Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Bill Maher
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Bill Maher made an impact.
Bill Maher is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting political talk shows like Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO (2003–present) and Politically Incorrect (1993–2002) on Comedy Central and ABC. In 2022, Maher launched the podcast Club Random.
1979: Host of Catch a Rising Star
In 1979, Maher began his career as the host of the New York City comedy club Catch a Rising Star.
1982: Talk Show Appearances
In 1982, Maher began appearing on Johnny Carson's and David Letterman's shows.
1983: D.C. Cab Film Debut
In 1983, Maher's feature film debut was in D.C. Cab.
1985: Sara TV Show Appearance
In 1985, Maher made a television appearance on Sara.
1987: Max Headroom TV Show Appearance
In 1987, Maher appeared on Max Headroom.
1988: Appearances in House II, Cannibal Women, and Newhart
In 1988, Maher appeared in House II: The Second Story, Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death, and Newhart.
1989: Murder, She Wrote Appearance
In 1989, Maher appeared on Murder, She Wrote.
1990: Appearances on Murder, She Wrote and Midnight Hour
In 1990, Maher appeared on Murder, She Wrote and hosted the talk show Midnight Hour on CBS.
1991: Charlie Hoover and Pizza Man Appearances
In 1991, Maher appeared on Charlie Hoover and in the movie Pizza Man.
1993: Politically Incorrect Debut on Comedy Central
In 1993, Maher became the host of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, which began airing on Comedy Central.
1993: Politically Incorrect Debut
In 1993, Politically Incorrect, a late-night show hosted by Bill Maher, first aired on Comedy Central.
1997: Politically Incorrect Moves to ABC
In 1997, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher moved from Comedy Central to ABC.
June 16, 2002: Cancellation of Politically Incorrect
On June 16, 2002, Politically Incorrect was canceled after Maher was criticized for comparing his dogs to mentally disabled children and after controversial comments regarding the 9/11 attacks.
2002: Cancellation of Politically Incorrect
In 2002, ABC decided against renewing Maher's contract for Politically Incorrect, following controversial remarks he made regarding the 9/11 attacks.
2002: Distinction from Atheism
In 2002, Bill Maher distinguished himself from explicit atheists, stating that he doesn't believe in religion as he sees it as unnecessary bureaucracy between man and God.
2002: Foreword to Spin This!
In 2002, Maher wrote the foreword for the book Spin This!: All the Ways We Don't Tell the Truth by Bill Press.
2002: Politically Incorrect Ends on ABC
In 2002, Politically Incorrect ended its run on ABC.
2003: Real Time with Bill Maher Premieres
In 2003, Maher became the host, co-producer, and co-writer of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO.
2004: Appearance in Hollywood Hell House
In 2004, Maher appeared on stage as Satan in The Steve Allen Theater production of "Hollywood Hell House".
January 13, 2006: Hosting Larry King Live
On January 13, 2006, Maher hosted an edition of Larry King Live.
October 3, 2008: Release of Religulous
On October 3, 2008, the movie Religulous, co-created by Maher and Larry Charles, was released.
2008: Release of Religulous
In 2008, Maher's documentary film Religulous, which is critical of religion, was released.
2008: Self-Identification as Agnostic
In his 2008 feature film Religulous, Bill Maher refers to himself as agnostic.
June 29, 2010: Special Guest on Larry King Live
On June 29, 2010, Maher appeared as a special guest on Larry King Live during which Larry King announced his retirement.
December 16, 2010: Co-Emceeing Final Larry King Live
On December 16, 2010, Maher co-emceed the final show of Larry King Live with Ryan Seacrest.
2011: Maher describes himself as an apatheist
In 2011, Bill Maher referred to himself as an apatheist, stating he doesn't know or care what happens after death. He clarified that he's not absolutely certain about the non-existence of God, aligning with Richard Dawkins in focusing less on the question.
2012: Maher declares atheism is not a religion
In 2012, on his HBO show, Bill Maher stated that atheism is not a religion and doesn't require much time or attention. He expressed frustration with those claiming atheism is a religion.
February 12, 2013: Gun Ownership for Home Protection
On February 12, 2013, Bill Maher explained on Conan that he owns guns for personal home protection.
June 7, 2013: Support for NSA's PRISM Data Collection
On June 7, 2013, Bill Maher expressed limited support on his show for the NSA's PRISM intelligence data collection from private phone calls and the Internet, citing the threat of terrorists obtaining and using nuclear weapons as his tipping point. He did express concern about the 'slippery slope' of such access to private data.
