Bill Mahr is a complete JOKE and I don't mean that as in funny ha ha.

[radio4progressives]

tonight's episode was the ultimate insult - Hitchens, Andrea Mitchell - that's it - I'm never again going to tune in on that worthless ass show again.

As far as I'm concerned, he can take a vacation from now till the comes home - and he will never be missed.

[Pirate Smile]

1. You forgot David Dryer. Yes, tonight's show sucked but it is just

one show. I wouldn't make any blanket statements, he has had a lot of great ones. Hitchens sucked any fun debate out of the show completely.

[shanti]

64. hitchens was the consumate

ASSHOLE! his sarcastic, self-involved smirking attitude made me want to slap him.

it was obvious the he and galloway hated each other's guts. galloway lookes like he couldn't WAIT to get out of there!

[flowomo]

2. Oh, come on. Give Maher a break. You didn't like this:

September 9, 2005

All right, it is time for New Rules, everybody. New Rules.

... And finally, New Rule: America must recall the president. That's what this country needs. A good, old-fashioned, California-style recall election! Complete with Gary Coleman, porno actresses and action film stars. And just like Schwarzenegger's predecessor here in California, George Bush is now so unpopular, he must defend his jog against...Russell Crowe. Because at this point, I want a leader who will throw a phone at somebody. In fact, let's have only phone throwers. Naomi Campbell can be the vice-president!

Now, I kid, but seriously, Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you anymore. There's no more money to spend. You used up all of that. You can't start another war because you also used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people.

Yeah, listen to your mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit card's maxed out, and no one is speaking to you: mission accomplished! Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service. And the oil company. And the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or spaceman?!

Now, I know what you're saying. You're saying that there's so many other things that you, as president, could involve yourself in...Please don't. I know, I know, there's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela, and eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote. But, sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man.

Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire metropolis to rising water and snakes.

On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two Trade Centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans...Maybe you're just not lucky!

I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side. So, yes, God does speak to you, and what he's saying is, "Take a hint."

All right, that's our show. I want to thank our fabulous panel. George Carlin, Cynthia Tucker, Jim Glassman, thank you for putting up with us. And Joe Scarborough, Walter Maestri. Thank you very much, folks. Appreciate you, too. Good night.

[applegrove]

4. That was excellent.

[radio4progressives]

8. yes that closing made me have hope for him... but

he must have a great script writer that night and he disappeared.

his bush photos were not funny - what was that about Laura Bush? I'm no Laura Bush defender or fan, I think she's an idiot for being married to that scum bag - but what WAS that about?

I didn't even bother hanging in for the closing - he sucks rotten eggs - and the worst is that he is so ill informed on just about all basic issues.

[HardWorkingDem]

32. Trying to make joke of....

Bush getting in drunken brawls with his wife and popping her...

[npincus]

42. oh please

[Journeyman]

10. I'm reminded of something Earvin "Magic" Johnson said once. . .

He was talking about his nickname, and how some days his opposition would snear at him, "Magic Johnson," and yet there were other days when all they could say was "Hmm, hmm, hmm."

Works that way with everyone. I didn't have a very good day today, but you should have seen me Wednesday. . .

[flowomo]

13. apt allusion!

Maher did more to help our shared political cause with respect to Bush in that one rant than Hitchens could undo in a hundred rants.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

53. Your Wednesday posts were unbelievable!

I have them all bookmarked. But today? Feh! I don't even know why I'm bothering to respond to this shitty post at all! :grr:

[fujiyama]

41. Not the biggest Maher fan in the world

but that was pretty funny...

[librechik]

56. he did all liberals on the panel last week and everybody loved it

this week he did all cons and we all hated it.

Predictable, no?

[applegrove]

3. He does some great stuff. Unfortunately - whenever you have more

than one neocon in a room - they suck the air out of it.

[incapsulated]

5. When he's good, he's very, very good...

When he's bad I say I'll never watch him again.

But I always do.

