Bill Maher again shows what a total asshole he really is...

[Archae]

He was just on MSNBC's morning show, and he blamed "the left" (no specific names, of course,) for the "evil" of political correctness, for democrats "always losing." (Where was he in 2018?)

He an anti-vaxxer, a religious bigot, liar and simply an asshole.

[BeyondGeography]

1. He's an overgrown child

[Hortensis]

100. I'd say a scorpion. Over 2500 years ago Aesop described

people like him in the fable about the scorpion and the frog, and the moral is as valid now as it was before Aristotle and Alexander the Great were born.

Maher's an intelligent man who understands what needs to be done to stand up for his avowed principles, but he can't and/or won't stick it.

[BeyondGeography]

101. I've gone back and forth on him

There have been some truly immortal New Rules moments over the years but this season has been unwatchable for me. The cynicism has been all-consuming. Maybe he's going through a bad time.

[Hortensis]

106. Going back and forth is his schtick. Blow hot and cold,

reel people in with rationality and sense, indulge what shouldn't be indulged, then reel them back in again. Wash, rinse, repeat.

[Panich52]

2. Yes, he's an asshole, but I disagree about him

being a "religious bigot." He's an atheist and, like me, considers organized religion essentially harmful. Repubs are religious bigots—anyone who isn't pretending to be Christian is on their hate list (Jews are reprieved because they'll convert at End Times).

[stopbush]

38. Agree. Being an atheist hardly makes one a religious bigot.

That’s ground that is usually covered by the religious.

[Major Nikon]

82. Even being a confrontational atheist doesn't make you a religious bigot

There’s a subtle, but significant difference to being dismissive of an idea compared to being dismissive to a class of people.

Religion is nothing more than an idea and so long as people are free to promote that idea, so should others be equally free to criticize it. The belief this isn’t true is what privilege looks like.

[stopbush]

98. Bingo!

[Baconator]

99. This is distinction without difference...

When it comes to religion, Maher points out the hypocrisy and stupidity that cuts across the political spectrum and it makes people itchy.

Too fucking bad...

[UniteFightBack]

3. I like Bill Mahar and he's right and often. Have a great day! nt

[Archae]

12. "Right and often?"

He just blamed everything on "the left," and he's an anti-vaxxer.

Even if he makes some good points here and there, he's still an asshole.

[demosincebirth]

107. I agree with him, too.

[spanone]

4. He's full of shit. Not a good way to start off the day.

[hlthe2b]

5. He's a provocateur

and like most provocateurs, he puts forth much that we can agree with, but so sprinkles it with controversial opinions that he always walks right up to the line of being discounted. Sounds like he trampled the line this morning.

[bobbieinok]

6. He irritates me because he smirks at his own jokes, ie, what he thinks is his cleverness

[Freethinker65]

7. Bill is an entertainer and comedian first.

He is not a politician and not concerned about serving his constituents. He enjoys being abrasive at times and does not have the thoughtful policy wonk persona of someone like, say, Al Franken.

Bill is admittedly self serving and smug. He has, however, over the years been able to bring people together from opposing sides to discuss, with humor, some very important and sometimes uncomfortable topics.

[NRaleighLiberal]

9. This.

[mountain grammy]

15. Exactly!

[hlthe2b]

16. Yes. On this, I agree

[HAB911]

54. +++++++++++

[Mira]

64. Yes. I watch him

"religiously". He and his guests are staples in my household and I would not want to do without his input. He is one of a kind. A fine and necessary kind in my book.

[njhoneybadger]

72. Well said

[StarryNite]

73. Yes

[wryter2000]

78. It would help if he was funny, then. n/t

n/t

[IcyPeas]

88. this is my opinion also

he is a comedian people. if he was a politician I would have more worries, but he is not. I also watch his show every Friday. I don't get my panties in a twist when he has republicans on. It's good to hear what they say. it would be an awfully boring show if he only had people who agree on. He practically coined the phrase "politically incorrect".

[redstateblues]

127. I've never thought that he is funny.

[USALiberal]

8. Explain "religious bigot"! Nt

[Archae]

14. Here you are...

Maher is highly critical of all religion and views it as highly destructive. He has been described, or self-identified, variously as an agnostic, atheist, and apatheist, while objecting to having his views defined by a single label. In his 2008 feature film Religulous, he refers to himself as agnostic.

