesus),Richard Belzer,Dave Thomas,Traci Lords,Craig Bierko,Sarah Silverman, andJulia Sweeney.[43] Maher and directorLarry Charles teamed up to make the movieReligulous, described by trade publicationVariety as a documentary "that spoofs religious extremism across the world". It was released on October 3, 2008.[44][45]
In 2013, Maher became one of theexecutive producers for the HBO newsmagazine seriesVice.[46][47] Also in 2013, Maher appeared onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno and offered to pay $5 million to a charity ifDonald Trump would produce hisbirth certificate to prove that Trump's mother had not mated with anorangutan. Maher said this in response to Trump having previously challenged PresidentBarack Obama to produce his birth certificate, and having offered $5 million payable to a charity of Obama's choice if Obama would produce his college applications, transcripts, and passport records.[48][49]
In response to Maher's offer, Trump produced his birth certificate, and thenTrump launched a lawsuit after Maher was not forthcoming, claiming that Maher's $5 million offer was legally binding. "I don't think he was joking", Trump said. "He said it with venom."[48] Trump withdrew his lawsuit against the comedian after eight weeks.[50]
On March 21, 2022, Maher launched a podcast titledClub Random, a series hosting one-on-one interviews with guests, recorded in his bar at home, where he discusses everything except politics.[3] Guests have includedQuentin Tarantino,Jimmy Kimmel,Bella Thorne,Judd Apatow,Mike Tyson,Killer Mike, andWilliam Shatner.[51] In February 2024, Maher revealed that he decided not to release a two-hour interview withKanye West recorded forClub Random because of the rapper's recent antisemitic comments.[52] In March 2024, Maher announced that he was starting a podcast network with Chris Casey and Chuck LaBella calledClub Random Studios.[53] In May 2024, Maher toldJerry Seinfeld on theClub Random podcast that "after this year, I'm going to stop doing [stand-up]".[54]
Maher often eschews political labels, referring to himself as "practical"; however, he has generally held moderately liberal views over the years.[55] Maher stands againstpolitical correctness. In his words, "The difference is that liberals protect people, and P.C. people protect feelings."[56] In the past, he has also described himself as alibertarian, and has also referred to himself "as aprogressive, as a sane person".[57][58] In a 2012 panel discussion withSalman Rushdie, Maher counted himself, Rushdie, and others such asChristopher Hitchens andSam Harris as "9/11 liberals", noting that they differentiate themselves from many mainstream liberals in saying that not all religions are alike and that they are not bigoted in criticizing a particular religion.[59] He said in a later interview: "It's ridiculous to label criticism of a religion as a phobia of a religion. I'm going to criticize any person or group that violates liberal principles...."[56] He has addressed his Republican fans who have asked him why he, after frequently criticizing the Democratic party over the years for various policies and decisions and being "so good in roasting thewoke nonsense-peddlers", won't just "go all the way and join" theright-wing by saying that "because I don’t want to live in North Korea".[60]
Maher favors the ending ofcorporate welfare and federal funding ofnon-profits; he also favors the legalization of gambling, prostitution, and cannabis.[61][62] Maher also supports the death penalty.[63] Maher describes himself as an environmentalist, and he has spoken in favor of theKyoto treaty onglobal warming on his showReal Time. He often criticizes industry figures involved in environmental pollution.[64] He is a board member ofPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.[7] The comedian has noted the paradox of people claiming they distrusted "elite" politicians while at the same time wanting elite doctors to treat them and elite lawyers to represent them in court.[65]
AfterNPR CEOKatherine Maher defended NPR's journalism as "completely unbiased" at acongressional hearing in March 2025, Bill Maher characterized the radio network as "crazyfar-left" and called for defundingpublic media outlets, arguing that the country is "past the age" of subsidizing them.[66]