What can I say, I'm very forgiving of people who make me laugh. :)

[SheilaT]

6. Too many people

mistakenly think Maher is a liberal. He's not. He enjoys skewering everyone, and I think he pretends he can't be categorized, but if you pay attention he's really quite conservative.

I've known that for years.

[incapsulated]

11. I wouldn't watch him for a long time...

Because of his attitude toward women. He isn't any liberal and never said he was. But he's worth watching for his attacks on Bush. And "New Rules" is almost always funny, even when the rest of the show sucks. Plus, he will have anyone on as a guest (yes, even wingnuts, unfortunately). But he will also have on people from the left that never get booked on these kinds of shows.

He's like a box of chocolates. You know the rest.

[Beam Me Up]

15. Conservative politically, perhaps, but not a neocon.

I've always thought Maher was a CLASS *A* ASSHAT so slimy and full of himself I hardly find him funny. I mean, yes, he is "funny" and makes one laugh -- but at the same time there is something extremely SMARMY about the man. As in, "isn't it great how we all feel so much better about ourselves when we put everyone else down," kind of shit.

[Dorian Gray]

54. I read once

that he admitted to "pleasuring himself" right before he goes onstage. Though I have no objection to that in itself, now whenever I see him, that thought crosses my mind.

Whether it is true or not, I have no idea. But, the mental picture is there. So smarmy kind of fits.

[Talismom]

38. I'm very comfortable categorizing him as someone who has big

problems with women!

[MazeRat7]

7. Yes, tonights show was a bit lame...

but I do love a good old fashioned British word fight.... *tee hee....

He has had enough good shows I am cutting him some slack when there is a bad one...

MZr7

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. Sometimes he disappoints me to the point where I vow to never

watch him again, so I understand where you are coming from. I scream at the TV and demand he counter the bullshit! His opening and ending usually make up for it. Tonight was disappointing, I agree.

[Blue_Roses]

12. okay

I'm editing myself. I just think you took this show too much to heart.

He had a panel of Brits. I loved it, but come on...it's not us.

Remember, Bill Maher is a comedian first. He's pissed me off many times in the last 5 years, but one thing is for sure--he hates GWB.

Funny how i knew these posts would surface and right on target.

[mountainvue]

14. The show sucked tonight. n/t

[Badger1]

16. More brains than most people

His shows are honest, insightful and well reseached, wish I could say the same for you. " Till the comes home" ? WTF are you talking about?

[radio4progressives]

21. Honest? Insightful? Huh?

Mahr is as dishonest as they come.

Take tonight's interview with Andrea Mitchell, more importantly the subject of discussion. The role of the media under the Bush Administration, which Mitchell is an apolegist and a shill. Mahr didn't even mention the fact that she is the wife of W's "Minister of Disinformation Department on U.S. Economy" Allan Greenspan.

He should have at the minimum mentioned that fact, and discussed just for a moment the big LIE on the state of the economy.

Why even bother having her on if he's going avoid asking her the obvious?

Either Mahr is a moron, or he's unenlightened, uninformed or just flat out doesn't see a connection.. Which ever it is, he's a waste of ether space.

As far as my editing error, the phrase should have read til the COWS come home - not terribly profound, but really now - the phrase is common enough, and part of our lexicon - you really should have been able to fill in the blank, in a manner of speaking.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

31. I'm sure Maher knows about Mitchell's hubby.

And I'm sure the reason he didn't mention it to his audience is because he assumes his audience is intelligent enough to know about the connection in the first place.

It's sad to see some DUers knock anyone who isn't on their side 110% of the time, especially people like Maher, who generally agrees with us at least 80% of the time.

[kysrsoze]

33. Oh come on. Should he start hammering every Repub or apologist?

They'd never come on the show. To me, he showed that Andrea Mitchell still wouldn't say anything bad about the pResident. He also helped David Dreier make a complete ass of himself. The guy talked in lockstep with the Repub party stance and sounded like nothing but a talking head.

