Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - 3/11/22
Monologue: Pain in the GasBill recaps the top stories of the week, including the war in Ukraine and rising gas prices here at home.
Kenneth Branagh on "The Troubles"
"Belfast" writer, director and producer Kenneth Branagh shares his account of how tribalism led to violence between neighbors in Northern Ireland.
New Rule: World War Me
All issues today – from the pandemic to war – have become a stress test for our reflexive partisanship.
Overtime: Frank Bruni, Batya Ungar-Sargon
Bill Maher and his guests answer viewer questions after the show.
Here's a "bootleg" version of the show which includes the entire interview with Kenneth Branagh (4:37), entire panel discussion with Frank Bruni and Batya Ungar-Sargon (17:40), Bill's "funny bit" (31:45) and includes the opening part of New Rules (45:26). It won't last long, as usual:
= new reply since forum marked as read
I didn't expect to, considering the current news, but he managed to retain the humor and I did think the discussion was good.
And I really liked the interview with Kenneth Branagh, don't know why, but I didn't expect that to be the serious part of the show. That discussion really got to me since I've been to Ireland twice, including Belfast. The first time I was there was during the height of "the Troubles," back in the '70s when I was there with a riding group from my summer camp. And when I was there in the '80s with my parents, there was still IRA activity in the cities. I freaked my mother out when I spoke with them. They weren't actual IRA activists, since they would have been arrested, but "sympathizers," other young women with petitions, so I asked what they were advocating for. 
With all that's gone on in the world - certainly including right now - that issue is no longer newsworthy, but having been to Ireland twice, including traveled through Belfast, it brought me back. I was still a kid in the early '70s, went with a group from summer camp to see the sights and ride horses in Dublin. Our chaperone/counselor was Irish, from Dublin, and I can remember sitting up front with the Belfast taxi driver and asking him how he made his way trough the city. He said he avoided the areas where groups intersected and there were clashes.
And while we were there, we also attempted to visit the British Parliament in London. But we ran into a roadblock when the guards became suspicious of our counselor's Irish accent.
And I think I started posting Bill Maher back in 2017 - for awhile someone would post it with a warning that it wouldn't last long, so I started posting the "official" videos which won't disappear - and the usual "bootleg" recording to fill in the gaps for those who catch it in time. 
Good show! Really liked hearing Kenneth Brannagh and look forward to seeing his latest film.
I also really like Frank Bruni and New Rules was very funny as well. Not too crazy about Batya though. But I suppose he always needs to have a contrarian on the show to mix things up.
And I agree with you that it was a particularly good show, unexpectedly funny considering the news - and I also agree on the guests. I hadn't expected the Kenneth Branagh interview to be the one that most interested me, but then I've been to Ireland twice, including Belfast, first with a group from my summer camp in the '70s and again with my parents in the '80s. The group I was with went to Ireland to ride (it was a riding camp) and our favorite counselor was Irish, from Dublin. We rode all over and saw the sights - I still remember when we went to British Parliament in London and the guards were suspicious of Addie's Irish accent. It was the height of "The Troubles" back then. I'd really like to see the film... 
I just took my dog out and we're under a Winter Storm Warning for the second time this week and it's really coming down - again. The last time was Thursday. So much for Spring in the Adirondacks...
few Irish friends here in the states (both from Ireland and Irish-American) so I am quite familiar with the culture and have read a lot about their history. I think I am going to watch Belfast tonight on Amazon Prime. The price has gone down to $5.99 (from $19.99) so that's worth it to me!
"Spring in Upstate NY"! LOL! I remember those days when we thought winter would never end! It's so beautiful up there though! My parents go to Florida until the end of April to get away from it now, but while we were growing up we could tolerate it as long as we were able to go skiing. However, once spring really does arrive it will be so beautiful and welcomed! Hope you and your pup are staying warm and cozy! 
It's such a beautiful country and the people are wonderful, too. As I said, our riding counselor at camp was Irish, so we were lucky to have her to show us around. And the time I went with my parents - and grandmother - it was an escorted tour, my Dad liked those. Our tour guide really reminded me of someone and I kept asking my Dad who kind of agreed with me - but it turns out I was right! Our guide was the official Irish Jimmy Carter lookalike! And one of his honorifics was a dinner with Miss Lillian! 
Let me know what you think of the movie, now I really want to see it, too...
As for winter, we've had some really warm days - almost 60 - so that does tend to get your hopes up. But we're known to have snow through April, so it's far from over. And it does get so cold here. We have lots of "snowbirds" in this area, too - my grandmother was one of them when I was a kid and we visited her there for holidays a few times. And then she started spending winters in Western NC, finally retired there in the mid '80s and it was a peace group from that town that I visited the USSR with in the late '80s. But all but one lady - and me - were senior citizens, and I can't help wondering what they'd think about what's happening now...
And you're more than welcome, this was a really good show. I hadn't expected the Kenneth Branagh interview to be my favorite part, but having spent time in Ireland, I really want to see his film...
