The Guy List: Bill Maher
Just when you think he's right, he's left. Truth is, Bill Maher is never where you think he is politically. He's where he wants to be. Tweet
Highlights
What would you call a leftwing pundit who voted for Dole and McCain?
Try "Bill Maher", since that's the name that fits best.
Why he’s one of us:
He’s one of us because when he opens his mouth, it’s usually to say something that’s both funny and smart. And it’s almost always something that makes you first laugh out loud and then make you think twice about a thing you thought you’d already made your mind up about. It’s hard to be both a smart comedian and a smart pundit, but Maher pulls it all off, even though he sometimes pisses you off in the process. We should all strive to be that smart, that funny, and that willing to change people’s minds when we know we’re right.
It’s hard to be both a smart comedian and a smart pundit, but Maher pulls it all off.
Sometimes being both smart and funny means you don’t fit in a box:
When Piers Morgan asked which political label fit him best, he replied:
Maher: “I think I’m just practical. I don’t think I’m an ideologue.”
Morgan: “Well, your ideology is you hate Republicans.”
Maher: “No I don’t.”
Morgan: “You hate their ideology, right?”
Maher: “Of course. That’s different. I hate stupidity and I hate stuff that doesn’t work, no matter what you call yourself.”
Here’s a taste of where both his left-wing and right-wing views take him:
He voted for Bob Dole in 1996. He voted for McCain in 2008. For years he has spoken out against political correctness and his first TV show was called “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.” Today, he is equally vocal about the dangers of liberal woke-ness and cancel culture and movements like #MeToo. He owns a gun for personal protection. He does not believe in blind support of multiculturalism and is often critical of the Muslim religion and a majority of Muslim followers. And he thinks it makes perfect sense to call Covid-19 the “Wuhan Virus.”
On the other hand, it’s no surprise that he also has strong views on issues that are typically associated with the left: He’s an outspoken advocate for the legalization of marijuana and he’s on the Advisory Board of NORML or the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, he was on the board of PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for many years. He is also an outspoken environmentalist and supports universal healthcare.
He has a lot of friends on both the left and the right:
On his show, you will obviously see him interviewing guests from the left starting at the top with Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff. You will also see him frequently interviewing people from the right and even far right. When interviewing right-wing guests like Kellyanne Conway, Ben Shapiro and Ralph Reed he often begins these interviews by saying things like “I consider us to be friends…” or “We can’t help it, we like each other…”