Maher considers himself to be at odds with both theRepublican Party and theDemocratic Party.[67] In the2008 U.S. presidential election, Maher announced his support for U.S. SenatorBarack Obama (D-IL).[68] Although Maher welcomed Obama's electoral victory, he soon became critical of the new president for not acting more boldly on health care reform and other liberal issues.[69] On February 23, 2012, after his "Crazy Stupid Politics" special streamed on Yahoo! Screen, Maher announced that he was contributing $1 million toPriorities USA, the Obama SuperPAC.[70][71] Maher has voted forBob Dole andRalph Nader.[67]
In the lead-up to the2014 midterm elections, Maher conducted a "Flip a District" contest on his HBO show. His audience was asked to select one "terrible, entrenched" member of Congress in a close election race—"the loserest loser of all"—to remove from office. Maher aimed to help oust that representative by shining a "national spotlight" on the politician during segments of his show and stand-up comedy appearances in that member's district during the Fall election.[72][73] Maher ultimately selectedRepublican RepresentativeJohn Kline from Minnesota's2nd congressional district, but he failed to prevent him from winning against hisDemocratic-Farmer-Labor Party opponentMike Obermueller.[74]
In the2016 U.S. presidential election, Maher initially endorsed SenatorBernie Sanders on February 5, 2016. Maher later announced his support forHillary Clinton after Clinton won the nomination from theDemocratic Party primary elections in June 2016.[75] In October 2016, Maher criticizedWikiLeaks founderJulian Assange for publishingleaks from the DNC's emails, saying: "I really feel like he's lost his way a little, and he hates Hillary."[76] On March 31, 2017, following her defeat, Maher responded on air to suggestions Clinton was ready to end her low profile and speak out: "Hillary, stay in the woods. Okay. You had your shot. You fucked it up. You'reBill Buckner. We had theWorld Series, and you let the grounder go through your legs. Let someone else have the chance."[77] In August 2019, Maher said aneconomic recession would be "worth it" ifDonald Trump did not get re-elected in 2020. He said: "We have survived many recessions. We can't survive another Donald Trump term."[78]
Over the course of 20 different editions ofReal Time with Bill Maher broadcast between April 13, 2018, and August 7, 2020,[79] and in several press interviews,[80] Maher predicted that Trump would refuse to concede any loss in the2020 United States presidential election, dedicating a 'New Rules' end segment to the subject on January 25, 2020.[81] Maher highlighted Trump's own public references to Maher's assertions that Trump was "not going to leave", and quoted Trump's March 14, 2019, assertion, "I have the support of the police, the military, thebikers [for Trump]" and "the tough people",[82] citing this as evidence that Trump would seek to remain in office by force. Maher predicted there would be violence by armed Trump supporters attempting to keep Trump in power and criticized Democratic Party politicians for not taking the threat seriously:
"So my question to allDemocratic candidates is: what's the plan? If you win, and the next day he claims he's voiding the election because of irregularities he's hearing about, what do you do? What do you do when thecrowd that was in Virginia this week, 22,000 strong, marches on Washington? This is a scary moment. And when I've asked Democrats, 'What do we do if he doesn't go?', their answer is always some variation of 'We have to win big!'... First of all, NO! No, we don't have to win by a landslide! Jesus, fucking Democrats! I am so sick of Democrats volunteering to play by two different sets of rules. That's the new paradigm? Republicans can win by one vote, but we're not legitimate unless it's a landslide? Fuck. And two, do you really think it would matter if it was? That they would suddenly get rational about math and facts? They believe Hillaryran a pedophile ring out of a pizza parlor!"
