Bill Maher was Jay Leno's guest on the Tonight Show on Monday.
Not again!
I guess it has been quite a few months but that's too soon for me.
Leno said that in the past when Maher was on the show, they used to get complaints. But now, the reaction to Maher's appearances is positive. People agree with him and realize that he's right.
Oh, good grief.
I doubt that Americans have come around to share Maher's views. I think Leno has just lost a good portion of his audience that's repulsed by Maher.
Leno has really chucked his middle of the road persona. He's out of the closet as a dyed-in-the-wool liberal.
(Before Maher's segment, I had the joy of seeing Tom Barrett's disgusting commercial about being beat up leaving State Fair last summer. Could it get any worse?)
Maher was on the show to hawk his new DVD, a comedy special, and Real Time on HBO returning this Friday. But of course Maher really was wallowing in having a forum on network TV to spew his opinions which are supposed to pass for entertainment.
After Maher mentioned that he gets high before the show, and before getting into his offensive material, Leno mentioned that Maher is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday.
I suppose that's fitting, given the sorry state of Hollywood.
As usual, Leno fed Maher prearranged topics and allowed him to be as demeaning as he wanted to be.
First, Leno brought up the Ground Zero mosque, what Leno called "this Islamic center near Ground Zero." (Does Leno work for AP?)
Video.
Bill Maher
Bill Maher, continued
Transcript
BILL MAHER: Well, if you want me to talk about this, let me get it all out because I got into trouble talking about this subject before, so I want to get all my points. My first point about that would be I am against a mosque at Ground Zero.
(Audience cheers and applauds)
I said let me get it out! I am also against a mosque anywhere. I'm against a church anywhere or a Hindu temple or a synagogue.
(Only some applause)
See, there are people out there like this who understand. These are houses of worship which mean there are places where people go to retell nonsense stories from a time before men understood what a germ or an atom was or where the sun went at night. They try to telepathically communicate with their imaginary friend. There are places, these are places that fleece people and scare people and they perpetuate mass delusion. We shouldn't build any of them. But...
JAY LENO: That being said...
MAHER: That being said...
LENO: Let me finish...
MAHER: Right, but I'm not wrong. But people are going to still build houses of worship so they should be able to build them anywhere. There's a thing in this country called the First Amendment. And if somebody ever read it to Sarah Palin she would understand that you're supposed to be allowed to worship whatever fairy tale you want to wherever you want to. That's why we have churches and mosques and synagogues in Utah. And any religion should be able to do that, just because there are some people in the religion who are violent, anti-Semitic, and hate women -- Mel Gibson is allowed to build a church so should Islam.
LENO: Right, right.
MAHER: But one more point-
LENO: I just love the fact that you questioned my intro before, and now they're all going, 'Oh, I see what Jay was talking about.'
MAHER: But let me also say this, 'cause I was watching MSNBC, the liberal network, a few weeks ago. And they were all going nuts. Everybody on there -- and I like the people on their station -- they were all going nuts about the fact that there was a poll that said Republicans think that Islam is more likely to lead to violence. Yeah, I'm with that. They are. OK? That's the truth, too. They have nuts and we have nuts. Their nuts are a lot more numerous and a lot more violent. That mouthbreather down in Florida who was gonna burn a Quran -- what would have happened? Nothing. To retaliate, you know, they could have burned our most sacred book, Eat Pray Love. They could have burned the Bible and nothing would have happened.
LENO: Right.
MAHER: OK? So, I mean, you have to recognize that difference, too. They keep their women in beekeeper suits.
Sarah Palin is an evil dingbat who thinks God opens doors. She never tried to kill anybody for eloping which is what they did in Afghanistan a few weeks ago, 'cause in her family everybody elopes.
Why such hate for religion? Why such anger? Maher is still on his anti-God crusade.
Why such hate for Sarah Palin? The Left's obsession with her is so weird.
After the break, the topic was Obama and his religion.
Interesting that Maher doesn't mock Obama for his Christian faith. Obama clings to his Bible. Well, actually, I think he clings to his Blackberry as his source of spiritual reading.
LENO: Now President Obama's the president for a year and a half yet something like one out of every five Americans still think he's a Muslim.
MAHER: No, no, Jay. You got it wrong. Not 'still think.' That number is increasing. That's what's scary about it, a year ago, and before he was president, a less number. You'd think the more he was president the more people would get the truth. It's very sad how in the information age, you cannot get information into people's heads. As long as you write something on the Internet and do not add 'lol,' it is true.
LENO: Right.
MAHER: I'm not sure he's a Christian. I'm not sure he's a mammal, Jay. He could be a werewolf. No but, I mean, you have to understand that there is now two subsets of crazy conservatives. There's the 'birthers' - Any birthers here? - people who don't think he was born in America because they don't know Hawaii is a state. And now the people, I call them 'churchers.' These are the people who don't think he is a Christian even though he continually professes it, even though two years ago - remember when they were screaming about his Christian minister, Rev. Wright? Right, he was too much of a Christian two years ago. Now they're saying he was actually a secret Muslim. That is one undercover brother, Jay. I have to say, I mean, wow.
