Bill Maher went way too far Friday night and I hope he gets what's coming to him.

[Laffy Kat]

I haven't been able to watch him in a couple of years, yet for some reason, I watched a couple of clips from his Friday show. Once again, I was aghast. Instead of his usual misogyny, he went for trans kids. Good god, when can we let these kids (and adults) alone?

I'm sure he'll play the victim again and profess to be targeted by the "cancel mafia" or whatever he's calling it these days Sure, he has the right to say what he said, and I have the right to speak out against his transphobia. I guess that's what I get for finally daring to watch a clip of his show again. It certainly won't happen again.

My heart goes out to the LGBTQI community. Please know you have straight allies in this country who will fight for and beside you.



https://www.rawstory.com/bill-maher-trans-kids/

[Frustratedlady]

1. I've never understood his type of humor and wonder how he became so popular.

I only opened this post to see if he'd mellowed with age.

[paleotn]

5. Same genre as The Daily Show or the Colbert Report...

Just filled with Maher's personal prejudices and a lot less funny. Political humor meets shock jock. Occasionally, I agree with him on some issues, just as often I don't. Like most curmudgeon types, he just can't leave people the hell alone.

[Peregrine Took]

12. So agree. Who ARE his fans?

I've never liked or understood him or his humor.

[Fiendish Thingy]

22. His fans are pot smoking libertarians who hate "woke" political correctness

Just imagine one rung up the evolutionary bro-scale from Joe Rogan’s fans.

[rpannier]

2. Bill Maher is the old guy telling kids to get off his lawn

He's been running the gamut of interviews: Joe Rogan, Ben Shapiro and Dennis Prager
I guess he could go lower... just not sure where that is. CPAC?

[Laffy Kat]

3. On this issue he'd fit right in with Tucker Carlson. eom

[JohnSJ]

10. Add trumper David Mamet to that list. He had on his show a little while back, pushing the crap how

intolerant the left is on other people's views.

I don't need Maher to listen to right wing propaganda, as if I wanted to anyway

[SouthernDem4ever]

13. Precisely why I quit watching him long ago

way back when he was oogling and gushing all over ann coulter as if she ever deserved it. That was all I could stomach.

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. Child abuse.

Why would he think these comments were acceptable for public broadcast? There is nothing cool about child abuse, and this damn guy should know that.

He is intelligent enough to know the danger of his “othering” comments.

[Beakybird]

6. He just loves the cadence of his own voice and his smarmy personality.

There isn't one core belief in that man. I can't watch him either.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

7. The time is WAY overdue for that POS BM to go!! SO not funny!!

[randr]

8. He is a lonely man with out a plan

[Joinfortmill]

23. 👍

[JohnSJ]

9. First of all he isn't particularly funny anymore, and anyone who listens to his medical advice is

out of their minds

When he was pushing the goat milk cures HIV, what a jerk he was.

https://www.salon.com/2016/02/03/bill_maher_gets_cozy_with_the_goat_milk_cures_hiv_quack_if_truth_is_dead_and_the_internet_killed_it_maher_is_part_of_the_problem/

His not so subtle anti-vaxer bullshit has been going on for some time, and marginalizing the Covid vaccines, and Dr. Fauci, bordering on conspiracy theory crap is not only disgusting, but dangerous to those who followed it. ONE MILLION DEAD is NOT just because they were "over weight", and that doesn't even come close to the long haulers who got the virus.

His anti-Muslim and his misogyny has been going on for years.

His "cancel cuture" bullshit, only applies to those who disagree with him.

I can't watch him.

[PortTack]

11. Why do ppl keep watching him? He's a self promoting jerk of the worst kind

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

19. That's bein way too kind!!

[PortTack]

57. Ha!! Yes agree

[TNNurse]

14. Quit watching him long ago.

Pompous is not appealing and he is all that.

[kimbutgar]

15. I gave up watching him months agom

My hubby was still watching him and finally gave him up also. I guess Bill likes being caustic and stir up his viewers as he becomes MAGA.

[dlk]

16. Maher has been a grumpy old man for several years

He was awful toward Hillary during the 2016 election and I stopped watching him. He has a bitter streak that has zero appeal.

[ramapo]

17. Ugh

I stopped watching some years ago. He just gets worse and worse

[apcalc]

36. I stopped watching when he disparaged Hillary.

Misogynist asshole.

[VarryOn]

18. Hes no longer funny and so are the late night guys during the week....

I'll still occasionally find an old Carson or Leno rerun. Those guys were funny. While Letterman wasn't my favorite, he's far above any of today's crop.

[UGADawg]

20. I totally agree with Maher!

He is the only thing I watch on HBO.

[Laffy Kat]

30. That's nice to know. nt

[IngridsLittleAngel]

48. Totally agree with Maher? On this?

If so, may want to re-read what group you're posting in...

[Laffy Kat]

56. ....