(Read what we says about even fairly harmless faiths like Buddhism)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Maher#Religion

[Farmer-Rick]

39. Well, he has guts to stand up against religion

Considering how much Christianity is shove down our throats on a daily bases.

Yeah, he's gotten kind of weird lately, but I give him credit for not bowing to the religiously insane.

[Celerity]

49. +10000

[HAB911]

55. +++++++++++

[virgogal]

61. How,exactly,is Christianity

shoved down our throats on a daily basis? I have never come across it.

[avebury]

74. Living in an uber red state, religion is paraded about on a constant basis.

I work for a state agency where I have seen employees close their official state emails with Have a Blessed Day. Some people will end a conversation with Have A Blessed Day or other religious type reference. Prayer is common place. Not long after he moved in, my new next door neighbor was telling me about a service being held on the night in question as his church. Have a Blessed Day is frequently used by employees in the private sector as well. Christian beliefs are definitely a huge factor in the voting booth to the point that many will vote against their on best interests if it means that they get their way in terms of religious beliefs.

[demosincebirth]

108. Yup, they don't know which side their bread is buttered on.

[stopdiggin]

80. you haven't ???

I must conclude that you live in a VERY different zip code. How's the women's health issues (as just ONE example) fairing in the country you live in?

[virgogal]

94. The topic is religion,not women's health.

[stopdiggin]

96. you don't see the connection?

the all out assault on Planned Parenthood?

[BruceWane]

87. Taxes

How many parcels of land in your area are exempt from property taxes because a church sits on them?

Quick example - Lakewood Church, here in Houston, sits on some very prime real estate and pays $0 in property tax to the city and county. A car dealership just down the freeway from Lakewood sits on a similarly sized parcel of land and pays nearly $1,000,000 a year in property taxes.

That's money that is NOT going to police and fire protection, roads, infrastructure, all kinds of services and benefits that Lakewood receives just like any other property owner, not to mention other public issues like aid for the needy, health care, etc.

$1,000,000 per year. And that's one church. I can easily name a dozen more that sit on equally prime parcels of land in the Houston area, and of course there are a few thousand more smaller churches throughout the region, paying nothing to support the community which sustains them.

So you and I get to pay more taxes in order to support our communities, essentially subsidizing religion.

Are you getting the feeling that you're being forced to financially support some things that you don't want to yet?

[virgogal]

95. The topic is Christianity. The tax exempt status

applies to all religions.

[stopdiggin]

97. Maher is an atheist

The topic is not exclusively about Christianity. But .. in this case, in this country, Christianity is clearly the largest and most persistent offender. And to answer your original question (again) -- YES there IS quite a bit of Christianity being shoved down our throats every day. And, today, many "Christians" are quite open about a clear intention to do so! To pretend otherwise is disingenuous at best.

[BruceWane]

105. So what?

Support of religion is being forced upon all of us by law via taxation.

Christianity is one of those religions. And in the USA, it is by far the predominant religion.

Therefore, support of christianity is being forced upon all of us by law. Just because christianity isn't the only religion being forced upon us doesn't mean that it is not being forced upon us.

See how that works?

Besides this irrefutable point, you have all the various efforts to inject religion, especially christianity, into government via opening prayers, introducing "bible as literature" classes into public schools (as literature, the bible's really quite bad, LOL), "voluntary" prayers at school events, "protection of marriage/whatever" bills that aim to codify religious persecution into law, etc.

I share Bill Maher's view that religion is a blight upon humanity. Where might we be in regards to a more peaceful world if the tensions between religions didn't exist? No Israel/Palestine conflict. No islam/everything else conflict. No christianity/everything else conflict.

What if all the money from religious tax exemptions was instead applied to problems?

What if people didn't have the option to feel like they're really, truly helping when they offer "thoughts and prayers"? What if the only way to feel like you're doing something meant actually doing something?