2013: Executive Producer for Vice and Trump Challenge
In 2013, Maher became an executive producer for Vice on HBO. Also, during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2013, Maher offered to pay $5 million to a charity if Donald Trump would produce his birth certificate.
2014: Defense of Israel's Military Actions
During the 2014 Gaza war, Bill Maher defended Israel's military actions against Palestinians, arguing that Israel was showing restraint and criticizing those who questioned their right to defend themselves, and tweeting controversial comments about dealing with Hamas.
2014: Endorsement of Maine Referendum on Bear Hunting
In 2014, Bill Maher endorsed a Maine referendum to ban the use of bait, traps, and dogs to hunt bears in Maine, criticizing the use of bait as "nothing but an execution".
2014: "Flip a District" Contest
In the lead-up to the 2014 midterm elections, Maher conducted a "Flip a District" contest on his HBO show, ultimately selecting Republican Representative John Kline to oust from office, but failing to prevent his reelection.
November 2015: Opposition to Accepting Syrian Refugees
In November 2015, Bill Maher expressed opposition to the United States accepting Syrian refugees, citing concerns about conflicting values and potential threats.
2015: Criticism of Obama's Visit to Saudi Arabia
In 2015, Bill Maher criticized Barack Obama's visit to Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally, saying: "Stop respecting their medieval bullshit under the guise of, 'It's their culture.'"
February 5, 2016: Endorsement of Bernie Sanders
On February 5, 2016, Bill Maher initially endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for the U.S. presidential election.
June 2016: Support for Hillary Clinton
In June 2016, Bill Maher announced his support for Hillary Clinton after she won the Democratic Party primary elections.
October 2016: Criticism of Julian Assange
In October 2016, Bill Maher criticized WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for publishing leaks from the DNC's emails, expressing his belief that Assange had lost his way and harbored hatred for Hillary Clinton.
2016: Real Time Renewed Through 2018
In 2016, HBO renewed Real Time with Bill Maher through 2018 for its 15th and 16th seasons.
March 31, 2017: Comments on Hillary Clinton's Defeat
On March 31, 2017, following Hillary Clinton's defeat, Bill Maher responded on air to suggestions that she was ready to end her low profile and speak out by telling her to "stay in the woods," saying she "fucked it up" and should let someone else have a chance.
June 2017: "House Nigger" Controversy
In June 2017, Bill Maher faced criticism for saying "I'm a house nigger" in response to Senator Ben Sasse on Real Time. Maher apologized for the remark, which HBO called "inexcusable and tasteless."
April 13, 2018: Prediction of Trump's Refusal to Concede
On April 13, 2018, Bill Maher predicted that Donald Trump would refuse to concede any loss in the 2020 United States presidential election during an edition of Real Time with Bill Maher.
2018: Real Time Renewal
In 2018, HBO's renewal of the show Real Time with Bill Maher was extended through its 15th and 16th seasons.
March 14, 2019: Quoting Trump on Remaining in Office
On March 14, 2019, Bill Maher quoted Donald Trump's assertion that he had the support of the police, the military, and bikers to remain in office, citing this as evidence that Trump would seek to stay in power by force.
August 2019: Denouncement of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement
In August 2019, Bill Maher denounced the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, criticizing its shallow thinking and responding to Rep. Rashida Tlaib's call to boycott his talk show.
August 2019: Economic Recession Comment
In August 2019, Bill Maher stated that an economic recession would be "worth it" if Donald Trump did not get re-elected in 2020, arguing that the country could survive a recession but not another term of Trump's presidency.
January 25, 2020: 'New Rules' Segment on Trump's Refusal to Leave
On January 25, 2020, Bill Maher dedicated a 'New Rules' end segment on Real Time with Bill Maher to the subject of Donald Trump's potential refusal to concede any loss in the 2020 United States presidential election.
April 2020: Criticism of Equating 'Wuhan Virus' with Racism
In April 2020, Bill Maher criticized those who equated using the term "Wuhan virus" with racism, stating that scientists have been naming diseases after their place of origin for a long time and that it had nothing to do with Asian Americans and everything to do with China.
August 7, 2020: Prediction of Trump's Refusal to Concede
On August 7, 2020, during an edition of Real Time with Bill Maher, Bill Maher predicted that Donald Trump would refuse to concede any loss in the 2020 United States presidential election.