Maher later said in an August 15, 2020, interview withVanity Fair that "we've baked it into the cake that he's not going to leave."[83] In the September 25, 2020, edition ofReal Time, Maher criticized the framing of aNew York Times story byMichael Crowley headlined "Trump Won't Commit to Peaceful Transfer of Power", which ran on page 15 of the print edition of the paper. Maher asserted, "I got no help from theNew York Times,Washington Post, [or]CNN", adding that the media "should have amplified" the severity of Trump's threats that he would refuse to concede or commit to apeaceful transition of power.[84]
In January 2022, Maher declined to run in the2024 United States presidential election following speculation byDana Perino that he might be called on to do so.[85] In July 2024, he called onJoe Biden to decline the Democratic party's nomination in order to have anopen convention at theDemocratic Convention; Maher expressed his support forGavin Newsom to replace Biden as the party's nominee.[86]
In February 2025, Maher endorsed Pennsylvania SenatorJohn Fetterman for the2028 Democratic Party presidential primaries and praised his strong support ofIsrael and stance against "woke".[87]
On June 7, 2013, Maher expressed on his show limited support for theNSA'sPRISM intelligence data collection from private phone calls and the Internet, saying that the threat of terrorists obtaining and using nuclear weapons was the tipping point for him. While he stated that he trusted the Obama administration to employ the program responsibly, he described the NSA's access to private data as a "slippery slope", and worried about whether other politicians would be as responsible.[88]
Since the9/11 attacks, he has endorsed certain uses of profiling at airports, saying, "Places like Israel, where they have faced terrorism for a long time, of course understand that profiling is part of all detective work. It's part of all police work. If they stop calling it profiling and start calling it high-intelligence screening or something, people would go, it's about time."[89]
Maher opposed Trump'sExecutive Order 13769, which banned entry into the US of citizens from five majority-Muslim countries, and has hosted multiple guests, includingSam Harris andJim Jefferies, on his show who have also opposed the order.[90][91] In 2022, Maher criticized the Biden administration'sDisinformation Governance Board and agreed with the comparison that the board was similar to theMinistry of Truth fromGeorge Orwell's dystopian novelNineteen Eighty-Four.[92][93]
Maher favors having a strong military,[94] but has said he is disenchanted with the size of theAmerican military[95] anddefense spending.[96] In 2015, Maher criticizedBarack Obama's visit to Saudi Arabia, a closeU.S. ally, saying: "Stop respecting their medieval bullshit under the guise of, 'It's their culture.'"[97] Maher opposed theIraq War from the beginning and has summarized his opinion by saying that the United States and the world have had to pay too high a price for the war.[98]
On theIsraeli–Palestinian conflict, Maher says he is "more on the side of the Israelis" and does not consider both sides equally guilty. He acknowledges that "Palestinians do have gripes", and he has been critical ofU.S. financial aid to Israel, saying "they don't need our money, they can handle it themselves." Maher says that most Israelis prefer atwo-state solution and oppose the hard-line stance of their government, which he describes as having been taken over by their version of theTea Party. However, Maher has defended Israel's military actions against Palestinians amid criticism over civilian deaths and disproportionate casualty count between Israelis and Palestinians during the2014 Gaza war. He argues that Israel is still showing restraint, and he finds it ironic that the same people who were incredulous over how the Jews in World War II were led "to their slaughter" cannot understand why they are defending themselves now.[99][100] Maher faced online backlash for tweeting at the start of the war, "Dealing w/ Hamas is like dealing w/ a crazy woman who's trying to kill u - u can only hold her wrists so long before you have to slap her".[101]
In August 2019, Maher denounced theBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, saying: "It's predicated on this notion ... I think it's very shallow thinking that the Jews in Israel are mostly white and Palestinians are mostly brown, so they must be innocent and correct and the Jews must be wrong."[102] He responded to Rep.Rashida Tlaib's call to boycott his talk show: "Some people have one move only: boycott.Cancel. Make-go-away. But here's the thing,the house voted 318 to 17 to condemn the #BDS movement, including 93% of Dems. Does Tlaib want to boycott 93% of her own party?"[103] Condemning theOctober 7 attacks, Maher spoke about it as Israel's9/11, and took serious issue with people who seemed to applaud these attacks; however, he cautioned Israel not to "lose the moral high ground" in theGaza war.[104] Maher expressed disappointment with former PresidentBarack Obama over his comments on the Gaza war,[105] saying that "there is a big difference between collateral damage and what Hamas did."[106]