[Farmer-Rick]

125. What country do you live in?

From "One nation under God", to "In God we trust", to prayers at sports event by players, to prayers at opening of legislative agendas, to"Bring your bible to school" day, to the 10 commandments in the courthouse, to manger scenes decorating town square during the holidays, to have a blessed day greetings, to churches, priest's salaries and religions not paying their taxes, to laws allowing religions to discriminate and abuse others.

Every day stupid Christian stuff.

[usaf-vet]

63. Thumbs up on that!

[lame54]

117. And laws directly inspired by religion we all have to follow

[stopbush]

41. Nope. That hardly qualifies him as a religious bigot.

And good on him for treating all faith in make believe with equal disdain, including the less harmful ones, whatever that means.

[Celerity]

50. +10000

[demosincebirth]

112. Not here, though. Islam, here, is carefully

Walked around.

[Act_of_Reparation]

118. Bill Maher is a world-class butthole.

But not liking religion doesn't make you a fucking bigot. Not when religion holds all the goddamned cards.

And I don't think the Rohinga or the Tamilians would describe Buddhists as "fairly harmless".

[voteearlyvoteoften]

10. I'm on team Bill

Not afraid to have unpopular opinions. Dems need to kick more ass... um yeh...

[Rustynaerduwell]

11. Problem is

I agree with him most of the time.

[Va Lefty]

36. Me too!

[dchill]

43. Me, too. MOST of the time.

[Paladin]

13. Everybody: QUIT. WATCHING. MAHERS. SHOW.

Deprive him of the ratings he no longer deserves from us. Catch the highlights of his shows, here on DU.

[A HERETIC I AM]

32. You have to subscribe to HBO to watch it, for crying out loud!

It's not as if he is on a network anymore. One has to choose to receive Home Box Office on their television.

[Paladin]

51. Thanks for the illumination. (nt)

[A HERETIC I AM]

68. Wellllll?!?!?!?!?!

I know you knew that, you had to, so why would you think not watching his show would matter?

I'm just amazed at the repetition of these types of threads on this board, the entire time I've been a member, that bemoan or belittle or complain about one TV talking head or author or whatever not being ...I don't know....**PURE** enough?

For fucks sake, it isn't news that Maher has opinions that differ from any mainstream! Why so many on this board feel compelled to complain about what "Tweety" said or Scarborough or Chuck Todd or for fucks sake, Rachel Maddow is beyond me!

WHO GIVES A FUCK?

God damn, just change the fucking channel, for ever loving crying out loud!

There is more content available, more TV series, more documentaries, more YouTube content available for free than one could hope to watch in 20 lifetimes!

Find something else, sheesh.

And while you and the rest of the finger waggers are at it, stop trying to instill guilt on the folks that DON"T have a problem with any of those personalities or at the very least, can get past the shit we don't like to see the stuff we do.

[SWBTATTReg]

85. Ditto and amen! nt

[Patterson]

75. You can watch it on YouTube.

[A HERETIC I AM]

76. Yes, I get that too....but the point is....

"Real Time" is not something that is shoved down your throat. Like most media and opinions these days, you have to seek it out. Not unlike I did by clicking on this thread and taking the time to type out a response. I could be outside weeding my rose beds.



Not watching Bill Maher is actually pretty easy, I have found.

[themaguffin]

109. NO. turn off your own fucking tv. We can decide ourselves. Thanks.

I'll be watching this weekend, as always.

[Johnny2X2X]

17. Bill Maher is not the enemy!

Guy is an ally to the Left.

Jeesh, of all the people to attack in the media, we go after Bill Maher? The guy who get's under Trump's skin so much he's sued him.

Maher is correct to point out that political correctness is one of the biggest losing issues for the Left. The Right has used it to paint the left as snowflakes and babies to Middle America for decades now.

And Maher is a voice of strength for atheism, he's one of the only ones out there pointing out the ridiculousness of all religion.

Love Bill Maher and love that he doesn't have a filter. Don't agree with everything he says, but this guy gets it on most issues.

[Meadowoak]

18. +1000

[eShirl]

21. neither enemy nor ally

always take him with a grain of salt, he's all over the map

[A HERETIC I AM]

34. In other words.....

He has varied opinions? Like most people?

Huh....