That's what people need to see - the repub party's own stupidity. As much as I hate to hear anything out of Christopher Hitchens' mouth, having him on the show only highlights his blind sucking of the pres. The only thing I'm angry about is that George Galloway didn't do a better job of debating that asshole.

It's not about being "liberal" or "conservative." It's about calling bullshit "bullshit." That's all Maher intends to do. Please just take it for what it is.

[Dorian Gray]

55. Maher...

He's what he is. Bill Maher.

[Talismom]

39. You started by expressing your opinion--fine. But why did you have

to lauch into a personal attach? It really isn't necessary or productive.

[Atman]

17. Maher allows BOTH sides of the issues to air

That pisses a lot of us off. But consider; it gets them to tune in, too. And when they do, 9 times out of 10, Bill is skewering BushCo. If Real Time was known for being nothing but a left-wing mouthpiece, then it's influence would be zero, because he'd be preaching to the choir. But, by allowing everybody into the party, he provides the opportunity for righties to watch, and get educated.

Don't get me wrong. I think tonight's show was one of his worst, but not merely because Mitchell was allowed to weasel out of crit for Bush, not because the drunken sot Hitchens was allowed an almost unchallenged forum, but because Bill just didn't do his job. From the outset, the show was weak, beginning with the monologue.

Give him a break. We all have off nights.

[radio4progressives]

28. Only one show this season was decent...

the one with that great closing monologue for Bush to resign, and for this country hold a Recall Bush election - that show was fairly decent and a great closing.


This is all I'm devoting to this subject - it's a waste of time and energy and I had no idea there were hard core sycophants that luv Mahr no matter how much of an ass he is.

[kysrsoze]

35. Funny how you continue to watch the show. If you don't like it...

turn it off. Come one, if he didn't have these ridiculous people on his show, it wouldn't be nearly as fun to watch. He also had Willie Nelson on, who has some great things to say. You can't expect him to 100% support everyone who watches the show. The guy is also a comedian. Those people live off poking fun at things and angering people. As much as you think he's an ass, he also is having these people on so "conservatives" will watch the show and see how ridiculous their party is.

[npincus]

44. so ONLY listen to those who parrot your thoughts exactly

and let the rest of us enoy a good laugh!

[still_one]

18. You are correct, but what really upset me was his interview with mitchell

she kept defending the media, i.e. how great they were in the gulf, but he should have pushed her big time about the other gulf, the gulf war, and how the press gave * a free pass on everything.

1. bush ignored the warnings on 9/11, where was the press?
2. ignored the warnings that there were NOT wmds in iraq, where was the press?
3. ignored the outing of a CIA agent, where is the press?

she is a shrill for this government, nothing more. would not even respond directly to Dan Rather's charges against the press

[radio4progressives]

23. Exactly and she's a shill for the Government because her HUSBAND is

part of the UNELECTED GOVERNMENT - ALLAN GREENSPAN.

[stanwyck]

63. Andrea must really be

hard up for money to whore so badly last night. I didn't expect anything but partisan crazytalk from Dreyer. And Hitchens has become a parody of himself. He was incoherent and digressed from every subject. But Mitchell? She should know better. She does know better. Yet her equivocating and crabwalking was insulting. She needed to answer Maher straight out. She wouldn't. I guess she's so eager to sell her book that she wouldn't be forthright or incisive. But who wants her book if it's as mushy as she was last night?

[Mr_Spock]

19. If he's not 100% liberal, it's curtains for him forever.

This attitude has been pervasive here at DU lately. We need to get out more - and be able to hear opposing viewpoints from time to time. Maher is very fair and that means in the long run he will always favor a more liberal viewpoint. Give people a chance!!

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[radio4progressives]

26. You think Mahr is a Liberal or a Democrat? Then you're very MISINFORMED.

Mahr is a self described Libertarian, - that's not my problem with him.

But if "liking" Bill Mahr means being a true Democrat in your eyes, then honey you are the joke and part of the problem with this party.