August 15, 2020: Statement on Trump's Refusal to Leave
In an August 15, 2020, interview with Vanity Fair, Bill Maher stated that "we've baked it into the cake that he's not going to leave," referring to Donald Trump's potential refusal to concede the election.
September 25, 2020: Criticism of New York Times Coverage
On September 25, 2020, during an edition of Real Time, Bill Maher criticized the framing of a New York Times story about Donald Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, asserting that the media should have amplified the severity of Trump's threats.
March 2021: Criticism of China's Treatment of Uyghurs
In March 2021, Bill Maher criticized China's treatment of the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, saying the United States had "lost" to China in the "battle for the 21st century" and that the U.S. was wasting time in a "never-ending woke competition".
2021: Opposition to NFL's "Black National Anthem"
In 2021, Bill Maher opposed the NFL's decision to play the "Black national anthem" before games, considering it a form of segregation.
2021: Urging Acceptance of Afghan Refugees
In 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Bill Maher urged America to take in Afghan refugees.
January 2022: Declining to Run for President
In January 2022, Bill Maher declined to run in the 2024 United States presidential election, following speculation by Dana Perino that he might be called on to do so.
March 21, 2022: Launch of Club Random Podcast
On March 21, 2022, Maher launched a podcast titled Club Random, featuring one-on-one interviews recorded in his home bar, discussing a variety of topics except politics.
2022: Blaming Hollywood for Gun Violence
In 2022, Bill Maher blamed mass shootings in part on Hollywood's romanticization of gun violence in movies.
2022: Criticism of Disinformation Governance Board
In 2022, Bill Maher criticized the Biden administration's Disinformation Governance Board, agreeing with the comparison that the board was similar to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.
2022: Criticism of Democratic Party's Diversity Priorities
In 2022, Bill Maher criticized the Democratic Party for prioritizing diversity over merit when selecting candidates.
2022: Club Random Podcast Launch
In 2022, Maher launched the podcast Club Random.
September 13, 2023: Maher announces plans to restart his HBO show
On September 13, 2023, Bill Maher released a statement on Twitter announcing his plans to restart a version of his HBO show.
February 2024: Unreleased Interview with Kanye West
In February 2024, Maher revealed that he decided not to release a two-hour interview with Kanye West recorded for Club Random due to the rapper's antisemitic comments.
March 2024: Launch of Club Random Studios
In March 2024, Maher announced the launch of Club Random Studios, a podcast network with Chris Casey and Chuck LaBella.
May 2024: Announcement of Stand-Up Retirement
In May 2024, Maher told Jerry Seinfeld on the Club Random podcast that he will stop doing stand-up comedy after this year.
July 2024: Call for Biden to Decline Nomination
In July 2024, Bill Maher called on Joe Biden to decline the Democratic Party's nomination in order to have an open convention at the Democratic Convention; Maher expressed his support for Gavin Newsom to replace Biden as the party's nominee.
February 2025: Endorsement of John Fetterman
In February 2025, Bill Maher endorsed Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman for the 2028 Democratic Party presidential primaries, praising his strong support of Israel and stance against "woke".
March 2025: Criticism of NPR and Call for Defunding
In March 2025, Bill Maher criticized NPR as "crazy far-left" and called for defunding public media outlets after NPR's CEO defended their journalism as "completely unbiased".
Mentioned in this timeline
Home Box Office HBO is a flagship American pay television...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Kanye West now known as Ye is a highly influential...
CBS is a major American commercial broadcast television and radio...
Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving as...
Gavin Newsom is an American politician and businessman currently serving...
Trending
3 minutes ago Jensen Ackles and Eric Dane Team Up in 'Countdown' Trailer on Prime Video.
4 minutes ago Seth Rogen Courts Daniel Day-Lewis for 'The Studio' Season 2 Cameo
4 minutes ago Victor Wembanyama's positive health updates, fan reactions, and potential growth spurt make headlines.
4 minutes ago David Lynch's personal items, including director's chair and camera gear, are up for auction.
4 minutes ago Hanks and Cranston share joke with photographers at 'The Phoenician Scheme' premiere.
Wienerschnitzel is an American fast food chain founded in by John Galardi known primarily for hot dogs Initially named Der...
Popular
Steve Irwin the Crocodile Hunter was an influential Australian zookeeper...
Cristiano Ronaldo often called CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a professional basketball player...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
Rahm Emanuel is an American politician and diplomat He served...