Could Maher be more screwed up about Obama and the Rev. Wright controversy? It wasn't about being "too much of a Christian."
Then it was on to the Tea Party and immigration.
LENO: How do you think this Tea Party will affect the midterm elections?
MAHER: Ah, the Tea Party, the nativist bed-wetters who somehow control our national dialogue. Yes, I call them the Pee Party, Jay, because they're always peeing in their pants about something. They're just, they're afraid of a mosque being built in New York. They're afraid of guns.
You know, they think Obama, who like every other pussy Democrat has never said a single word about gun control, but they are very sure that he and his Negro army are coming after their guns.
You know what? If you think that he's coming after your guns, you need to get out of your chat room and have your house tested for lead. He's not coming after your guns or your Bible or your fishing pole or your chewing tobacco. And there's not a monster under your bed. That's the Ab Lounger you ordered and never used.
So, but yeah, mosques, guns... Did you see that the governor of Arizona was talking about the fact that illegals are conducting beheadings?
LENO: Yeah, there was no... Yeah, that was nothing. Yeah.
MAHER: It's just, they're just afraid of everything. Beheadings? John McCain said illegals are purposely causing car accidents. Lou Dobbs used to say they're bringing in leprosy. I've had a gardener for 25 years in LA, I never saw one time his arm fall off.
That's right. Don't mess with Tea Party participants' fishing poles and chewing tobacco. The Tea Party patriots are just a bunch of uneducated hicks.
Next topic: The BP oil spill.
LENO: Something I love are these commercials for BP where the guy goes, 'We're out every day looking for the oil,' like they're detectives, like they can't find it. It's not right there.
MAHER: I love the way as soon as they capped the well, immediately the oil just disappeared. It was like Jesus from the tomb. It's gone. It's a miracle. It's just magic. The oil has gone. Sorry, Jay. I know it's a tough night for the Baptists. But um, I apologize, but I mean, it is ridiculous that this oil has just disappeared. It hasn't disappeared.
Well that's an ugly load.
What's troubling to me is not Maher's greasy shtick. There are lots of people seriously on the same page as Maher. They don't see it as comedy. He's expressing their views. They hate people of faith. They hate conservatives. They consider them buffoons, racists, and enemies of their America.
Where's the tolerance, oh enlightened and brilliant Bill Maher?
12 comments:
He's going to straight to hell when he dies. Just an educated guess....
And what's wrong with Jay Leno, sitting there listening to this hate speech? Just horrible.
I agree with almost all of what Maher said. Especially about religion.
Religion holds society back.
I loved this quote specifically: "from a time before men understood what a germ or an atom was or where the sun went at night"
If there was a 2000 year old cookbook, would we trust the literal reading of it when we tried to make soup? Especially when we understand now that 3/4 of the 'holy ingredients' within cause cancer? We would have to because that cookbook was a religion. We'd have faith God wanted us to eat those ingredients.
Which is moronic. We've evolved. Science has explanations for what religion used to be needed for.
Talk about a lack of substance...your post defines it perfectly.
I presume the 1st amendment should be read to you as well as Sarah Palin. We don't have freedom of speech so everyone can have their beliefs rubber stamped. Although conservatives who watch Fox News wish this to be true. We have a first amendment to allow other view points to be expressed.
What exactly did you so oppose about his appearance? That his opinions on subjects are different and more thought out than yours?
Next time instead of throwing out emotional response words like "offensive", "demeaning", & "repulsed"...try explaining why you believe these words to be pertinent and make a case.
DW-
Leno was loving it. He's happy for Maher's "success."
Augustus-
You say religion holds society back.
Does it bother you that Obama considers himself to be a devout Christian?
"Here are the simple facts," Obama said. "I am a Christian. I am a devout Christian. I have been a member of the same church for 20 years. I pray to Jesus every night."
He says he prays to Jesus every night! What a fool he is!
I guess Obama hasn't evolved.
Ryan-
You're not a regular reader of my blog. You don't know me. You don't know my views. You do, however, jump to conclusions.
It's true that I don't write each and every post as if the reader is lacking all background and context about my opinions. That would be a tedious and time-consuming endeavor.
Certainly, when Maher was bashing religion and faith, he wasn't explaining in any depth why he finds it so utterly worthless.
He called Palin an "evil dingbat" but didn't make a case or explain why he was throwing around such hateful terms.
Next time, I suppose Maher should elaborate, too.
If you were a regular reader of my blog, you would know that I believe in protecting our rights as spelled out in the First Amendment. I never said that Maher shouldn't be allowed to air his opinions.
You seem confused about what "tolerance" is.
Bill Maher is the epitome of tolerance. He expresses exactly how much he hates religion. But then he immediately notes that EVEN THOUGH he hates religion, he strongly believes it is everyone's right to be an idiot.
That's what tolerance is. He is *tolerating* other opinions, even though he hates them. He's not standing in anyone's way of practicing their OWN beliefs. The Christian Wrong could learn a lot from that example.