In April 2020, Maher criticized those who equated using the term "Wuhan virus" withracism, stating, "Scientists...have been naming diseases after the places they came from for a very long time.Zika is from theZika Forest,Ebola from theEbola River,hantavirus theHantan River. There's theWest Nile virus andGuinea worm andRocky Mountain spotted fever and, of course, theSpanish flu." He added: "This has nothing to do with Asian Americans, and it has everything to do with China."[107] In March 2021, Maher criticized China'streatment of Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. He said theUnited States has "lost" to China in the "battle for the 21st century". According to Maher,China is dominating the world while the United States is wasting time in a "never-endingwoke competition".[108]
In September 2025, Maher criticized the lack of news coverage on thepersecution of Christians inNigeria, stating that they are being "systematically killed".[109][110] He rhetorically questioned: "Where are the kids protesting this?"[110][111]
In June 2017, Maher came under criticism for saying in an off-the-cuff joke "I'm ahouse nigger" in response to guest SenatorBen Sasse offering Maher to work on the fields in his home state onReal Time. This led to calls being made by people to HBO to fire him.[112] Following the episode, HBO sent a statement to media outlets, calling Maher's remarks "inexcusable and tasteless", and said the cable network would remove that segment from future airings of the show.[113] Maher also issued a statement apologizing for the remarks, saying in part, "I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive, and I regret saying it and am very sorry."[113] Maher apologized on his show and had a discussion withMichael Eric Dyson,Ice Cube, andSymone Sanders about the controversy.[114]
In 2021, Maher opposed the NFL's decision to play the "Black national anthem" before games, considering it a form of segregation.[115][116] Instead, he argued for one national anthem and rejected separate ceremonies and dorms based on race, which drew some criticism.[117] In 2022, Maher criticized the Democratic Party for "checking boxes" in regard to candidates of different identity groups, including race. He stated that Democrats prioritize diversity over merit.[118] Maher has also spoken out againstcritical race theory but supports teaching thehistory of racism.[119][120][121]
In November 2015, Maher expressed opposition to the United States acceptingSyrian refugees. Maher argued that they have different values which are at odds with American values due to some refugees may be coming from places which are governed bySharia law or want to be. Maher cited cases in the UK where Muslim immigrants had carried outfemale genital mutilation andhonor killings.[122][123][124] In 2021, after thewithdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Maher urged America to take inAfghan refugees.[125] Maher has criticized Donald Trump's opposition to immigration, including his proposedborder wall, and accused him of hypocrisy, having himself married two immigrants.[126][127] Maher has also accused Republicans of hypocrisy for opposing immigration and praising their immigrant parents, saying "You can't spend the first half of a debate bitching about how immigrants are ruining the country and the second half on the uplifting stories of your immigrant parents."[128] Maher has criticized Democrats' approach to immigration and has praised Canada's system, saying "Canada is much more to the right on immigration. You have to have a skill. That's mostly what it's based on. Ours is mostly based on family."[129]
Maher endorseda 2014 Maine referendum to ban the use of bait, traps and dogs tohunt bears in Maine. He specifically criticized the use of bait, referring to its use as "nothing but an execution".[130] Maher is a gun owner, and explained in his February 12, 2013, appearance on the late-night TV talk showConan that he owns guns for personal home protection. However, he does not identify himself as a "proud" gun owner, commenting that being a proud gun owner is akin to "saying I'm a 'proud remote control owner'". Maher has stated that statistics showing that gun owners are more likely to harm a member of their household are caused by irresponsible gun owners, and believes that tragedies such asschool shootings will not lead to a fundamental change in gun laws because bothDemocrats andRepublicans favor guns.[131] Maher has also questioned the need to own large arsenals of guns.[132] He believes theSecond Amendment is "bullshit"[133][134] and said that bipartisan background check legislation proposed byPat Toomey andJoe Manchin was "so marginal". In 2022, Maher blamed mass shooting in part due to Hollywood romanticization of gun violence in movies.[135] However Maher has said that despite him not liking guns he is glad that they exist saying it "levels the playing field".[136]