[eShirl]

114. yeah. huh.

[Johnny2X2X]

59. Speak for yourself

I view him as one of the strongest advocates for liberalism in the media.

[TheRealNorth]

84. +100

Granted a lot of RWrs that throw out "PC" are just being assholes, but I have seen it run amok.

In college, I got lectured by a couple of students from La Raza n how offensive I was because I used the word "hispanic" to describe latinos/as.

Having grown up blue collar, I can see how they can feel the PC culture has gotten out of the hand. Some of it is ignorance on their (white blue collar Americans) part, some of it is because they are at their core racist assholes. But I have also seen some on the left take something too far IMO, and you can bet Faux News will be there with the cameras when that happens.

[Caliman73]

129. But did you understand why "Hispanic" is offensive to some?

That isn't PC run amok. That is a different perspective. When I was in college I marched to help establish a Chicano Studies program at my university and for my troubles, was pelted by people throwing corn tortillas at the marchers.

You can certainly see instances where people are not able to convey the idea of introspection, and respectful language in an articulate way, or they are too upset to effectively communicate and create a spectacle, but the idea of what people deride as "PC" is the idea that people are complex and the "status quo" way of defining and discussing people from different perspectives has often been demeaning and dismissive.

We even do it here on DU at times and have rightfully been called out, when we refer to people from the South as Rednecks or Hicks, or talk about them derisively. We bash people that we know and respect because we lump people together into a stereotype rather than taking the time to define people based on actions and choices.

[MicaelS]

131. So explain to me why Hispanic...

Would be considered offensive?

[TheRealNorth]

133. It was explained to me....

That it was because of how the word sounded, and that it was a label thrust upon them. It wasn't a very convincing argument except that I do think a cultural group has the right to identify itself (within reason).

For instance, there are some conservative white/Caucasians that identify themselves as Native Americans- not because they have descendants from persons that resided in the Americas before 1492, but because they view themselves as the "real" Americans. So the question is should we then also respect that group's desire to identify itself (I don't).

On the flip side, I later met a girl from El Salvador who didn't have an issue with the term hispanic. I still use both depending on the audience.

[Caliman73]

145. It is offensive to some...

Mainly people of Mexican Heritage in the United States who are anti-colonialists, who reject the historical implications that Europeans from Spain came and civilized the Mexica culture. Hispanic denotes the lineage of Spain and some people reject that. There was a history of oppression in Mexico by people from Spain or by Criollos, of indigenous people and people of mixed heritage (Mestizos and mulattos). The rejection of the term came mainly from the Chicano movement in the 60's.

Now the fun part is that most people from Mexico, Central, and South America don't use Hispanic at all and prefer to use their national identity (Mexican, Ecuadorian, Guatemalen, etc...).

[MicaelS]

146. Very enlightening, thanks so much. n/t

[nmgaucho]

130. My sentiments about him exactly

I agree with him 95% of the time

[Archae]

19. Just great, we have a Bill Maher cult, like the Trump cult.

"Sure he can be an asshole, but he's OUR asshole..."

[Fix The Stupid]

23. LOL...now it's a cult...

I will trigger you...

"Monsanto is an evil organization destroying the world"

Your turn..earn those $$$.

lol.

[Archae]

29. You're full of it.

I don't get a DIME from Monsanto, I just want to see actual *GASP* SCIENCE in the debate about Roundup, not the hysterical rantings of a woo spreader like Jeffrey Smith and Jane Goodall.

I get BOMBED by multiple e-mails a day, from sheister lawyers saying I should sue Monsanto.

Last year I had prostate surgery, for stage 1 cancer.

Should I blame a company for it?

And if so, who?

[Johnny2X2X]

86. Plus 1

Monsanto is a giant asshole of a company whose business practices are suspect at best and evil at worst. But that dsoesn't mean GMOs are bad, nor does it prove Roundup is.

[Archae]

89. I agree about Monsanto.

Some of their practices are unethical, at best.

Downright scummy too.

But the FACT (oops, there's that 4-letter word that woo spreaders hate so much) is Round up only ACCUSED, (mostly by grandstanding lawyers and woo spreaders) of causing cancer, autism, dementia, etc.
All with no evidence whatsoever.

