Comedian Bill Maher claimed he speaks for the ‘normies’ who are ‘tired of partisanship’ in politics and defended his decision to bring controversial guests on stage during a sit-down interview.
The 68-year-old host of HBO’s “Real Time” appeared on “CBS News Sunday Morning” ahead of the release of his new book, aptly titled “What This Comedian Said Will Shock You.”
Maher discussed his approach to comedy with correspondent Robert Costa, who noted that he regularly takes digs at both sides of the aisle.
‘Keep it real. Don’t be tribal. Don’t say something just because the audience on one side will applaud or boo,” Maher said.
He claimed this represented “normies” and “that great middle that is tired of partisanship,” adding, “I don’t want to hate half the country, and I don’t hate half the country either.”
The 68-year-old host of HBO’s ‘Real Time’ appeared on ‘CBS News Sunday Morning’ ahead of the release of his new book, aptly titled ‘What This Comedian Said Will Shock You’
Maher discussed his approach to comedy with correspondent Robert Costa
Maher addressed this divide in “Real Time.”
“The right response to speech you don’t like is more speech, not the lazy, cowardly response of canceling people,” he said during a February 2022 episode.
On Sunday, he acknowledged that this approach and his decision to host far-right figures such as Steve Bannon and Roger Stone have caused controversy.
“Yes, this is exactly what I hate about this country,” Maher claimed. ‘How dare you? How dare you give someone a platform.’
“You’ll have to talk to people, and maybe you’ll find out they’re not the monsters you think they are.”
Costa pushed back against Maher’s relentless attacks on Democrats — who, according to the book, “annoyed” and “frustrated” him at best — despite claiming to be more “alarmed” about Republicans.
‘Yes, they are very alarming. They are extremely alarming. Even more alarming,” Maher confirmed.
But he continued: “The truth is not so one-sided. The Democrats are constantly fighting Trump with the idea, “There’s no way you people out there could vote for this guy.” And people say, “Look at me. Hold my beer. Watch me vote for him again.”
He claimed this represented “normies” and “that great middle who are tired of party politics”, adding: “I don’t want to hate half the country, and I don’t hate half the country either.”
Maher appealed to Democrats to simply address the facts.
‘For example, we know he is a liar. He’s Donald Trump! He can’t help it. He is crazy,” the 68-year-old said.
“I mean, I literally think crazy. I think there is some kind of malignant narcissism that is not just a personality flaw, it is diagnosable and he is suffering from it.”
“If you had him on Real Time, what would you ask him?” Costa asked.
“Would you please leave?” Maher joked with a laugh, before hinting that the former president had received an invitation before.
“Of course we asked everyone, I mean, that size. He knows he has an open invitation to fill in, but I don’t think he really hates me because of how often he goes after me.”
Although Maher emphasizes the importance of facts and objectivity, he does not shy away from expressing his opinion. These include his aversion to gender-affirming care and his support of Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
‘They say that in politics, liberals are the accelerator and conservatives are the brakes. And I usually step on the accelerator, but not when we’re driving off a cliff,” Maher said during an episode of his talk show last month.
“On the trans issue, America is by no means an ‘if’ or a ‘but’, and is now absolutely alone in the world, an outlier.”
In March, he proclaimed that “far-left liberals” were “living in an old paradigm” because “Americans no longer fit into neat boxes.”
The outspoken host donated $1 million to a super PAC affiliated with Senate Democrats in 2018, according to campaign finance revelations.