Maher is highlycritical of religion and views it as highly destructive. He has been described, or self-identified, variously as anagnostic,atheist, andapatheist, while objecting to having his views defined by a single label. In his 2008 feature filmReligulous, he refers to himself as agnostic.[137] He has rejected being grouped with explicit atheists, saying in 2002, "I'm not an atheist. There's a really big difference between an atheist and someone who just doesn't believe in religion. Religion to me is a bureaucracy between man and God that I don't need, but I'm not an atheist, no."[138]
Maher has occasionally referred to himself as an apatheist, saying in 2011 "I don't know what happens when you die, and I don't care." When discussing his apatheism and his views on the existence of God, he said on a scale from 1 to 7 (7 being "absolutely certain there is no god"), he was only at 6.9, likeRichard Dawkins, "because we just don't know ... but we just don't think about it." He added, "There's atheist and there's agnostic, and I'm okay with us not splitting the difference on those; if you are just not a super-religious person, you are on my team."[139] Several months later on a 2012 episode of his HBO show, Maher declared that "idiots must stop claiming that atheism is a religion ... believe it or not, I don't really enjoy talking about religion all the time. In fact, not only is atheism not a religion, it's not even my hobby, and that's the best thing about being an atheist. It requires so little of your time."[140] He has reiterated his stance during other interviews, rejecting both the certitude of the existence, as well as the certitude of nonexistence of deities, concluding, "I'm saying that doubt is the only appropriate response for human beings."[141]
While critical of allorganized religions, saying "they're all stupid and dangerous", Maher says all religions are not alike, and has drawn comparisons and contrasts between them.[59][142] He has said, "By any standard,Mormonism is more ridiculous than any other religion."[143] He has referred to tenets of Judaism as "insane" and "funny", and has said thatBuddhism includes some crazy things like "reincarnation".[99] He has described Christianity and Islam as more "warlike", and has asserted that, like historic Christianity, present-day Islam needs to undergo its ownreformation andenlightenment.[144]
In defense of his criticism ofIslam,Sharia law andMuslim culture, Maher says he "believes in the values that Western people believe in which a lot of the Muslim world does not. Likeseparation of church and state. Likeequality of the sexes. Likerespect for minorities,free elections,free speech,freedom to gather. These things are not just different from cultures that don't have them.... It's better ... I would like to keep those values here."[145] In 2017, Maher agreed with the authorSam Harris that "the left has allied itself with Islamists", and that the liberals had failed to stand up to Islamic extremism.[146]
Citing studies and poll results byPew Research Center, theWorld Economic Forum and others, Maher says thehuman rights violations and "illiberal ideas" found in Islam are not extremist views held by a small minority but are supported by a majority of citizens in Muslim countries. Maher has criticized liberals as hypocritical for defending these core liberal values and ideals only at home, while not condemning the oppression of these values and groups in Muslim culture.[144][147] Regarding the more recent[as of?] publicity generated by his stance in the ongoing debate, Maher says he thinks people are finally paying closer attention to a conversation that they need to have. "I'm just shining a light on the reality of the situation. I don't even understand why this is so controversial."[144]
Maher received the 2009Richard Dawkins Award fromAtheist Alliance International.[148] He was an advisory board member of authorSam Harris'sProject Reason, a foundation that promotes scientific knowledge and secular values within society.[149] In 2023, while still being critical of religion, Maher discussed some of his spiritual queries and interests with long-time friend and new age guru,Deepak Chopra.[150][151]
Maher supports the establishment of aMedicare-for-Alluniversalsingle-payer health care system, and has consistently[152] agreed with the proposal since 2011.[153] Maher has stated that theAmerican Medical Association is a powerful lobbying group and was one of the primary reasons why the United States had failed to enacthealth care reform in the decades prior to the passage of theAffordable Care Act.[154][155] On the topic of getting the Affordable Care Act passed, in 2009 Maher stated that Obama should forget about trying to get 60 votes for it because "he only needs 51": "Forget getting the sixty votes or sixty percent—sixty percent of people don't believe inevolution in this country—he just needs to drag them to it, like I said, they're stupid; get health care done, with or without them."[156] OnFox News in a televised debate withBill O'Reilly, Maher said that "if Jesus was in charge of the country we'd probably have health care for everybody."[157]