Jane Goodall I used to admire, a LOT.
I loved her reports and documentaries about chimps.
But then she fell in with the hysterical crowd like Jeffrey Smith, (in fact she wrote a forward for one of Smith's books that is laudatory,) and went to the "GMO's is POISON!" viewpoint.

On to the OT, Bill Maher.
He is an anti-vaxxer, and in fact says germs don't cause disease.
His groupies (including his groupies here at DU,) are saying "That's ok, he's a liberal!"

Is this what some here at DU have gone to, the old Cold War viewpoint of Dulles and Reagan?
"Yeah, he/she 's a total SOB, but he's OUR SOB!"

[Johnny2X2X]

92. Maher is dead wrong on a few issues

So what, there is no one who I agree with on every issue, some issues very few on DU would agree with me.

These purity tests are harmful, and you know what, you wouldn't pass my purity test nor I yours. It's a big tent party, Maher is a Liberal and fights for our side courageously every Friday night. He's clueless on a hand full of issues, on vaccines he's been quiet for the last few years and has had scientists on his show who've called him out on it and he didn't protest. And he claims he's never been a germ theory denier.

I think Maher has some close friends who are new age health nuts. They've got him on some anti GMO diet and he thinks he's healthier for it. I hope he comes around to science on all the issues.

[quickesst]

24. couple of questions

So, because you disagree with Bill Maher's almost 100% liberal audiences, and the vast majority of the 4 million strong TV viewership, you believe we are a cult? Do you really believe that, or are you reacting because you are offended that someone disagrees with you?

[Archae]

26. So it's just fine with you...

That Maher is an anti-vaxxer.

That he blames "political correctness" for the problems in the US.

That he slams ALL religions, no matter how harmless and helpful they can be.
(I'm an atheist, but I don't slam any and all religions.)

[Fix The Stupid]

66. Can you answer a direct question instead of gaslighting all the time?

The poster asked if you really believe all the Bill Maher fans are a "cult"

Just like jonesboro?
Just like Scientologists?
Just like heavens gate?

Is this what you believe?

Also.. Monsanto is evil and their company should be destroyed... (there's that trigger again, lol)

[quickesst]

138. I did not say....

....that I agree with him on everything. Being an anti vaxxer is one of them

It did not put the blame on political correctness. He did however put a good portion of the blame on whiny, crybaby, and petty PC. Big difference, and I agree with him.

If you do not in some way, disavow ALL religions that worship a deity, you are not an atheist.

[Bradshaw3]

48. We have religious cultists here and those who are incapable of critical thinking

Those are the real cultists. Sometimes people just don't like hearing the truth so they rant and name call and make ignorant comments comparing Maher fans to trumpists. Beats thinking, huh.

BTW, Maher donated $1M to Obama's 2012 campaign and $1M to the 2018 DNCC campaign. What did you do?

[eShirl]

20. He's stale like last week's bread.

[quickesst]

22. Bill Maher nailed it this morning....

....like he does about 80% of the time. Having in my opinion, nailed it this morning, I would say the only people complaining and hating on him are the very people he's talking about.

Another thing. If someone was actually watching and listening to what he was saying, he laid the fault for the problems in this country, for the most part, directly in the Republicans laps.

He is absolutely correct when he talks about the over-the-top, goofy political correctness. It has become one of the left's biggest weaknesses, and it just keeps getting worse to the point of coming off sounding like spoiled, whiny children who are not happy unless they're complaining, or being offended about something. That is a far cry from misquoting his statement on political correctness as evil.

I suggest everyone go to MSNBC, watch the interview for themselves, and make up their own minds.

[dalton99a]

25. +1. Not a fan of Maher but he's right

[quickesst]

136. he may not be right every time....

.... for everyone, but he's right for someone every time.

[HipChick]

28. +1000..

Sometimes we need to face our truths..

[quickesst]

137. Thanks HipChick....

[JohnnyRingo]

69. I agree with you totally.

I was upset when Politically Correct ended and don't miss an episode of Real Time. I don't always agree with him, but I don't have a fit when I don't.

