Maher Mars Civil Discourse

ABC's "Politically Incorrect" doesn't specialize in either comedy or current events, but rather strives to balance the two. Once upon a time that mix worked. These days, however, the resulting salad is usually pretty bland, and it becomes unpalatable on those too-frequent occasions when "PI" host Bill Maher adds to it his special, incredibly tasteless dressing.

No late-night comedian is as likely to offend, even outrage, as is Maher. A host who once apologized for an outrage, and very much needed to, was CBS's Craig Kilborn, who issued his mea culpa last August, more than a week after his program accompanied video of then-candidate George W. Bush with the graphic "Snipers Wanted." (If Maher saw that despicable attempt at humor, he might have thought to himself, as if he were a veteran ballplayer observing a rookie, "Hey, the kid's got potential.")

Kilborn has a long way to go to match Maher's record of provocations. The "PI" host's latest bout with foot-in-mouth disease - at this writing, anyway - occurred on March 29 when he called President Bush "a lying sack of s--t" after Bush abandoned the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.

Now, making fun of politicians is a highly enjoyable national pastime. Jay Leno and David Letterman have wisecracked copiously about Bush's alleged feeble-mindedness and his past inebriations. They can be raunchy and biting, perhaps a little unfair, but they don't abuse, and they don't step into the gutter. Maher does both.

The Bush bash was a fairly minor transgression when placed in the context of Maher's history of offensive material. A major one took place last fall during the post-presidential election hubbub when, alluding to similarities between the infamous aerial video footage of a certain white Bronco on the freeways of Los Angeles and footage of the rental truck carrying disputed Florida ballots, Maher "quipped" that "for a few brief moments, America held the hope that O.J. Simpson had murdered Katherine Harris."

In 1998, Maher dared to make light of former president Reagan's Alzheimer's disease, "joking" that Reagan "ran up the debt, he lied about something much more important than sex, and he's nuts." And they called James Watt insensitive?

Maher isn't just cruel and obnoxious. He can be spectacularly ignorant as well. When all three elements are combined in one diatribe the results are, to put it mildly, combustible. I saw it with my own eyes as his guest a few years ago.

Back then "Politically Incorrect" was on the Comedy Central cable network, and back then the show was terrific fun.

My third "PI" appearance was taped a few weeks after Christopher Reeve's 1995 equestrian accident, and for the final segment Maher chose to deliver a quite serious, and thoroughly rambling, screed on the evils of horseback riding, declaring, "If you get on the back of a horse?that's animal abuse. You put that bit in his mouth, you nail stuff to his shoe, you make him jump over things that he's scared of, then he should throw you off his back?"

Spent, he asked his guests to comment. A gorgeous supermodel said something entirely unremarkable. Actor Ed Begley Jr. mused pensively that he had to go back to his people to "think about it." Football great Mike Ditka wisely chose to take a pass. Unwisely I chose to respond, pointing out that a horse is shod for its protection, it doesn't hurt, and but for equestrian sport there would be no more horses, period.

Maher exploded: "What if I nailed some metal to the bottom of your foot? Do you think that's the way God intended a creature to be??Do you think it hurt Jesus when they put nails through His hands?" And it was my last appearance on "Politically Incorrect."

As much as he despises conservatives, Maher admires Bill Clinton, especially - how's this for counterintuitive? -

While the scandal was going on, Maher argued that Clinton should say, "I apologize for nothing. The relationship was inappropriate, and, boy, that really made it good." And last October on HBO's "Chris Rock Show," Maher said that impeachment was a "witch hunt?It will be seen as what it was, a sort of political attack where they criminalized someone's sex life?I'm glad he lied."

A few seconds later, Maher topped himself. "When [Clinton] disputed the word 'is,'" he opined, it was "the shining moment" of his presidency. Then, as if he were Clinton testifying before the grand jury, Maher mimicked, "Is she [performing fellatio] right now? No, I can honestly say there is no oral sex going on now during [this] testimony. While I'm discussing people [performing fellatio], no one is actually [performing fellatio]."

Why conservatives continue to agree to appear on "Politically Incorrect" with this man is a mystery to me.

Also, see Transcript of Maher's outburst and video clip of him calling Bush "a lying sack of..."

Too late smart' to realize that 'words mean things'. . .

But it worked for mahers hero, clintoon when he said, "words mean exactly what I want them to mean. Nothing more nothing less."

Seriously, maher has made more apologies than clintoon. I think maher should use the "personal protection exemption" so they can't testify against him.

ABC should certainly keep the show, but they should start looking for another host. Maybe Nuge! Then the show would actually be politically incorrect.

We should start a list. maybe I will.

if you really want to see a freak show, go to the PI forum board. these are maher's 'fans'. he pipes in as the 'grand wazoo' and usually comes on in the morning. he's a slimebag. now the board has a 'moderator' (aka censor) and i don't even bother to go there anymore unless i want to just cuss out the moderator.

