The surest sign that the holiday season is finally over came in the form of of new episodes of REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER returning to HBO last night. I for one anticipated it greatly because it’s one of the few original TV series of any ilk that still attempts to fill the void on Friday nights that practically every other entity has long since eschewed. Yes, viewing levels are demonstrably lower than they are on other weeknights and advertisers who disproportionately market to weekend events continue to believe that people are incapable of impulse decisions, choosing to focus their media weight earlier in the week. And ever since his broadcast brethren among talk show hosts had been ordered by the powers that be to move to a four-day work week in response to those economic realities it has left a void for topical humor, which in the current dizzying climate of nonstop provocation is more glaring than ever.
I’ve spent a decent amount of time previously musing about Maher, and I think it’s obvious I’m generally favorable toward him. I identfy greatly with his approach which calls out what he sees as inconsistent or ignorant on both sides of the political aisle and I can’t help but giggle at some of the observations he puts forth in his regular segments such as NEW RULES. He’s unashmedly cantakerous and increasingly intolerant of bullsh-t whereever he sees it, and frankly so am I. Maybe it’s a generational thing, but I find myself nodding at a great deal of what he posits and I for one enjoy seeing the viewpoints from his guests–even the ones I usually find odious.
In past seasons Penske-verse oublications such as DEADLINE would eagerly cover his original episodes in, well, real time, offering recaps and commentary minutes after the East Coast HBO feed would direct his audience to OVERTIME on You Tube, no such article has been dropped at the time this musing is being written. What you can see with a simple Google search is that there’s a lot of handwringing out there how his less even-handed hosts are reacting to what they are claiming is a fresh set of Orwellian clamps on their respective shticks. Witness what THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ veteran pundit Meg James teed up earlier this week:
The Federal Communications Commission is taking aim at broadcast networks’ late-night and daytime talk shows, including ABC’s “The View,” which often feature politicians as guests. On Wednesday, the FCC’s Media Bureau issued a public notice saying broadcast TV stations would be obligated to provide equal time to an opposing political candidate if an appearance by a politician falls short of a “bona fide news” event. For years, hosts of “The View,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” have freely parried with high-profile politicians without worrying about being subjected to the so-called “equal time” rule, which requires broadcasters to bring on a politician’s rival to provide balanced coverage and multiple viewpoints.
With the new guidance, FCC appears to take a dim view of whether late-night and daytime talk shows deserve an exemption from the “equal time” rules for stations that transmit programming over the public airwaves.
And yesterday, FORBES’ Siladitya Ray and a few of her compatriots reported on how that seems to be going down among those for whom Thursday nights was the start of their respective weekends:
Late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert on Thursday night responded to the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to enforce its “equal time” mandate—which requires networks to provide equal time to opposing political candidates—on their talk shows, labeling the move as a “crackdown” and a bid to “stifle” the shows.
Kimmel had briefly mentioned the FCC’s notice to the networks in his Wednesday monologue, noting that President Donald Trump was continuing his “war on talk shows” and posted on Truth Social about “how his minions at the FCC” are planning to make interviews with politicians difficult. The ABC late-night host elaborated on this in his Thursday night monologue, as he referred to FCC chair Brendan Carr as “Brendan Cartel” and said the agency was “reinterpreting long-agreed-upon rules to stifle us.”
Colbert addressed the FCC’s move in one of his later segments on the show on Thursday. “I got to watch what I say about Trump, because Johnny Law is once again coming after your’s truly here,” Colbert told his audience, triggering a chorus of boos. After reading out a New York Times headline which described the move as a “new crackdown on late-night TV,” he joked, “that has enormous implications for me for four more months,” a reference to CBS’s decision not to renew his show for another season. Colbert said his lawyer had warned him not to talk about “these new crackdown rules,” and said this is “clearly an attempt to silence me, Jimmy and Seth.”