Many people have indeed taken political correctness too far in this age of the internet. I'm a bit sick of the chronically offended.

I hope no one needed a trigger warning for your reply.

[quickesst]

134. thanks for the reply

"I hope no one needed a trigger warning for your reply."

I hope not either.

[betsuni]

142. Last week a feminist was a guest on the show

and she talked about a college lecture she gave where she had to have body guards, there were demonstrations, 30 women and a therapy dog were triggered and retreated to a safe room. I don't know who she is, but that's nuts. It's hard for me to believe. No wonder some comedians won't perform at colleges.

I used to often visit a feminist website, but at one point it was so PC that I stopped for a couple of years. I didn't dare comment. It was like everyone was in grad school and therapy knew all this jargon that I didn't. I still don't know how to use the word "intersectionality." When I saw a long lecture about ableism in response to someone saying "That's lame," that was it for me. I'd rather hang out with the comedians.

[quickesst]

144. haha

I looked up the definition....

in·ter·sec·tion·al·i·ty
/ˌin(t)ərsekSHəˈnalədē/
noun
the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

.... and I'm still

I'm with you. I'll take the comedians any day.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. Maher is an entertainer. Sometimes he's right, sometimes he's full of it.

But he's not someone to lose sleep over.

[Newest Reality]

42. Exactly, lest we forget.

[LakeArenal]

30. Just the divisiveness here tells me not to watch him

Anyone sorta on my side but wouldn’t hesitate to scorn or belittle an opposing opinion of mine would be enough for me not to watch.

Dialogue is on thing. Ridicule is another.

[Thekaspervote]

62. +1000

[Coleman]

31. Also he does not accept Germ Theory

To him, germs do not cause illness. What you eat and how you live does. I'm surprised he isn't a flat Earther as well. And don't forget he had a relationship with Ann Coulter.

[Miles Archer]

33. Yes, he is.

There is a good amount of political commentary on his show that's produced sparks, and is worth watching.

Then again, he likes to have Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos on to tell us how they're feeling.

I think it's no secret that he's a prick in many ways, it's a matter of his being a prick worth watching on occasion.

And that jungle movie he made sucked, wasn't funny, wasn't entertaining. I know that's irrelevant in the context of this conversation but just had to fit it in.

[Wounded Bear]

35. Is he selling a book or something?

Asking for a friend.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

37. I don't expect

Bill Maher to follow the party line.

[Brainstormy]

40. He's a religious bigot?

That's absolutely hilarious!

[dchill]

44. It is hilarious, but also insulting.

[Newest Reality]

45. He sounds more

like an inkblot test. Bill Rorschach? Perhaps taking it too seriously and reacting to him is something to look into?

It is a show. He is an entertainer. He will do whatever works in that regard. Generating reactions, both for and against what he says and does is the way the show works. If you are moved, then the show is successful. How you are moved is about you. This thread becomes advertising and in that sense, it's a gotcha'. More people are thinking about Bill Maher right now thanks to the criticism.

That's how media works overall these days and the right kind of negative attention is just as beneficial, if not more so, than positive. No attention means no show.

And now for another word from our sponsors...

[Archae]

46. "He is an entertainer."

Rush Limbaugh says this about his show.

So an entertainer can lie, put peoples' lives at risk, smear democrats and slam those who want to end bigotry?

[Newest Reality]

52. Yup!

Unless one wants to enact some form of censorship, then you get it all.

It is in the realm of mere opinion. It is up to each of us to decide to discern what's going on, what it means, and where we stand on it, just as you are doing. That is freedom and words are just words and actions, or the lack of it, is even more important and effectual.

So, I don't necessarily disagree with your particular opinion on that and uphold your right to say it. Do you feel the same way about entertainers that you don't agree with or impute a certain danger too?

And when the entertainer says things that you are inferring there, by all means, speak out, bring it to attention and act on it if you feel that will make a difference.

[Archae]

60. No, I still say they have the 1rst Amendent right to say shit.

And I have the right to say it IS shit and the guy or girl saying it is an asshole.

[Newest Reality]

70. You sure do!

I hope that is cathartic and I understand how you feel.

