# Is This how Bill Maher (whossname) usually is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753 "2008-10-06T22:25:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/1 "2008-10-06T22:25:22Z")
I reserved the right to commit dire misspelling in the title of this thread. Having seen a few posts about ‘religulous’ I decided to google the person behind it. I clicked on one video which was him on ‘The View’. My guestion is: Is this an accurate representation of the guy? If so, He seems OK. If not - Please link to a video where he is the ‘dick’ you claim he is. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/2 "2008-10-07T07:37:06Z")
I’ve watched a lot of Bill’s stuff, and that View interview is a pretty accurate representation of how he’s been elsewhere. I mean, he even told one of them to check into a mental hospital! I _heart_ him /straight dude ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/3 "2008-10-07T08:18:30Z")
I don’t get the hate for Bill. He’s a straight shooter who asks some very poignant questions. I like him. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/4 "2008-10-07T09:01:05Z")
Was it really too god damn taxing to put a link in your OP? Or were you not really interested in getting informed responses? Maher is very liberal politically and very upfront about it. He’s a bit of a rabid atheist. I tend to agree with him on a lot of topics and think that his show on HBO is very worthwhile, though I sometimes wish he’d reel in the wise cracking comedians he invites on the show how seem to have no interest in serious discussing the stuff everyone else is debating. I don’t think he’s an asshole, however he treats certain people he disagrees with with extreme disdain. This rubs some people the wrong way, but personally I agree with the idea that not all people’s political opinions deserve to be respected, some of them are just wrong and evil and deserve disdain. That said, he’s not like Bill O’Reilly or Michael Moore in that he haphazardly attacks everyone he disagrees with or who is on the opposite side of the center. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/5 "2008-10-07T09:06:58Z")
Generally, I like Bill Maher and think he’s a quick witted guy with liberal views that generally coincide with mine. But, he’s a PETA supporter and anti-vaccination, so I find his worldview rather conflicted, and I lose a lot of respect for the dude. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/6 "2008-10-07T10:46:47Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_Tightlips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@Joey\_Tightlips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_Tightlips)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/7 "2008-10-07T12:02:17Z")
I missed out on the Policially Incorrect years, but I watch Real Time _religulously_. I think the only time he comes across as a dick is when he tells believers right to their face that anyone who believes in invisible men in the sky is mentally handicapped. Even though I agree with him in theory, the abrasiveness of the delivery hurts more than it helps. I’m curious to see if he’s that way in the movie. Then again, there was the one time last year he jumped into the audience to forcibly throw out a heckler nut-job on his live tv show, because security didn’t get to him quick enough. Not sure if that makes him a dick, but it sure was exciting to watch live on TV. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/8 "2008-10-07T12:15:16Z")
I like Bill Maher and love Michael Moore. Gasp!! You see, Lob. What they don’t let on at these boards is that they’re a bunch of luke warm pussy, right of center, conservatives. They think their Democrats, but they’re really a bunch of middle of the road yuppies. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/9 "2008-10-07T12:22:04Z")
The heckler he tossed out was one of those 9/11 truthers, so it can be forgiven. I don’t get the hate people have for him either. I’m a Christian, and I find him hilarious. His “Free Levi Johnston” speech was the funniest thing I’ve seen for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/10 "2008-10-07T12:23:23Z")
All such delicate flowers…why you think that they argue so much here? They can’t take criticism of their mediocre fungibility. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/11 "2008-10-07T12:31:42Z")
Aside from his views on vaccinations, I pretty much agree with Bill Maher about everything. He’s more of a left-leaning libertarian than a Democrat, and will mock either side if they incite his ire, though right now he’s gunning for the Republicans. Mostly, he goes after what he perceives to be stupid, ingenuous, or ignorant. He can often take a supercilious or condescending tone, but I’ll be honest-- he sounds like the voice in my head sometimes. You know, the one that is disgusted by the stupid shit people say and believe, but which gets (partially) filtered before it comes out of my mouth, lest I offend. That’s why I like him. If I disagreed with him on more things, he’d probably annoy me more. As it stands, I’m a big fan. I just saw him live last weekend, in fact, and watched every episode of both PI and RT. Will see Religulous. I am his target audience, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/12 "2008-10-07T12:34:29Z")
Some time ago Maher had a great ‘New Rules’ mini-rant on Viagra which I can –more or less- reproduce here. “When it was first released to the public, Viagra was intended to treat a serious medical deficiency and not a boner-pill marketed as Love Potion Number Nine. If pops is having a difficult time getting it up for his old lady, he should do what guys have always done: just close your eyes – and think of the baby sitter.” Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/13 "2008-10-07T12:38:22Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > He’s more of a left-leaning libertarian than a Democrat, and will mock either side if they incite his ire, though right now he’s gunning for the Republicans. I sure as fuck know he’s voting a democrat ticket. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/14 "2008-10-07T13:52:24Z")
Bill lost his first show, Politically Incorrect, ironically for being politically incorrect during shrub’s coup! The 911 backlash, the rush and adrenaline of war, the propaganda of war… Damn right, he’s my hero. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/15 "2008-10-07T13:54:15Z")
I remember a little stand-up before Politically Incorrect and watched that show without fail both on cable and when it went network. I’m fairly well familiar with Bill Maher and his style of humor. Is Bill Maher a dick? Yes. And I believe if you were to ask him directly he would have the same answer. However Bill Maher is a “dick” in the same way that some women are “bitches”, I could hear him saying something like “You seem to be calling me a dick like it’s a bad thing.” Hell, he gets paid to present off the wall things and to present them as far out in left field as possible in order to facillitate discussion and debate. The man’s good at what he does and funnier than the preacher’s wife farting. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/16 "2008-10-07T15:39:18Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Maher is very liberal politically and very upfront about it. He’s a bit of a rabid atheist. FWIW, he’s agnostic, not atheist. I think he views athiests about the same as fundamentalists, because both groups claim to know the unknowable. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/17 "2008-10-07T15:45:04Z")
I like Bill Maher until he launches into his “all the food you eat is killing you” diatribes. I don’t dislike these because he’s wrong, but because he’s so clearly on a crusade about it, which means that he’s forgotten his primary job is to be funny. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/18 "2008-10-07T15:50:57Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > FWIW, he’s agnostic, not atheist. I think he views athiests about the same as fundamentalists, because both groups claim to know the unknowable. Must it be knowledge? Shouldn’t belief be enough? ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/19 "2008-10-07T16:14:39Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I like Bill Maher and love Michael Moore. Gasp!! > > You see, Lob. What they don’t let on at these boards is that they’re a bunch of luke warm pussy, right of center, conservatives. They think their Democrats, but they’re really a bunch of middle of the road yuppies. Yuppies with a conscience. Now there’s a novel concept. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753/20 "2008-10-07T16:22:11Z")
Maher is usually an asshole. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-how-bill-maher-whossname-usually-is/466753.md?page=2)