Bill Maher is a prominent American comedian, television host, and political commentator, best known for his long-running HBO series Real Time with Bill Maher. Throughout his career, Maher has established himself as a provocative figure in media, characterized by his sharp, satirical wit and his commitment to free speech. He frequently tackles sensitive topics, including religion, political correctness, and government policy, often positioning himself as a contrarian who challenges both progressives and conservatives. His work typically features a blend of stand-up comedy, editorial monologues, and panel discussions with diverse guests. A self-described libertarian, Maher advocates for secularism and individual liberties, consistently sparking public debate through his blunt approach to cultural and political commentary. His enduring presence in late-night television underscores his significant influence on American discourse and his ability to navigate the evolving landscape of contemporary media.
19 hours ago : Bill Maher Calls for Reintegration of Canceled Stars into Show Business
Comedian Bill Maher advocates for ending the ostracization of stars like Louis C.K. and Kevin Spacey, questioning society's tendency to dwell on past controversies indefinitely instead of allowing a return to their careers.
January 20, 1956: Birth of Bill Maher
On January 20, 1956, Bill Maher, the American comedian and political commentator, was born.
1974: Graduation from Pascack Hills High School
In 1974, Bill Maher completed his secondary education by graduating from Pascack Hills High School located in Montvale, New Jersey.
1978: Graduation from Cornell University
In 1978, Bill Maher earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University, where he had double-majored in English literature and history.
1979: Host at Catch a Rising Star
In 1979, Bill Maher launched his professional career by serving as the host of the New York City comedy club Catch a Rising Star.
1982: Television guest appearances
During 1982, Bill Maher began making appearances on popular late-night television programs hosted by Johnny Carson and David Letterman.
1983: Feature Film Debut in D.C. Cab
In 1983, Bill Maher marked his official feature film debut by appearing in the movie D.C. Cab.
1984: Role in Steve Allen's Music Room
In 1984, Bill Maher took on the role of announcer and sidekick for the entirety of the six-episode run of Disney Channel's Steve Allen's Music Room.
1985: Television appearance on Sara
Bill Maher made a limited television appearance on the show Sara in 1985.
1986: Appearance in Ratboy
In 1986, Bill Maher expanded his filmography by appearing in the movie Ratboy.
1987: Appearances in Max Headroom and House II: The Second Story
During 1987, Bill Maher appeared in the television series Max Headroom and the feature film House II: The Second Story.
1988: Roles in Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death and Newhart
In 1988, Bill Maher made appearances in the film Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death and the television series Newhart.
1989: Appearance in Murder, She Wrote
In 1989, Bill Maher made a television appearance on the popular show Murder, She Wrote.
1990: Hosting Midnight Hour and Return to Murder, She Wrote
During 1990, Bill Maher hosted the talk show Midnight Hour on CBS and made another appearance on Murder, She Wrote.
1991: Appearances in Charlie Hoover and Pizza Man
In 1991, Bill Maher appeared in the television series Charlie Hoover and the feature film Pizza Man.
1993: Premiere of Politically Incorrect
In 1993, Bill Maher began hosting the late-night political talk show Politically Incorrect, which aired on Comedy Central and later ABC.
1997: Transition of Politically Incorrect to ABC
During 1997, the show Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher concluded its run on Comedy Central and transitioned to the ABC network.
1997: Appointment to the PETA Board
Starting in 1997, Bill Maher began his tenure as a member of the board for PETA, demonstrating his long-term commitment to animal rights advocacy.
June 16, 2002: Cancellation of Politically Incorrect
On June 16, 2002, the television program Politically Incorrect was officially canceled following a period of declining support and controversy.
June 22, 2002: Receipt of the Los Angeles Press Club President's Award
On June 22, 2002, six days after his show was canceled, Bill Maher was honored by the Los Angeles Press Club with their president's award in recognition of his advocacy for free speech.
2002: Cancellation of Politically Incorrect
In 2002, ABC chose not to renew Bill Maher's contract for his show Politically Incorrect following the backlash from a controversial remark Maher made regarding the September 11 attacks, where he questioned the characterization of the terrorists as cowards.
2002: Foreword for Spin This!
In 2002, Bill Maher contributed to the literary world by writing the foreword for the book titled Spin This!: All the Ways We Don't Tell the Truth, authored by television host Bill Press.
2003: Premiere of Real Time with Bill Maher
In 2003, Bill Maher assumed the roles of host, co-producer, and co-writer for the political comedy talk show Real Time with Bill Maher, which debuted on the HBO cable network.
2004: Appearance in Hollywood Hell House
In 2004, Bill Maher performed as Satan in The Steve Allen Theater production of Hollywood Hell House, a satirical recreation of an evangelistic scare-experience designed to convert teenagers.
2005: Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups Ranking
In 2005, Bill Maher was honored with the 38th position on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time.
January 13, 2006: Hosting Larry King Live
On January 13, 2006, Bill Maher served as the guest host for an edition of the television program Larry King Live.
2007: Producers Guild of America Television Producer of the Year Award
In 2007, Bill Maher and his co-producers received the Television Producer of the Year Award in Variety Television from the Producers Guild of America for their work on Real Time with Bill Maher.