I tend to pause and reflect when I have an emotional reaction to content these days. The value of that, for me is, that I am not just letting off steam publicly and participating in ad hominem attacks that tend to be inflammatory and ineffectual. That then brings one to a more mindful capacity to respond in kind thoughtfully and it is less stressful overall.

There is a dualism to views and biases. We often forget that those who present an opposing view do so in relation to our own and that either has the value of strengthening our stance or bringing it into question, requiring more investigation into our perspective.

I think that honoring our opponents, (and they are inevitable if we hold to a side) puts us in a better position, overall to engage with them in a superior and honorable way and by at least acknowledging that without them, we would have either a one-sided argument or an uncontested, yet rather moot point.

[empedocles]

47. Maher is just so infuriatingly . . . . . . politically incorrect!

[Bradshaw3]

53. In 2018 Maher was donating $1M to the Democrats

What were you doing, ranting on internet boards with false claims like the ones in this thread, that is devoid of facts? He makes rational points about religion and PC, both of which upset those who have a cult-like devotion to both, much to the detriment of our democracy.

The truth hurts, doesn't it?

[Oppaloopa]

56. Friend of Ann Couilter sums it up nicely.

[Thekaspervote]

65. Indeed it does!!

[JaneQPublic]

57. Add misogynist to the list.

I watch his show via YouTube, not for his political views, but for his writers' great jokes.

Why on earth they put him on MJ in a one-on-one interview as though he were a head of state is both a mystery and an error of judgement.

[maxsolomon]

104. In what way is he a misogynist?

His opposition to Islamic dress codes for women? He shares that with about 1/2 of DU.

[Initech]

58. I'm so fucking sick of the "liberals are too PC" argument.

I don't want to hear your racist and sexist bullshit. If that point is brought up in an argument or debate, I'm walking out. I'm done. I don't want to hear anything else you have to say because that makes it clear where you stand.

You might have been able to get away this in 2016, but in 2019 you're just beating a dead horse at this point.

[wryter2000]

83. AFAIC

Political correctness is another way of saying common courtesy. I'm in favor of both. I'm simply asking you not to act like an asshole. Obviously, that's too much of a burden for Maher.

[Archae]

90. There is a big difference between courtesy and some political correctness.

One example, I don't like using the term for black people, "African-American."

Most blacks here in the US are multi-generational away from Africa, and what about those who are from Africa, who are white?
Like those who fled apartheid in South Africa and emigrated to the US?

For that matter, I should call myself, German-Russian-Dutch-Danish-Swedish-Irish-American.

Nope. I'm just white.

Some pejoratives have gone out of style or simply are no longer accepted.
Like the ones for blacks, Hispanics, those with mental problems, etc.

But the "politically correct" names go often into the absurd.

Heck, if anyone saw my picture they'd call me "Human Beauty Challenged!"

Right Peggy?

[wryter2000]

111. I call people what they want to be called

Common courtesy

[Initech]

91. Yeah exactly it's an excuse to be an asshole.

It's also lazy. It's the political equivalent of making a Chuck Norris joke in 2019 - you can't think of anything else, so go for low brow, lowest common denominator.

[jcgoldie]

67. Fuck Bill Maher

I used to be a fan, and last year we even paid $40 to go see his act in St.Louis when he came through. In my opinion he has gotten much worse with the both sidesism, the PC bashing, and especially the blame democrats this year. He also regularly not just provides a platform for right wing assholes but also defends them on his show weekly. The nonsense is to the point my wife won't let me watch because I cant get through the show without getting mad and cussing out the television.

He's ok on pot and criticizing Trump, an idiot on everything else.

[Goodheart]

71. Religious bigot?

Religion is dumb and harmful. Guess I'm a bigot, too.

[wryter2000]

77. He's also a misogynist

I stopped watching him ages ago

[maxsolomon]

102. He hasn't been particularly misogynist for ages

Unless you mean his opposition to Islam's inherent misogyny, which I share.

[wryter2000]

113. Didn't he just have an MRA advocate

To discuss how bad feminism has become? There was a thread here recently

[maxsolomon]

120. debating the right isn't endorsing their positions

I didn't see what you're referring to, though

[wryter2000]

122. Hoping this comes through

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212445707

From last Saturday. One reply documents the woman's MRA affiliation as well as other RW affiliations. Maher was in complete and total agreement with her.