[Joinfortmill]

21. Seems he's turning into a mean old buzzard.

[Demobrat]

24. Never got the appeal.

I watched once or twice, many years ago, and couldn’t stomach him. Even if I didn’t disagree with what he said I wanted to smack the smirk off his face. So unappealing. I’m amazed he’s still around.

[AlexSFCA]

25. I watch BM as he is not afraid to step out of echo chamber

and openly question things, stupid or not, he doesn’t have to be right. He is a fierce democrat who is correct to ridicule some of the stupidest, self defeating slogans coming out from some dems like “abolish the police”, “forgive all student debt”, etc. Establishment dems know he is on to something when speaker Pelosi is highlighting Eric Adams as great at messaging. BM is a huge fan of Eric Adams. BM has been trying hard to figure out the right messaging for dems to reach out to rural America. We need to be thinking like gop when it comes to elections and focus 100% on winning only, not freaking policy (that comes later).

[rpannier]

45. So, it begs the question

Do you agree the rise in lgbtq and trans among youth is trendy?

One other question, what did you think when he said if Build Back Better passed he'd have become a Republican

[Auggie]

26. Guess it's impossible for anyone to have a thought anymore

You're right, Laffy Kat -- don't click on the link. It might be offensive.

[Laffy Kat]

31. Which is why I specifically noted that he had every right to his opinion.

So do we not call out racists, either? Is one hate more acceptable than another?

[Auggie]

32. There isn't any hate in that clip

[Laffy Kat]

34. We will agree to disagree then, Auggie. nt

[IngridsLittleAngel]

39. I'm glad that attacking trans kids is "having a thought"

After all, we have to hear both sides, right?

You do know this is the LGBT group, right?

[Auggie]

46. Maher is not attacking trans kids

[IngridsLittleAngel]

47. He's been attacking the trans community for years.

He likes trans people about as much as Abbott and DeSantis do. It isn't "just having his thoughts" this week. This has been going on for years, which is why many of us dumped his smarmy, rabble-rousing bigoted bro ass years ago.

[vercetti2021]

53. So what's his thought?

Why go after an already attacked and marginalized group that has difficulty defending itself to start?

[JHB]

27. He was always an asshole. That's a trait that can work for his "call it as I see it" comedy...

...but it's still assholery.

And that was before he hopped on the "blame the audience if they don't laugh at my jokes" bandwagon many years ago.

[Martin Eden]

28. I see Maher's show because my wife likes to watch and discuss it

Maher too often paints with a broad brush and throws shade in his smug condescending way.

On Friday I did not think he exhibited "transphobia," and in fact expressed support for LGBTQ folks to live their lives. What he came out against was medical procedures and puberty blockers for children, arguing that kids go through phases and life altering procedures at a young age are not a good idea. He also pointed to statistics showing a steep rise in the LGBTQ percent among young people, calling it "trendy "

The only thing I partially agreed with has to do with life altering procedures for pre pubescent children. I don't know enough about it and would not say it should never be done. Among some children cross gender identity is so strong and evidently unalterable that early medical procedures may be necessary a happy adulthood. But in other cases, it may be wise to hold off on procedures.

This really is a decision for the family, their counselor, and their physician. Bill Maher is at best unhelpful and more likely part of the problem when he thrusts his political proposals into such intensely private matters.

Years ago I enjoyed his show even when I disagreed, but what infuriated me was how ill prepared he was to counter the rapid fire BS of guests like Steve Bannon. When Maher couldn't effectively rebut Bannon's false rhetoric he just said OK and moved on to the next point he failed to make.

And yes, Maher's frequent rants against "cancel culture" and what he views as the lunatic left all too often lacks nuance and context, giving the impression that the left -- and by extension the Democratic Party -- is just as much off the rails as the dangerous nutjobs on the right (who are much more mainstream in the Republican Party than his targets on the left are with the Democratic Party).

[Laffy Kat]

33. He said trans kids were trying to be "trendy."

It was hateful and untrue and dangerous. The medical professionals who ultimately decide to initiate therapy do, indeed, know more about it than you do and I trust those professionals. Puberty blockers can be stopped and their effects can be reversed, that's why these medications usually have to be taken over a lifetime. Obviously, most surgery is irreversible but those steps are rarely taken before adulthood. If the medications can help the emotional well-being of a transgender child and reduce suicide I'm 100% behind them.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gender-dysphoria/in-depth/pubertal-blockers/art-20459075

[Martin Eden]

35. Yes, I noted he called the rise in gay/trans youth "trendy"

Is gender identity EVER a lifestyle choice that someone can adopt or discard at will?

On multiple occasions I've posted or shared the Sharon Underwood letter, which I consider to be a powerful testament that it is not simply a choice.

Thank you for that information.

[Saviolo]

29. He refuses to examine his own privilege

I remember during the 2016 election he was saying he would put aside his "pet" cause (pot legalization) and that LGBTQ+ activists should put their "pet" cause aside (bathroom bills), because they distract from the goal of defeating Trump. He called fighting the bathroom bills "college campus pet peeves" as though trans people weren't being beaten and killed for just existing in public spaces.