Maher has expressed the view that a lot of illness was the result of poor diet and lack of exercise, and that medicine was often not the most appropriate way of addressing illness. In an episode of his show about the 2008 presidential candidates' health plans, Maher stated that poor nutrition was a primary cause of illness, and that "the answer isn't another pill."[158] He also has said: "If you believe you need to take all the pills the pharmaceutical industry says you do, then you're already on drugs!"[159] He has expressed his distaste for thepharmaceutical andhealth care industries in general, arguing that they made their money out of treating people who are made sick by consumingunhealthy food that corporations push on the public. Maher maintains that mass consumption ofhigh-fructose corn syrup is a contributor to the rise in frequency ofobesity in the United States.[160]
In a discussion withMichael Moore about the filmSicko, Maher said, "The human body is pretty amazing; it doesn't get sick, usually, for no reason. I mean, there's some genetic stuff that can get to you, but, basically, people are sick in this country because they're poisoned. The environment is a poisoning factor, but also, we gotta say, they poison themselves. They eat shit. People eat shit, and that's, to my way of thinking, about 90 percent of why people are sick, is because they eat shit."[161]Tara Parker-Pope and former Senator (R-TN)Bill Frist, a physician, have called Maher's criticism of theH1N1 flu vaccinations unscientific.[162] Infectious diseases expertPaul Offit wrote that misinformation about vaccines from celebrities like Maher has put children at unnecessary risk.[163]
SurgicalOncologistDavid Gorski criticized Maher's claims about vaccines several times onScienceBlogs, and deemed it inappropriate that Maher received the Richard Dawkins Award.[164] Skeptics, includingmagician and popular science writerMartin Gardner,[165]neurologistSteven Novella,[166] and magicianJamy Ian Swiss have also strongly rebuked Maher, characterizing him as anti-science, uninformed and potentially endangering the health of fans who take his "non-medical" advice.[167] Maher responded to the criticism, saying, "What I've read about what they think I'm saying is not what I've said. I'm not a germ theory denier. I believe vaccinations can work. Polio is a good example. Do I think in certain situations that inoculating Third World children against malaria or diphtheria, or whatever, is right? Of course. In a situation like that, the benefits outweigh costs. But to me living in Los Angeles? To get a flu shot? No."[168] In 2019, Gorski again criticized Maher for hisHBO interview with the doctorJay Gordon and Maher'sclaims about vaccines (in particular, theinfluenza vaccine), including the speculation about a link betweenvaccines and autism, which is debunked according to consensus science.[169] In January 2021, Maher promoted theCOVID-19 lab leak theory.[170] On April 16, 2021, Maher calledmedia coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic "panic porn" and added that "When all of our sources for medical information have an agenda to spin us, yeah, you wind up with a badly misinformed population, including on the left."[171]
Maher, who has a California medical marijuana card, openly and publicly uses cannabis, and has been a visible supporter of cannabis law reform. Maher is a member of the advisory boards for both theNORML andMarijuana Policy Project, organizations that support regulatedlegalization of cannabis.[61][62] He sold cannabis while in college at Cornell and credits it for making his college and the beginning of his career as a comic possible.[172] In 2015, Maher called on then PresidentBarack Obama to pardon people incarcerated for marijuana offenses and later praised PresidentJoe Biden for pardoning citizens convicted of marijuana offenses.[173][174] He has been called "one of the brightest torches for sensible marijuana policy" and "a contemporary cannabis statesman".[175]
Maher has been a critic of9/11 conspiracy theories. On October 19, 2007, Maher confronted several9/11 truthers and had them ejected from his show audience after they interrupted the live show numerous times by calling out from the audience. The incident drew significant media attention and praise from Fox News talk show host and frequent criticJohn Gibson.[176] Maher has spoken out againstQAnon and the conspiracy theories they have promoted.[177] Maher has criticized the decision to ban conspiracy theoristAlex Jones from Twitter saying "I don't like Alex Jones, but Alex Jones gets to speak. Everybody gets to speak."[178][179]
Maher has been critical of the#MeToo movement, describing it in February 2018 asMcCarthyism.[180][181] He has supportedChris Matthews against allegations ofsexual harassment in 2020.[182] He has also downplayed the sexual harassment allegations against former senatorAl Franken including rejecting the idea that Franken was a "sexual predator" and has suggested that the allegations against Franken were political.[183][184]