[maxsolomon]

135. It kinda did. Christina Hoff Summers.

On Edit: I watched it. I wouldn't say either of them are misogynist. I'd say they're much older than the campus feminists they're discussing, less idealistic, less doctrinaire. They want more realism in our assessment of where we stand.

I have the same issues with my daughter - she calls me out constantly for language transgressions. I asked if something was "Islamic Music" and she said I was problematic, because it was music from Pakistan. Qawwali is Pakistani religious music, 99.9% of Pakistan is Muslim, ergo...

[wryter2000]

139. Yes

And his enthusiastic support of her is consistent with his misogyny.

If you can't see that, I'm through trying to show you what's right in front of your face.

[maxsolomon]

140. I guess you're through with me.

I'd give Maher a 1/10 Misogyny rating. He's not perfect, he's far from the worst.

[Hoyt]

79. I'd suggest watching it. Lots of truth, although I don't agree with everything. But, heck, I don't

even agree with myself sometimes.

[mnhtnbb]

81. Bill Maher is not the enemy.

Do I agree with him about everything? No. But he does make me laugh. He does support resistance. He knows Trump is a traitorous sack of orange $hit, or whiny little bitch. I am a woman and I don't care if he uses the term bitch. I'm 68 and I've known more than a few people in my life who qualified for that description.

[JaneQPublic]

123. He's funny, but his show would be much better if...

...someone else was telling those jokes the writers prepared for him.

[shanti]

93. He is a polarizing figure on DU

I don't go along with everything he says for sure, but I do like his wit and will continue to watch him.

[themaguffin]

103. Oh, FFS, grow up.

[ProfessorGAC]

110. Do You Have A Stand Up Routine, Too?

You should because you're hilarious

[meadowlander]

115. He's a contrarian.

He's not as smart as he thinks he is, and he tries to make other people look stupid as possible to hide it. I wouldn't be looking to him for a consistent moral position.

But he can be very right and very funny occasionally.

[wasupaloopa]

116. We are talking about him so what he wanted to get you out of it he did.

[doc03]

119. I tell you what you will find millions of former Democrats in the flyover country that would agree

with him.

[gldstwmn]

121. He's also donated millions to the

Democratic party.

[mokawanis]

124. I disagree with him a lot but I think he's funny

I'll give him an hour every week to watch his show and have a few laughs. I mean, the "New Rules" segment of his show is usually pretty good.

[redstateblues]

126. Why does anyone pay money to listen to him? Isn't it HBO?

[pbmus]

128. I didn't like Cosby...I thought he was a Creep way before he was prosecuted...

Bill is funny and political....difficult to agree with him all the time but we are a political blog where we all do not agree on anything except we don’t want another Con administration....so my take on his positions are that those are his personal opinions, and I don’t agree with all of them...otherwise I look for his sharp wit and laugh...

[MicaelS]

132. The ONLY reason he is considered a religious bigot...

By some on the Left is because he dates to attack Islam. Criticism of Islam is apparently considered off limits by some people. Bash Christianity all you want, but do not say anything against Islam.

[pansypoo53219]

141. he is anti BS attacks by the left on ALLIES. silly shit. the enemy is THE GOP & the moron.

he is anti-antivaxers. he is anti religion. or group think.

[agincourt]

143. I disagree

I don't think he's rotten all the way through and some stuff like "slow moving coup" and the "they took it away little by little like the airlines" narratives are actually quite good. It's just like so much of the political ailment nowadays is that people don't know who the enemy is, or they can't focus. Why would you have "kill liberals to show they can be killed" Ann Coulter on your show? Why always say there is a reasonable majority out there, that would come out on our side if we just talked less about gender pronouns and Black Lives Matter? Evil people like Trump always have a big following of zombies, if they didn't they would not sit where they are. It's always a small resistance punching above it's weight that keeps governments from turning into literal sadistic houses of horror. Maher like so many well-meaning Americans thinks there is a reasonable base that can be catered to, if only we don't push so much. This is a lie!!!.