He called it a "boutique" issue.

You can watch his comments here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bill-maher-boutique-donald-trump_n_57a5819ee4b056bad215aca1

Hey, Bill! Have you ever faced a single consequence for smoking weed illegally? This was really my final straw with Maher. I think he's generally a smart guy, but he's got enormous blind spots.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

40. I don't know why he even wants Drumpf beat..

He agrees with him on so many social issues. Is it because he wants his pot and Drumpf is anti-pot?

I also look how us trying to live on lives in peace are "pet issues". This guy is such an asshole.

[vercetti2021]

37. What's new?

Demonizing trans people is the new gay marriage bashing. I'm sure many of DU still can give a shit about us in the trans community. We are just the minority that is expandable to be abused for the greater part when it comes to winning

[IngridsLittleAngel]

41. We know many of them here don't care

We've seen it, especially here in 2022. And hell, we've seen it here in this thread, where Bill Maher spewing transphobia is just "having a thought", and we're mean ol' bullies who won't let him have a thought.

Disgusting. And even more disgusting that it seems to be as bad as ever.

[vercetti2021]

42. Have a thought?

What's the think? Oh totally cool for him to say its trendy. Yeah kids know the risks ita not a fucking trend. Nothing to think about outside of transphobia

[IngridsLittleAngel]

44. Which is nothing new

He's always been transphobic. I think the only thing shocking about this week's attack on trans youth is that it took this long to happen.

[Laffy Kat]

50. True. The misogyny has always been there.

As has the anti-vax bullshit. Now he has added the right-wing's hatred of trans children. Hell, let's face it, he doesn't like any children, as he has so often made clear. To me, that is a huge red flag regarding a person's character. I can 100% understanding not wanting to have children as a normal and valid lifestyle choice, but to dislike kids is messed up in my opinion. I do realize many people are simply uncomfortable around little ones but that's different.

[vercetti2021]

51. He can fuck himself

Like mind your own damn business you fucking old man screaming at a cloud

[IngridsLittleAngel]

54. I've noticed that as well. For a "liberal", he sure seems to have a lot of hate...

He's said more than once he doesn't like children. Which is... scary. I've had no desire to have kids of my own, but, it's not a case of "I don't like them".. It's questioning whether I'm parenting material.

A few people upthread have called him out for his misogyny toward Hillary in 2016. I can believe it. I didn't see it, because by that point I'd quit watching him at all. But I sure can believe it happened with his track record. I was tired after what had already been a few years of transphobia, and no longer cared to hear him at all anymore.

I'm not sure why people think he's a political genius. He's not. He merely holds his finger to the wind, sees what the big issues are, and then takes the most controversial (or hateful) take he can on that topic to get people riled up.

As for the ones thinking he's progressive? Why? Since when is punching down on everyone but straight white males "progressive"?

[Laffy Kat]

55. Yes! I think he identifies as more of a Libertarian, which explains a lot.

I consider Libertarians conservatives who smoke pot.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

58. That's exactly what he is...

A libertarian. He's said so more than once. I do truly think the only reason he "supports" Democrats is for the sake of his pot being legal. He sure doesn't seem to have anything nice to say about any vulnerable groups. He couldn't hide his misogyny in 2016 over Hillary. He loves to tell LGBTQ's and others to be quiet about their "pet issues" and stay out of the way. He can't even hide his dislike for children.

I honestly think if a pro-pot Republican (not a Pol Pot Republican) came along, he'd gladly ditch the whole charade and back them. Because he agrees with the QOP far more often than he disagrees with the Democrats, especially on social matters.

Yet, somehow, he has fooled so many people into think he's a good guy and on our side...

[IngridsLittleAngel]

49. And no... It's not "trendy"

Wasn't trendy when I was growing up. Wasn't trendy in the 2000's. And isn't trendy today, thanks to the constant cycle of hate we've seen from the QOP.

The only thing "trendy" about the trans community is being tranphobic scum like Bill Maher is.

[vercetti2021]

52. Yeah not at all trendy

I'm not about to sacrifice my entire life to be "trendy" Fuck off with that noise

[IngridsLittleAngel]

38. Bill Maher's been attacking the trans community for forever now...

It's why some of us gave up on his phony "liberalism" and his show many, many years ago. Ohhh, sure, he may agree with the Democrats on some things. But not enough. And when it comes to the trans community, he's not a friend. He never has been, and I doubt he ever will be.

Despite that, he's said enough over the years to fool a lot of people into thinking he's a friend and ally to progressive causes. Plus, of course, some people here don't think very much of trans people either, so, they aren't bothered one but by Maher's transphobic bullshit.

Fuck Maher. And fuck his phony victim bullshit.

[Laffy Kat]

43. x1000.