Maher supportssame-sex marriage.[185] He has referred to arguments against same-sex marriage as "bankrupt".[186] In May 2022, on why more people are identifying asLGBT, Maher said "Yes, part of the rise in LGBT numbers is from people feeling free enough to tell it to a pollster, and that's all good, but some of it is [because] it's trendy".[187] Maher also referred topuberty blockers and othertransgender health care fortrans youth as "literally experimenting on children".[188]GLAAD criticized Maher for these statements and referred to him astransphobic, citing articles from organizations such as theWorld Health Organization and theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics that state gender-affirming care is medically appropriate.[189][190] He has claimed that Democrats will "lose every election" without changing their positions on trans issues and banninggender-affirming care for minors.[191]
Maher has also criticized theDemocratic Party's approach to sex education on multiple occasions.[192] In March 2022, Maher rebuked liberals for their opposition to theFlorida Parental Rights in Education Act and defended Republicans for pushing the bill.[192]
Maher criticized the2023 Writers Guild of America strike on hisClub Random podcast. Speaking to comedianJim Gaffigan in September 2023, has stated, "they kind of believe that you're owed a living as a writer, and you're not". He went on to say that "They're asking for a lot of things that are, like, kooky."[193] In an interview withTMZ, Maher stated he supported the strike and added that the writers have "legitimate gripes" with the studios. However, Maher clarified his problems with the strike noting "there are some things that [the writers] are demanding I don't agree with." In particular, Maher criticized the WGA proposal of having a mandate to have a particular set number of writers on each show. He stated, "They want to micromanage the creative process in a way that I think is antithetical to anybody that is an artist. They want to tell people how many people, what kind of people you can have working on your show, writing on your show". Maher stated his wish to have GovernorGavin Newsom help end the strike.[194]
On September 13, 2023, Maher released a statement on Twitter announcing his plans to restart a version of his HBO show. He wrote in part:
"Real Time is coming back...It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems and concerns...[I] will honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial".[195][196]
— Bill Maher
Maher's announcement, as well as the continuation ofThe Drew Barrymore Show andThe View, led to protests. TheWriters Guild of America released a statement describing Maher's decision as "disappointing", adding, "It is difficult to imagine howReal Time with Bill Maher can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show."[197] Early the next week, Maher said he would wait a few days to see what the next round of negotiations might produce.[198]
Maher has received 41Primetime Emmy Award nominations winning for Outstanding Informational Series or Special forVice in 2015. He also received twoGrammy Award nominations and variousProducers Guild of America Award andWriters Guild of America Award nominations. In 2003 he was nominated at the57th Tony Awards for theTony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event forBill Maher: Victory Begins at Home.[199] In 2016Vice was nominated for thePeabody Award their segment onStudent debt.[200] Maher was honored byHigh Times as "Top Pot Comic in 2006" andReal Time won aStony Award in 2006 for "Best Cable News Show".High Times later designated him as "Stoner of the Year".[201]
Maher has never married.[202][203] Regarding marriage, Maher is quoted on his website as saying, "I'm the last of my guy friends to have never gotten married, and their wives—they don't want them playing with me. I'm like the escaped slave—I bring news of freedom."[204]
Maher has said his comedic influences includeLenny Bruce,[205]Steve Allen,Johnny Carson,Robert Klein, andGeorge Carlin.[206][207] Comedians who have said they were influenced by Maher includeChris Rock.[208]
In 2003, he began datingflight attendant Coco Johnsen. In November 2004, at the end of their 17-month relationship, Johnsen sued Maher for US$9 million for "pain and suffering" for alleged "insulting, humiliating and degrading racial comments." Her suit stated that Maher promised to marry her and father her children, support her financially and buy a house inBeverly Hills. Johnsen's suit also alleged that she quit her job as a flight attendant and occasional model to be with him.[209] Maher's lawyers in their response, filed on November 23, 2004, inLos Angeles County Superior Court said Maher is a "confirmed bachelor, and a very public one at that" who "never promised to marry [Johnsen] or to have children with her."[210] Maher's filing stated that, after the relationship had ended, Johnsen "launched a campaign to embarrass, humiliate, and extort ridiculous sums of money from Bill Maher." Johnsen's lawsuit was dismissed on May 2, 2005.[211][212]
