# Big Joel take down of Bill Maher **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [August 6, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768 "2025-08-06T14:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/1 "2025-08-06T14:42:23Z")
Disclaimers: I generally dislike information delivered in video format versus text, but well-written video essays have been an exception for me. And I’ve been a big fan of Big Joel for a few years now – he’s thoughtful and is often able to adopt a kinder perspective than I can without prodding. Anyway, here’s a link. [Youtuber Big Joel recently dropped a video taking Bill Maher to task](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8THCFfg2BY8&ab_channel=BigJoel), ostensibly prompted by his latest contrarian take, which is that he sat down for dinner with Kid Rock and Donald Trump and found Trump to be pretty swell guy. I remember watching Politically Incorrect back in the day and generally enjoying it, but looking back now I can’t for the life of me see why. Bill Maher uses the disinformation tactics of the right to lambast “both sides,” but Big Joel carefully dissects why that’s so problematic. That’s really all I’ve got to say about this, hence posting in the pit instead of GD or politics. Fuck this guy, amiright? Who are his fans, really? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/2 "2025-08-06T14:45:34Z")
I’ve always thought Bill Maher was a smug asshole, even where I agreed with him of stuff. I can’t stand watching his show and I remain surprised it has lasted so long. But then this is a nation that elected the Smug Asshole in Chief Trump, (twice) so I should probably recalibrate by surprise meter. Oh, there is no way I’m watching a long long video on this. That link is an hour and 25 minutes. And he starts off on a Stan Lee bit. Was there a point in the video pertinent to the Trump part. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/3 "2025-08-06T14:49:20Z")
This is one of the things I appreciate about Big Joel; I also hate Maher’s smug asshole schtick and for a long time I’d be content to leave it at that. But Joel here is like, “Look, it might not be your cup of tea but it’s an effective comedic strategy and in a lot of cases it kinda works.” Which is the sort of perspective I sometimes appreciate having pointed out to me. It’s not that his persona is annoying, although it is, it’s that he uses it to such evil ends. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/4 "2025-08-06T14:51:44Z")
Imagine if you can that not everyone is familiar with Big Joel, though I realize that seems impossible. Could you explain who this person is for that rare individual? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/5 "2025-08-06T14:56:17Z")
I read the thread title and wondered, “Did _Billy_ Joel get political all of a sudden?” I have no idea who “Big Joel” is and am disinclined to spend an hour and a half of my life listening to anyone rant about a useless butt-pimple like Bill Maher but I always enjoy [a brief clip of Bill Burr telling Maher what a fucking idiot he is to his face](https://youtu.be/tCPNBvwlnfI?si=GKVLFexsYQwMsrQG). Stranger ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/6 "2025-08-06T15:01:40Z")
He’s a video essayist, if you’ve ever heard of “[breadtube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BreadTube)” I believe he was associated with that movement, although he was never big enough to make it into the wiki page for it. > BreadTube videos are often noted for their high production values and theatrical elements, running longer than many other YouTube videos. A number of these videos respond to right-wing talking points. Some sources indicate that right-wing and cyberlibertarian creators frequently adopt antagonistic stances toward political opponents, while many BreadTubers focus on analyzing and interpreting opposing arguments, sometimes incorporating elements of subversion, humor, or “seduction”. A lot of his content is just critiques of Disney content, so… ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/7 "2025-08-06T15:15:10Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > He’s a video essayist, if you’ve ever heard of “[breadtube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BreadTube)” I believe he was associated with that movement, although he was never big enough to make it into the wiki page for it. Yeah, if I’m going to spend that much time on a video it needs to have more informational content and educational value than some random guy with a bad haircut sitting on his couch droning on in a near-monotone about some has-been ‘comic’ celebrating himself as an iconclast even though he never held an opinion that he didn’t read out of the _New York Post_ or a thought deeper than the skim of cheap whiskey left in his glass as he tugs away on a cigar like it is a pacifier. If it is actually worth that much diatribe it either needs to be written down or shouted into an abandoned well. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/8 "2025-08-06T15:22:09Z")
I appreciate that. Sometimes people watch 90 minute videos to be, I think it’s called, “entertained”. It’s funny. I like him. It’s not the most efficient delivery format, which I declared in the disclaimer of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/9 "2025-08-06T15:22:22Z")
Hey @steronz, could you help us out with a timestamp telling when the Bill Maher stuff starts and ends? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/10 "2025-08-06T15:23:18Z")
0:00 through the end of the video. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/11 "2025-08-06T15:26:50Z")
Whew! For a minute there I thought I would have to watch the whole video. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/12 "2025-08-06T15:28:43Z")
😅 Every time I make a pit thread it’s a mandate that everyone participate and watch any links I post fully. This is non-negotiable. I expect the entire SDMB to like it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/13 "2025-08-06T15:30:09Z")
In case you’re not aware, there are _billions_ of videos on YouTube and not everyone watches what you watch. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/14 "2025-08-06T15:31:09Z")
Cool. There’s lots of thread on the dope too and not everyone reads all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/15 "2025-08-06T15:56:18Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > there are _billions_ of videos on YouTube and not everyone watches what you watch. I don’t watch _any_ of them. Unless I need help figuring out how to change my lawn mower blade. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/16 "2025-08-06T15:57:42Z")
YouTube Algorithm: Ahh, I see you’re an aficionado of lawn mower blades and how they’re changed. Here’s 13 video suggestions about lawn mowers. I’ll go ahead and inundate your feed with lawn care maintenance videos for the next 2 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/17 "2025-08-06T15:59:40Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I’ll go ahead and inundate your feed with lawn care maintenance videos for the next 2 weeks. I don’t think I have a youtube feed. I have never accessed [youtube.com](http://youtube.com) directly. I just search “how do I change the blade on model \_\_\_ lawnmower?” and sometimes the result includes a video. I assume the video is on the youtube platform, but I’m not actually certain of that. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/18 "2025-08-06T16:00:08Z")
Dang, my observational humor is wasted. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/19 "2025-08-06T16:00:15Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I’ll go ahead and inundate your feed with lawn care maintenance videos for the next 2 weeks. …but before each one there will be two 6 minute non-skippable commercials for gutters and bitcoin investing. Please hit the like button and subscribe to my lawnmower blade channel! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/20 "2025-08-06T16:06:49Z")
I watched it until the subject got to transphobia and I didn’t need any further reminder of what a hateful little fuck Maher is, so I shut it off. Damn bigoted assholes like him to hell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768.md?page=2)