October 3, 2008: Release of the documentary Religulous
On October 3, 2008, the documentary film Religulous, co-created by Bill Maher and director Larry Charles, was released to audiences, featuring a satirical look at religious extremism.
2008: Support for Barack Obama's Presidential Campaign
During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Bill Maher publicly announced his endorsement and support for the Democratic candidate Barack Obama.
2008: Release of the documentary film Religulous
In 2008, Bill Maher released the documentary film titled Religulous, which explored his critical views on religion and served as a major project in his career.
June 29, 2010: Larry King Retirement Announcement
On June 29, 2010, Bill Maher appeared as a special guest on Larry King Live, the same episode during which host Larry King announced his retirement from the show.
December 16, 2010: Co-emceeing the final episode of Larry King Live
On December 16, 2010, Bill Maher co-emceed the final broadcast of Larry King Live alongside Ryan Seacrest.
2010: Hollywood Walk of Fame Induction
In 2010, Bill Maher received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of his contributions to the entertainment industry.
February 23, 2012: Donation to Priorities USA SuperPAC
Following the release of his "Crazy Stupid Politics" special on February 23, 2012, Bill Maher announced a $1 million contribution to Priorities USA, a SuperPAC supporting President Barack Obama.
2012: Panel discussion with Salman Rushdie
During a 2012 panel discussion, Bill Maher identified himself and fellow thinkers like Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris as "9/11 liberals," a term used to distinguish their willingness to criticize specific religions—particularly regarding liberal principles—from mainstream liberal perspectives that they argue avoid such critiques.
2012: Acquisition of New York Mets minority stake
In 2012, Bill Maher expanded his investment portfolio by purchasing a minority ownership interest in the professional baseball team, the New York Mets.
2013: Production of Vice and Public Challenge to Donald Trump
In 2013, Bill Maher took on the role of executive producer for the HBO series Vice. During that same year, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and pledged to donate $5 million to a charity if Donald Trump provided his birth certificate to disprove a joke about his ancestry, mirroring Trump's own previous demands made toward President Barack Obama.
2014: Primetime Emmy Award Win for Vice
In 2014, Bill Maher won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as an executive producer on the television series Vice.
2016: Renewal of Real Time
During 2016, the television network HBO officially renewed the series Real Time with Bill Maher for its 15th and 16th seasons.
2018: Conclusion of Season 16
The year 2018 marked the conclusion of the 16th season of Real Time with Bill Maher, following the renewal agreement finalized in 2016.
2020: Divestment of New York Mets ownership
After eight years of ownership, Bill Maher sold his minority stake in the New York Mets in 2020.
March 21, 2022: Launch of Club Random podcast
On March 21, 2022, Bill Maher premiered his podcast series Club Random, which features casual, non-political, one-on-one conversations with various celebrity guests recorded at his private home bar.
2022: Launch of Club Random podcast
Bill Maher expanded his media presence in 2022 by launching his podcast series titled Club Random.
February 2024: Decision to withhold Kanye West interview
In February 2024, Bill Maher announced his decision not to broadcast a two-hour interview he had recorded with Kanye West for his Club Random podcast due to the rapper's public antisemitic statements.
March 2024: Formation of Club Random Studios
In March 2024, Bill Maher, alongside partners Chris Casey and Chuck LaBella, announced the establishment of a new podcast network titled Club Random Studios.
May 2024: Planned retirement from stand-up comedy
During a conversation with Jerry Seinfeld on his podcast in May 2024, Bill Maher declared that he intends to conclude his career in stand-up comedy following the end of the year.
March 2025: Bill Maher Critiques NPR and Calls for Defunding
In March 2025, following a congressional hearing where NPR CEO Katherine Maher claimed the network's journalism was unbiased, Bill Maher publicly criticized NPR as being far-left and advocated for the cessation of government funding for public media, suggesting that the United States has outgrown the need for such subsidies.
Mentioned in this timeline
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician and the senior...
Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving...
Barack Obama the th U S President - was the...
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is a prominent American politician lawyer...
Home Box Office HBO is an American pay television service...
Trending
4 hours ago Keanu Reeves Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Iconic Action Film Point Break
4 hours ago Aaron Judge Transferred to 60-Day Injured List Following Imaging Results
4 hours ago Andy Burnham Plans Special Administration for Thames Water Amid Pending Nationalisation Efforts
4 hours ago Robert Wagner Shares Emotional Tribute to Late Wife Natalie Wood
4 hours ago CNN Power Struggle Puts Andy Cohen's Role Along Anderson Cooper at Risk
4 hours ago Legacy of Jackie Robinson and Modern Baseball Milestones
Popular
Lindsey Graham is a prominent American politician serving as the...
Cristiano Ronaldo widely considered one of the greatest footballers captains...
Elon Musk is a visionary entrepreneur and engineer known for...
Mitch McConnell is a prominent American politician and the longest-serving...
E Jean Carroll is an American journalist author and advice...
Argentina Spain relations are rooted in deep historical linguistic and...