# 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:** 19\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/101 "2025-08-08T20:04:08Z")
So you have ~~only~~ more than the vaguest idea of who the guy even is… ---
**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 8, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/102 "2025-08-08T20:12:42Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Joe Rogan also has two legs, same as Maher. Doesn’t make them similar in any meaningful sense. Dang, and here I am typing “Maher and Rogan are similar in a meaningful sense” and not even realizing it. How clumsy of me. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/103 "2025-08-08T20:15:24Z")
Maybe you shouldn’t have said “Every description of Maher could apply to Joe Rogan with the name changed” if that’s not what you meant. ---
**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 8, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/104 "2025-08-08T20:16:11Z")
That is what I meant. The descriptions posted here about how great Maher is because he invites interesting people on and talks to them also apply to Joe Rogan. That’s it. That’s what I said and that’s what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/105 "2025-08-08T20:30:14Z")
What you said: “Every description of Maher could apply to Joe Rogan”. What you apparently meant: “The descriptions posted here about how great Maher is because he invites interesting people on and talks to them also apply to Joe Rogan.” You don’t see a difference? Next time say what you mean. Also, even your revised version is something of a false comparison. Although from skimming the guest list Rogan has had some notable guests, for the most part Maher’s much higher profile enables him to attract serious and accomplished guests on a much more consistent basis. ---
**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 8, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/106 "2025-08-08T20:43:52Z")
Fuck you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/107 "2025-08-08T20:57:45Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > The descriptions posted here about how great Maher is because he invites interesting people on and talks to them also apply to Joe Rogan. I haven’t watched the show but I suspect “unserious, uncurious, pseudo intellectual” also applies to Rogan. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/108 "2025-08-08T21:51:46Z")
Bill Maher is Joe Rogan for wannabe elitists. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/109 "2025-08-09T12:09:43Z")
Maher is high brow for the low brow. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/110 "2025-08-09T18:31:59Z")
Bill Maher is a ommedian. His opinions are fucked up on some issues – people who take the man seriously are fools. He is quite simply entertainment, and some of his humor is well done, but typically not very deep or insightful. At least his humor is mostly not the bitter, petty crap that comes from right-wing commedians, and he has not gone full 'round the bend like Dennis Miller. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/111 "2025-08-10T21:40:38Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > he has not gone full 'round the bend like Dennis Miller. I agree with you there—but he IS getting close. HBO has been playing a lot of their big library of comedian-concerts lately, and I’ve caught some Maher from ten and fifteen years ago (approximately). He seems much less bitter and petty (to quote you about right-wing comedians). He’s less angry. What a different life we all lived back in the pre-approaching-dictatorship days, when we took rule-of-law for granted. (I have no comment, yet at least, on Big Joel.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/112 "2025-08-10T21:57:08Z")
I wouldn’t describe Big Joel as a political comedian. He makes videos about things he thinks are stupid, which includes everything from _The Five Love Languages_ to the film adaption of _The Giver._ I think there just happen to be a lot of conservative things he thinks are stupid. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kD6KJ_ThZio/maxresdefault.jpg "Love Languages: A Philosophical Horror") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD6KJ_ThZio) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/113 "2025-08-10T22:06:46Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > At least his humor is mostly not the bitter, petty crap that comes from right-wing commedians Maher’s bit in the OP does seem petty but whatever. Just do not pretend that Maher is some insightful person. He is not. He panders to a group and makes a living doing it. If we start to look more into what he says it mostly falls apart as the video in the OP shows. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/114 "2025-08-11T15:42:02Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > He panders to a group and makes a living doing it. And the same can be said for [Rogan.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-joe-rogan-experience-to-me/1004322/15) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2025, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/115 "2025-08-11T15:45:44Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > And the same can be said for [Rogan.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-the-joe-rogan-experience-to-me/1004322/15) Fer sure. No shortage of people who do the same thing (but for different groups to pander to). ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/116 "2025-08-14T01:43:04Z")
Since we’re talking about Big Joel - and I might start a thread about this - anyone want to take a crack at this six minute video and tell me what this is about? The arbitrary nature of online trends? Joe Rogan’s popularity? Something about fascism? Oh no, oh shit. Are we the mice? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/v4gqWFvVVbE/maxresdefault.jpg "You Are Into Mousetrap YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4gqWFvVVbE) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/117 "2025-08-14T01:54:29Z")
Yeah, we’re the mice. The mice can’t call out to each other because they are are desperately alone. The videos are the peanut butter. YouTube is the trap. Oh but such a clever trap. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/118 "2025-08-20T06:57:03Z")
I saw this and thought, “_What does The Piano Man have against Bill Maher?”_ Put your glasses on, Dammit! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768/119 "2025-08-20T14:08:54Z")
Congratulations. You are the tenth person to make this observation starting with like the fourth post. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-joel-take-down-of-bill-maher/1021768.md?page=5)