In 2005, Maher began datingKarrine Steffans, author and formerhip hop model.[213][214][215] When commentators suggested there was a pattern to his dating because both his girlfriend and former girlfriend were black, Maher said, "People say I'm into black women.Robert De Niro is into black women. I'm just into women who are real, and they happen to be black."[214] From 2009 to 2011, Maher dated former adjunct professor,science educator, and currentSkeptics' Guide to the Universe co-hostCara Santa Maria.[203][216] Since 2014, Maher has dated Canadian singerAnjulie Persaud.[217] In 2012, Maher purchased a minority ownership interest in theNew York Mets,[218] which he sold in 2020.[219]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | D.C. Cab | Baba |
| 1986 | Ratboy | Party Guest |
| 1987 | House II: The Second Story | John |
| 1988 | Out of Time | Maxwell Taylor |
| 1989 | Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death | Jim |
| 1991 | Pizza Man | Elmo Bunn |
| 1998 | Primary Colors | Himself |
| 1999 | EDtv | Himself |
| 2001 | Tomcats | Carlos |
| 2002 | John Q. | Himself |
| 2003 | Pauly Shore Is Dead | Himself |
| 2005 | The Aristocrats | Himself |
| Fuck | Himself | |
| Inside Deep Throat | Himself | |
| 2007 | Heckler | Himself |
| 2008 | Swing Vote | Himself |
| Religulous | Himself | |
| 2012 | The Campaign | Himself |
| 2013 | Iron Man 3 | Himself |
| Delivery Man | Himself | |
| 2014 | A Million Ways to Die in the West | Comic |
| The Interview | Himself | |
| 2015 | Ted 2 | Himself |
| 2018 | Gringo | Himself |
| 2019 | Late Night | Himself |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Alice | Officer Gary Conroy | Episode: "Vera's Anniversary Blues" |
| Sara | Marty Lang | 13 episodes | |
| 1987 | Rags to Riches | Freddie | Episode: "Pilot" |
| Hard Knocks | Gower | 3 episodes | |
| Max Headroom | Haskel | Episode: "Whacketts" | |
| 1988 | Newhart | Norm Murphy | Episode: "The Buck Stops Here" |
| 1989–90 | Murder, She Wrote | Rick Rivers/Frank Albertson | 2 episodes |
| 1989–1992 | One Night Stand | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Charlie Hoover | Elliot | 4 episodes |
| 1993 | Married... with Children | Adam Gold | Episode: "You Can't Miss" |
| The Jackie Thomas Show | Mr. Lorre | Episode: "Strike" | |
| Roseanne | Photographer | Episode: "It Was Twenty Years Ago Today" | |
| 1993–2002 | Politically Incorrect | Himself (host) | 2,266 episodes; creator, writer and executive producer |
| 1997 | The Larry Sanders Show | Himself | Episode: "The Roast" |
| Dharma & Greg | Himself | Episode: "Mr. Montgomery Goes to Washington" | |
| 1998 | V.I.P. | Himself | Episode: "One Wedding and Val's Funeral" |
| 1999 | Spin City | Himself | Episode: "Politically Incorrect" |
| Brother's Keeper | Himself | Episode: "Politically Impolite" | |
| Snoops | Himself | Episode: "Higher Calling" | |
| 2000 | The Chris Rock Show | Himself | Episode: "5.8" |
| 2002 | Son of the Beach | Himself | Episode: "Penetration Island" |
| 2003–present | Real Time with Bill Maher | Himself (host) | Also creator, writer and executive producer |
| 2004 | MADtv | Himself | Episode: "10.6" |
| 2008 | True Blood | Himself | Episode: "Strange Love" |
| 2010 | The Sarah Silverman Program | Himself | Episode: "The Silverman and the Pillows" |
| The Boondocks | Himself (voice) | Episode: "It's a Black President, Huey Freeman" | |
| 2010–2017 | Family Guy | Himself (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | The Good Wife | Himself | Episode: "Anatomy of a Joke" |
| 2013 | House of Cards | Himself | Episode: "Chapter 6" |
| 2013–2018 | Vice | — | 113 episodes; executive producer |
| 2015 | Blackish | Himself | Episode: "Elephant in the Room" |
| Year | Title | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Bill Maher: Stuff that Struck Me Funny[220] | HBO |
| 1997 | Bill Maher: The Golden Goose Special | |
| 2000 | Bill Maher: Be More Cynical | |
| 2003 | Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home | |
| 2005 | Bill Maher: I'm Swiss | |
| 2007 | Bill Maher: The Decider | |
| 2010 | Bill Maher... But I'm Not Wrong | |
| 2012 | Bill Maher: Crazy Stupid Politics | |
| 2014 | Bill Maher: Live from D.C.[221] | |
| 2016 | Bill Maher: #WhinyLittleBitch[222] | |
| 2018 | Bill Maher: Live from Oklahoma[223] | |
| 2022 | Bill Maher: #Adulting[224] | |
| 2025 | Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?[225] |
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United States portalLarry, I'm a PETA board member.
Part Hungarian part Irish...
My mother is Jewish. But I never even knew I was half-Jewish until I was a teen-ager.
So the fact that I'm half Irish and half Jewish, they both contributed to a sense of humor.
... and I was raised Catholic. I was never Jewish
You can take Bill Maher out of New Jersey, but you can't take the Joizy out of the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher. The provocative comic says growing up in River Vale (Pascack Hills High School, class of '74) has had a profound impact on him as a Californian.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)The horrific attack—which saw more than 1,200 Israelis killed—was applauded by some, which Maher is taking serious issue with.
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Quotations from Wikiquote
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