[Bombtrack]

47. It's MahEr, my friend. And Bill's said a million times he isn't a democrat

He is however a liberal, in my mind. There actually are liberals who have different opinions than other liberals. Like me and you for instance. Both liberals, only you're the one baselessly claiming others aren't or can't be them despite the need for more liberals who don't have a problem calling themselves liberals. Stop trying to shrink the movement dude.

[Bombtrack]

46. Amen brother

couldn't have said it better myself.

[tallahasseedem]

22. You can set a clock by these posts...

after the show ends. Jeezus people, he is not going to say what you want to hear 24/7. He brings different people with different views on the show. If you cant handle it, digitally record Mike Malloy and play it on repeat.

[Mr_Spock]

24. We've had a rash of emotional wingnuttyness lately

People can't take even the slightest bit of fairness from thier "favorite" show host. It's nto very productive and we waste a LOT of time pushing back against these disruptors. I have to wonder what their motivation is - I really do.

[radio4progressives]

27. It's "wing nutty" to critisize Mahr? Really?

Are you serious?

[tallahasseedem]

29. No, its ridiculous for you to attack him...

on the fact that he doesn't treat his guests like O'Lielly or douchebag Hannity where they scream and demean them. Bill Maher brings different views on the show because it is a panel. Do I always agree with him? No. But I can step back and realize that he isn't always going to.

[npincus]

43. bingo

[Mr_Spock]

61. Good answer

Thanks :D

[La Coliniere]

25. True, tonights show allowed too many

neocon and republican't talking points go unchallenged. Mahr doesn't seem to be quite up to the task some nights. I still enjoy the show nonetheless; ANY opportunity to hear chimp and GOP bashing, often intelligently and humorously articulated, is a rarity in the MSM IMHO.

[cire4]

30. Maher is up there with Jon Stewart as one of the better voices on TV

He may not please you 100% of the time but he is probably the fiercest Bush critic that appears regularly on television. Everytime he's on, you know Bush and the GOP are in for a serious bashing.

[jillan]

34. Ya - tonite's show was boring but I can't wait until his next!

He just didn't have it tonite, and the panel was really bad.
Hitchens ruined the whole panel.

I think part of it was because no one would answer his questions like he wanted them too. He tried to get Willie going, Willie didn't.
He tried to get Mitchell to talk about censorship in the media. She wouldn't. The best part was when Dreier was on from Cali. Bill threw some good punches there.

The usual back and forth wasn't there tonite.
Oh well, until next time Bill!

[HardWorkingDem]

36. Oh, come on DU'ers.....Bill Maher is no conservative/repug....

Just listen to Maher...he might not be a total liberal, but he is a liberal/libertarian and isn't anywhere close to being a republican.

If you really listen to him, the biggest issue he has with liberals and democrats is their lack of spine.

And if Du'ers really compare the two, his biggest problem with the Dems is something we all love Howard Dean for - harping on Dems to find that spine and add some steel to it.

[Jamastiene]

48. I agree with you. He sometimes says some mildly conservative things, but

only in the finances area. Otherwise, he is a libertarian/liberal hybrid (if that is the right word to use here).

[spindoctor]

37. Maher is a voice of reason. He doesn't shun the debate.

He tries to have a diverse panel where issues are discussed intelligently (most of the times).

His show is my weekly hour of sanity and I show signs of withdrawal when he is not on.

[KellyPaDem]

40. Tonight's show was terrible...

not because he didn't challenge the right wing talking points, and not just because he had ANOTHER republican on who talked over everyone else (this is the third or fourth week when no one else could get their points across because the idiot right winger would not show the same respect the democrats show and sit there quietly while someone else is talking.)and also not because he let Mitchell get in the one comment where she said something like "and some people did nothing about Bin Laden"(obviously aimed at Clinton)I thought tonight show was terrible because he allowed the Republican to shout personal insults at the scottish sounding guy(sorry don't remember his name). The show broke down about half way through into you shouldn't listen to him because he said this twenty years ago.... Last week Bill got mad at Joy Bayhard (sp?) for comparing P.J. O'Rourke to a older whining version of Tucker Carlson. Bill told her to stop but allowed tonights republican to be cruel and at the end of the show the Scottish guy got up and walked out clearly upset. That's just my opinion of why the show was bad tonight.


