Bill Maher, who was raised in River Vale, came home to NJ on Friday, basking in a warm and enthusiastic embrace as he preached to a converted audience at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair.
Watching he host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher was a treat for Obama supporters and rationalists, perhaps not so much for the theists, anti-heathcare reformers and conservatives. The trim stand-up guy, dressed simply in dark pants and a gray T-shirt that easily could have seen the interior of his gym earlier that day, spent the bulk of his two hours (which flew by) talking about politics.
Maher dissed all religions except Judaism, which upset my Jewish husband, who wanted to see his own tribe skewered. Maher's show included a segment showcasing the creations of a Middle Eastern designer, with barefoot models catwalking the stage in burqas - extremely risque as a topic and I started to think, No, don't do it. My friends and I were divided on whether this was a joke deftly handled or one that had long been flogged to death.
The country's theists got a sound thrashing, all of it received with exceedingly good humor. Maher, 53, assured us that he loves America, it's the Americans he can't stand - at least 75 percent of them. They're obese (and so a burden on the healthcare system) and they're greedy (look at the state of the economy). He was equally glib about his own penchant for marijuana and visits to a drug dealer to obtain the said leaves.
Maher didn't repeat his recent thoughts on the H1N1 vaccine. In September, Maher caused controversy when he tweeted that anyone who got vaccinated against swine flu was "an idiot."
As far as the political content of his satire went, sure, it was funny. But a lot of it was dated. Do we care about Sarah Palin enough to even poke fun at her? The national election - didn't we just celebrate an anniversary? And Larry Craig? He was so two years ago. Is current politics not providing enough material to satirize?
Having said that, a good laugh was had all round, and with his carefully picked minefields of topics, it seemed miraculous that I only saw two people walk out - a married couple, who seemed to be arguing about something non-Maher. Despite a few half-hearted jeers during the show, the crowd was clearly on Maher's side. (As you might suspect, with tickets starting at $45). He received a standing ovation.
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Comments (29)
Keep up the good work, Maher, but, just like Bernadette's husband hoped for, you really need to skewer Judaism, too.
The more stable Jews will be the last Americans standing after the obese Americans die from their own gluttony and stupidity, the greedy Americans squander their fortunes on therapising and detoxing their kids, and the Televangelicals end up either in jail or in President Huckabee's cabinet.
Rationalists???
Like those who believe 9/11 bombers were brave?
And how brave that he dissed all religions except his own.
Is he really the Libs new man of substance?
Moreover, his Swine Flu take is idiotic.
Montclair you must be very proud...lol
Professor seems not to know that Maher was raised Catholic.
His mom's Jewish.......
But the question is the same regardless of whether he is Jewish or not: Why are Jewish folks spared his witty diss?
His mom hid her Jewishness from Maher till he was older, so he was raised in an Irish Catholic home. Nonetheless, i believe equal dissing is in order, as you do, prof.
Harmony on a beautiful Sunday morn!!!!!
All is right in the world!!!
(At least until the next item is posted on b-net...)
a lot of it was dated
Maher is so 1990s. (And I didn't even like him back then.)
Rationalists???
Like those who believe 9/11 bombers were brave?
And how brave that he dissed all religions except his own.
Sigh. Maher didn't say the 9/11 terrorists were brave. He said they weren't cowardly. "Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it's not cowardly." I love the way the "patriots" hate Maher for fictional reasons.
I'm a conservative who actually watches Maher. I don't agree with about 60% of what he says but I DO think the man is witty, much more so than Colbert or Jon Stewart. I wish he batted for our team, though.
Also, I wish he'd stop having actors and actresses on his show, giving them a platform for their utter foolishness. He gives way too much credence to Hollyweird.
DYHAGP:
"Patriots" worship at the heathen altar of the sacred flag, sealed borders, swell lookin'l guns, and low taxes.
Nevertheless, they swear fealty to Jesus.
But, when push comes to shove, they may very well opt for the flag and gun, and forsake Jesus, and why not?
And I "hate" the way some rationalize for folks they like.
The opposite of a coward is what?
Moreover, the idiot said, WE (the Americans) were the cowards.
So kiss his a*s all you like, his quote was offensive, dumb and I'm glad he was fired.
And unlike Mrs. Martta, you can keep this fool on your team-- we Independents don't need American hatin' jerks like him. (Yes, I said American hatin'!! Because only a hater calls his OWN team cowards-- though like most Libs, he probably considers himself a "citizen of the world.")
Professor, you are waaaay to cranky after a beautiful fall day.
Eh, you're right...
I just can't stand Maher, but I hate apologist even worse.
Oh, well.....
Time for a good night's sleep, and you'll feel better in the morning.
It may seem like a minor thing (and I guess it is), but what I hate most about Maher is the way he continously laughs at his own jokes.
The great comedians never did that. And of course, the fawning audience that applauds his every word and boos the sacrificial Rep or conservative is equally grating.
Yes, he can be witty at times. And from all accounts, he's a nice guy.
But he's no Carlin, Pryor, Carson, Chappelle, etc.
I am so glad I didn't waste the time or my $45.00......