Why are you speaking in the third person? You are a liberal and you can't hide it. BTW, Are you an advocate of the new world order? Your moniker ( as you know) means out of many, one and is for the U.S. Just asking. It really is not neccessary to be a wise -ss. I typed your name to be respectful and not with sarcasm.

The fact remains, you did not answer my question! You have been defending maher for his intemperate remarks, but, you do not mind that in his "mea culpa" he did not say he meant clinton's long distance bombing to cover his almost daily scandals. You are using the name calling tactics of the liberals which does not surprise me.

In whole, he indicated that men who hijack a domestic commercial jet and chose to bring death to all aboard in their sick suicide statement are surely not cowards. You can call them what you want - but cowardly they are not. (Maher's statement paraphrased)

This statement by itself showed respect for the terrorist for his bravery in going to death. It made no mention of the fact that this coward chose to kill all on board and to kill thousands of U.S. citizens. It also was a statement that added to the hurt of those losing loved ones.

On top of that it indicated that we Americans were less brave as we use merely missiles rather than having our pilots do a suicide mission.

I wouldn't waste my efforts defending a man like Maher. He does not deserve air time for his sick views when there are plenty of people out there that could host that show in a manner more respectful of decency.

I wouldn't waste my efforts defending a man like Maher.

I don't give a rat's Clymer about Maher. I am just ashamed of the fact that so many so-called "conservatives" acted the same way as the militant gay activist wierdoes who went after Dr. Laura Schlesinger. I see absolutely no difference.

You can rationalize all you like, but there is no difference.

I don't know where you are getting we are going after half-truths. I am offended at what he said period. I have been offended every time I have watched that show - quit watching it because I could not stand him attacking every thing I believed in in his whining mocking bullying tactic.

People were offended. You can mickey mouse around it all you want. People were still offended. If it does not meet your standards - too bad. Why are you defending his right to mock and insult people? Why are you on his side? Looks to me like you really hate conservatives also and are trying to cripple their response to your idol Maher.

I don't know where you are getting we are going after half-truths. I am offended at what he said period.

I've got a good idea! Let's all play the "who can be most offended" game. Then let's all shriek at the tops of our lungs like a bunch of demented banshees, echoing whatever it is that the rest of the mob is saying, until we destroy whoever it is we seek to destroy.

One thing: the next time the Libs use this tactic, you have absolutely no right to complain. And make no mistake, they will use it, and somebody you really like is going to be destroyed next time.

What goes around, comes around.

I hope you enjoy acting just like the militant gay activists do while going after Dr. Laura Schlesinger. You are on their level. You are no better than they.

Thanks for your sensible posts here and elsewhere.

There seems to be a certain kind of organism here on FR that feels the need to fret endlessly about our tactics and strategies as they relate to confronting liberalism. The stated concern of these critters is that "we shouldn't stoop to their level!" and "you're no better than they are!"

The people that attacked Dr. Laura had the right to do so. They were horribly misguided and wrong-headed, but they also happened to be effective. Rather than sitting on the floor with our legs crossed and quietly reflecting on how we resemble the actions of people who have done our movement harm, it's time to get of our duffs and give them some of their own medicine.

What the Libs did to take down Dr. Laura's show was totally appropriate and is called activism. Conservatives had better get a taste for it if they hope for their movement to continue and to aspire. To constantly ruminate about how we are "better than they are" does not cut it.

I agree... this is the pot calling the kettle black. What is this, conservatives can dish out criticism but can't receive it? You can't play the game without expecting the opposition to be on the same field, using similar tactics.

how we are "better than they are" does not cut it.

You got that right. I'm tired of them taking away my freedom an inch each day and not doing anything about it. Sure, it is a lot easier for them to gradually overtake the conservative movement that way, they can just claim it was just the normal evolution of society. No, I am not willing to sit by and see them take this country to socialism, tear down our morals, and institute measures to overtake this government. Look at where we are today because we did not take action earlier.

Again, if I don't like Maher's show - I will complain about it same as any other American does and has the right to do. Don't understand why they are complaining here. We complain about shows all the time. We do letters to the editor, letters to the media. What is any different when we complain about Maher?

I agree with you about Dr. Laura. When her sponsors were under pressure to drop her it was up to her fans to exert pressure to keep her on the air. They did not do so so she is gone. If Maher has fans his show will be back on. That is the free market at work.

Au contrair. Most aren't sreaming at all. We are simply calling tha local ABC stations and contacting the advertisers.

Update #2 -Politically Incorrect Advertisers Contact List

BeSilentAndBeHeard.com/

One of the advertisers , Mervyn's dropped maher just today. Why is it anti-american to ask a sponsor not to support anti-american trash ?

Mervyn's Pulls Ads From 'Politically Incorrect'

Good comments. If conservatives hadn't become activists in florida, gore would be president today.

I am one of those weird people that actually could have helped support PART of what Maher said (not the part about US soldiers being wussy & the terrorists being courageous of course), but I would LOVE TO KNOW why Jim Robinson removed both of the current threads running Mon night about Maher. Can anyone clue us in?

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