P.S. would it be possible that when we disagree with someone not to turn mean. I have seen this a few times and it has been directed at me too ... lets all be friends and focus or anger at the other team. (although its probably going to happen to me now because I said that):grouphug:

[Bombtrack]

49. You clearly aren't aware of Hitchens and Galloway's history

Bill booked them both on the same panel because they already hate each other. They were going to avoid interacting with each other in a non moderated manner no matter what. One of them walking off at the end quickly, just as they did in their debate on C-Span earlier this month, was inevitable. There was nothing that could have occured during the panel to avoid that.

And your comment that Bill let Mitchell get in the one comment where she said something like "and some people did nothing about Bin Laden" is pretty ridiculous considering he immediately interupted her and challenged her on her implication of equity. What did you want her to do, screen everything she was going to say that night and forbid her from saying that before she said it?

[rman]

45. Are you trying to convince people not to watch Maher anymore?

It's not going to work.

[rman]

50. Maybe you prefer Tucker Carlson?

Tucker Carlson vs Bill Maher

The two sparred over Katrina. Guess who won? Here's the transcript.

(video)

Maher calls Michael Brown the "Fredo Corleone" of government and brings us back to Bush's seven minutes of inaction. The two got into it over Bill Clinton and Maher wonders if Bill would have appointed a crony like Fema Brown in the first place. Carlson said he wanted to throw up watching Clinton on TV. Maher said that seeing dead bodies wanted to make him throw up.

Maher: That would not have happened under Bill Clinton...

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/09/21.html#a5042

[lateo]

51. I'm Swiss!

Go watch this Bill special and tell me he is a joke.

[kstewart33]

52. Geez you guys are harsh

If a guy isn't 100% liberal, he sucks?

We're beginning to sound like the left side of freeperville.

Maher is a libertarian. That's not liberalism. It's also what makes him interesting.

Predictable liberals are as boring as predictable conservatives. And no one watches predictable blah blah on HBO.

I like him. I don't agree with him on some things, but he clearly does not suck.

[October]

57. I thought he did fine

He challenged Hitchens constantly, and Hitchens came off as an idiot (looked drunk too)...

Galloway had a few zingers...

I couldn't get past Drier's "zoot suit." What WAS that?

Andrea how much plastic surgery has she had) Mitchell was made to look bad by how she doesn't question Bush...

The show was not the worst I've seen...I can't watch when he has that P.J. O'Rourke guy on...that guy doesn't shut up....

[blondeatlast]

58. ONE DUer says he sucks, most of the rest of the thread defends him.

I love Maher--and I'm a LW Christian married woman. If I followed conventional wisdom, I should despise the guy.

He makes me challenge my own ideas and ways of thinking. It makes me a better political wonk AND a better person.

"You guys?"

[soleft]

59. Since I TIVO the show, guess I'll skipp it this week. Jon Stewart

will have Ken Mehlman on this week. If he doesn't eviscerate Mehlman and there's a thread revoking all Stewart love I guess I'll skip that show too.

Maybe I'll go check out that video of Bill Maher where he compares what Bill Clinton would have done in the wake of Katrina to Bush - he's be on it like white on rice - I think was the phrase he used. And Maher is no Clinton fan. Tore Tucker Carlson a new one.

[CBGLuthier]

60. He should just have all liberals

So they can all tell themselves how clever they are in one orgiastic circle-jerk.

Look, if he is popular just with liberals, if he has no guests that would make anyone right of the left-center watch then there is no value to his show at all.

[NYCGirl]

62. And the right wing has the temerity to call the left wing "humorless

crybabies." Boy, are they wrong! Ummmm.....Are they????

[Warren DeMontague]

65. Last time PJ O'Rourke, This Time Hitchens?

Maher must have some extra scotch he needs to get rid of in the green room.