He is not advocating for laws preventing the building of religious institutions, or to make it illegal to be a christian. If only right wingers could understand that. You guys have libertarians on your side, maybe you should listen to them once in awhile? "live and let live"?
You sound like you want him to LIKE everything, or to pretend that he thinks all viewpoints are equal. That's ridiculous, and it has nothing to do with tolerance. Feel free to dislike every word he says... but don't pretend it's an example of intolerance, until he's actually standing in your way of practicing your beliefs.
Note, that's practicing your beliefs, not shoving them all down everyone else's throat by force of law.
Also note that while I share Bill's distaste for religion, he and I both also understand that no one is perfect. That's how tolerance works. That's why he can hate religion and still like some people who have religious beliefs. As we all can. It's not hard.
Augustus: I think you've got a very warped view of religion, my friend. Look at the various atrocities committed by atheistic Communist regimes and tell me "religion holds society back".
Actually, I take that back. Certain faiths (Islam) do hold us back. And I would argue that Christianity holds us back... from the sheer evil that we are capable of committing.
As for science answering things from religion, might I inform you that many of the greatest scientists and philosophers in history were religious? And despite popular belief, many still are. Faith and science are not mutually exclusive.
I never understood why atheists feel the need to knock the faith of others.
If you have no faith, fine, it's your choice but don't sit there and try to diminish the faith of others.
I used to like Maher, but he seems to have finally lost his mind.
Mary,
I really appreciate your blog. I don't know you or your work; I just came across it while trying to find information about this interview with the atheist Maher.
What I find striking about the left is that they expect our tolerance and acceptance of their views, no matter how baseless, hurtful, rude or disjointed from the truth they are at times. However, they are the most intolerant and bigoted people I know of on the whole. Never once does Maher admit he is an atheist, or that he has an agenda, while being brutally "honest" about his "feelings" regarding religion in general or conservatives who have faith. And then as wont a hypocrite, he doesn't hold the same loathing for his president when speaking of HIS religious fervor. People who are this inconsistent can never be trusted. As Ryan pointed out, they expect you to follow THEIR rules; "Next time instead of throwing out emotional response words like "offensive", "demeaning", & "repulsed"...try explaining why you believe these words to be pertinent and make a case." When you are their opponent, this is their retort. But you get a pass when you are on their side, as in Augustus' post "Religion holds society back." No explanation, no case, no pertinence, just a blanket denunciation of all religion. As Ryan requires, Augustus, What exactly do you so oppose about religion? That His opinions on subjects are different and more thought out than yours?
I will be reading your blog from now on.
First, Rob Brown, saying that religious people have a right to practice their idiocy doesn't exactly reek of the "tolerance" you and Maher claim to have. Most people, no matter what their beliefs, probably wouldn't take kindly to being called idiots.
I think that if Maher's vitriol towards religious folk was instead aimed at any ethnic group, he would be rightly painted as the bigot he is by America. In my opinion, any form of bigotry is disgusting, yet disparaging people of faith seems to go unchecked in our seemingly increasingly secular society.
I have to admit that my politics do lean to the left, but I think it's liberals such as Maher and the ones on the liberal message boards that I read (one which had a link to Mary's blog here), who will denounce any form of racism, but then turn around and bash not just religion, but religious people, that do their own liberal causes harm, and only serve to paint themselves as hypocrites.
And what has Sarah Palin said that makes her evil? I don't agree with all of her political stances,
but she just strikes me as someone who has ideas on how to improve America that are different from the ones coming from Washington, or even myself.
As for Maher, whether he likes it or not, he'll be in my prayers. :)
Bill Maher is Bull Maher and a liar to boot. He paid for his star on Walk of Fame. PR it is. paid PR
Bill Maher got,er, paid for, his STAR in the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday and announced it on Larry King show on CNN, where Larry also bragged about his own , er, paid star....BUT THESE ''STARS'' ARE PAID PR, they cost US$25,000 each, the "stars" or their studios PAY for the right to have a star, it's all timed for release of new movies or books or show.....google it
BILL MAHER..... and he bragged that he was honored tobe honored with a star there,,,HE PAID FOR IT for crying out loud, why does the media lie to us????? even truth teller BULL MAHER. i give up
Bill Maher paid for that star, to the tune of US$25,000. the entire walk of fame thing is a paid PR thing, and the stars are not awarded, they are paid PR paid for by the star himself or herself or their s...tudio as a PR gimmick usually in timing with a new movie or show being released. Bull Maher is a liar. He told King he was awarded the star, not true. Maher paid for that "honor"....wake up america,,,,when even a truth teller like Bill Bull Maher lies to the public about his star on the walk of fame, all is lost.
correction due here;
political satirist Bill Maher became the latest to PAY FOR A STAR for the FAKE Hollywood honor. The Paid PR Star gimmick was timed to coincideiwith the fact that "Real Time with Bill Maher" is back on the air beginning Friday. the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which, er, charges $25,000 for star, and maintains the stars, uses the money for maintenance and tourism. It is not an award, it is paid PR. print the facts, sir.
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