It actually seems to me that what the FCC was asking for was a format not all that dissimilar to what Maher regularly provides. BROADWAY WORLD’s Josh Sharpe regurgitated the press release for this week’s lineup:
This week features a one-on-one interview with Major General Paul Eaton, retired U.S. Army general and senior advisor for VoteVets and the Vet Voice Foundation. This week’s panel discussion includes Sen. John Kennedy, Republican senator from Louisiana and author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book “How to Test Negative For Stupid: And Why Washington Never Will”; and Kasie Hunt, anchor of CNN’s “The Arena with Kasie Hunt.”
Sure sounds like bookings that even, as Kimmel snarked, “Brendan Cartel” would sign off on.
Maher did make news earlier in the week when among others THE DAILY BEAST’s
Bill Maher is celebrating that his Golden Globes nomination, according to him, is a sign of the end of “wokeness.” The comedian was nominated for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television at the Globes on Jan. 5, which he notably lost to Ricky Gervais, a comic even better known for his stance against political correctness than he is. Gervais also won the award in 2024. Still, Maher insisted, “This is the first time in a while I’ve been nominated for something, which I think shows a little bit that we are coming out of the wokeness.”
That reserved reality check came just after this public trolling:
Before the comedy category’s winner was announced, presenter Wanda Sykes joked from the stage that she’d like to see “a little less” of Maher, which he didn’t seem to take well at the time, based on his facial expression.
That would be the same Wanda Sykes that chose to wear a “Be Good” pin on the red carpet of the awards ceremony that the Penske-verse produced.
Maybe that might be the reason that the prolific staff at DEADLINE chose to give this season’s premiere radio silence this time around?
Funny how one of the few mainstream pubs that still compete with it, THE WRAP, did give last night’s show some coverage, even it wasn’t quite the blow-by-blow-narrative that DEADLINE used to provide. Here’s what their Alyssa Ray elected to focus upon:
Bill Maher issued a number of biting jokes as his show returned for a new season Friday evening. However, one quip regarding Iran and Donald Trump sparked noticeable groans rather than laughter. “Iran, I know this is big here in LA, big Iranian population here,” Maher noted during his monologue. “Largest protests ever there. And, you know, they think this might succeed this time. Overthrow that awful theocracy, because Trump has promised to help.” He continued: “Iran is dealing with the protesters by killing them in the streets. And Trump said, ‘We are watching … mostly for pointers.'” In response to the comment, many in Maher’s studio audience let out an audible groan. Though, many others laughed, offering up scattered applause at the dig.
I suppose a backhanded compliment is better than none at all. I had my own experience with that earlier this week when a fellow employee at my workplace sneeringly offered to buy me earbuds so that my lunchtime conference calls wouldn’t disturb his attempts to nap. Someone who I later learned had called my actual boss and apparently led an internal revolt to have me removed from the workplace entirely.
Fortunately, for once my boss had my back. Much like Maher’s apparently does, given the fact that unlike Colbert, Kimmel and Meyers he’s actually been assured continued employment through 2028. And even if somehow he winds up eventually toiling for David Ellison, Kalshi predictions notwitthstanding, I kinda think his approach will play better than, say, Colbert’s.
Then I gave pause to my otherwise inconsequential experience and took note of what my bestie so often reminds me: People are jealous when you express yourself in a way they can’t and they hate when you’re not in the same sorry situation they find themselves in.
I can’t say that I’m not losing sleep over how sh-tty I feel this week after my own experience with haters. I feel much the same way that I have when people have chosen to block me or ignore me because I somehow can’t bring myself to blindly support their obsessive need to “peacefully protest” or take a stand even though no one but their own choir is paying attention. A point Maher–or at least his talented writers–never fails to point out.
It seems that trappings of wealth and the ability to more readily afford indulgences than me aside I seem to have far more in common with Maher than ever before. So if you’re looking for coverage of his new season’s episodes rest assured that even if Ray chooses not to take a potshot or the Penske pubs continue to ignore him I’ll do my best to fill the void. We all deserve the chance to at least be acknowledged, jealousy or hatred be damned.
Until next time…