Because only a hater calls his OWN team cowards-- though like most Libs, he probably considers himself a "citizen of the world."
The prof seems to be channeling one of Baristanet's more stridently right-wing conservatives today. Yet prof also is perpetuating the gross distortion of Bill Maher's comment about the 9/11 terrorists not being "cowards", which he actually made as a response in agreement with a statement made by noted conservative author and commentator Dinesh D'Souza, appearing as a guest on Maher's Politically Incorrect program, in which D'Souza himself disagreed with President Bush's characterization of the terrorists as cowards.
Maher's response to D'Souza was, verbatim, "We have been the cowards. Lobbing cruise missiles from two thousand miles away. That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building. Say what you want about it. Not cowardly. You're right."
Maher, and his program, soon became a casualty of the zealous nationalism that swept over the country in the aftermath of the attacks, in which any dissent was considered treasonous, and a comment such as Maher's that expressed disagreement with the characterization of the terrorists as cowards was considered as an anti-American statement of sympathy with them.
Curiously, D'Souza apparently suffered no similar backlash despite the fact that it was he who first took the position subsequently echoed by Maher. Perhaps the fact that he schtupped both Laura Ingram and Ann Coulter had something to do with that.
"Sigh. Maher didn't say the 9/11 terrorists were brave. He said they weren't cowardly."
How nuanced of both you and Maher...and as they assaulted and stabbed defenseless flightcrews prior to impact...that was...what?
"Betty was calm, professional and in control throughout the call. I honestly believe, after my conversation with Betty, that the 81 passengers and nine crewmembers on Flight 11 had no idea of the fate they were to encounter that day."
After Ong's description of the scene on board, Gonzalez and a second call-taker asked Ong what seat she was in.
Ong identified herself and her seat number, and said, "OK, our number one got stabbed, our purser is stabbed. Nobody knows who stabbed who, and we can't even get up to business class right now because nobody can breathe."
Commission members said Tuesday that the phone call and other evidence indicated the hijackers used Mace or pepper spray to help seize the plane and isolate passengers from the cockpit. Mace was also found in hijacker Mohamed Atta's luggage, which was left at Logan Airport in Boston.
Ong said the flight attendant working in first class was also stabbed.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/27/911.commis.call/index.html
"Sigh. Maher didn't say the 9/11 terrorists were brave. He said they weren't cowardly."
How nuanced of both you and Maher...and as they assaulted and stabbed defenseless flightcrews prior to impact...that was...what?
"Betty was calm, professional and in control throughout the call. I honestly believe, after my conversation with Betty, that the 81 passengers and nine crewmembers on Flight 11 had no idea of the fate they were to encounter that day."
After Ong's description of the scene on board, Gonzalez and a second call-taker asked Ong what seat she was in.
Ong identified herself and her seat number, and said, "OK, our number one got stabbed, our purser is stabbed. Nobody knows who stabbed who, and we can't even get up to business class right now because nobody can breathe."
Commission members said Tuesday that the phone call and other evidence indicated the hijackers used Mace or pepper spray to help seize the plane and isolate passengers from the cockpit. Mace was also found in hijacker Mohamed Atta's luggage, which was left at Logan Airport in Boston.
Ong said the flight attendant working in first class was also stabbed.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/27/911.commis.call/index.html
Maher and all his radical fellow travelers are lionized for bashing Catholics. I'm wondering when the Larry David makes a show about him shitting on a Torah or when Mahar will start goofing on the Kabbalah.
wonderingjew, your weird and paranoid worries are yours and yours alone, so stop projecting them all over Maher.
Actually, though, Kabbalah humor is a pretty good idea. Maybe I can start a thread:
"So Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Madonna, and Michael Jackson's ghost walk into West Side Judaica....."
Mr. Roll,
You recognize how lame your "D'Souza said it first" excuse is, right?
No biggie.
Montclair52 makes a great point-- I await your response.
I saw a great show at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank recently. It was called "Capitol Steps.'" It was a diss on all Washington politicians, but totally non-partisan. The Obama, Palin, Bush, Hillary Clinton impersonators--and others--were hysterical. No one could really get offended because no one was left out..Religion was not part of the act.
It just felt good to get out and have a good laugh at the expense of Washington, DC.
I'm not a big Maher fan, particularly after he sounded off on the swine flu thing - very ignorant on his part. A friend went to see the show, though, and said it was hilarious, and we usually agree on these things so perhaps I missed a good one.
Nellie, I adore the Capitol Steps. Have seen them perform several times - didn't realize they were nearby or I'd have tried to go!
Yeah, agreed, this was one of his more ignorant moments:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/bill-maher-vs-the-flu-vaccine/?hp
The man is entitled to his opinion but his facts are skewed here. Healthy people can and do die of the flu. It's one's choice whether or not to get the vaccine but you should be armed with the facts first.
Mauigirl, I would definitely go see the Capitol Steps..I was truly ROFLMAO!
Maher is one of those guys who I just can't watch an entire show of.
He (usually) starts of making a semi-reasonable argument that is also (usually) pretty funny, but it always degenerates into pathetic attacks and the beating of dead horses.