Early Life and Education of Bill Maher: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Bill Maher. From birth to education, explore key events.

Bill Maher is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the political talk shows *Real Time with Bill Maher* on HBO and *Politically Incorrect*, which aired on Comedy Central and ABC. In 2022, he launched the podcast *Club Random*.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

January 20, 1956: Bill Maher Born

On January 20, 1956, William "Bill" Maher was born. He is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host.

1974: High School Graduation

In 1974, Maher graduated from Pascack Hills High School in Montvale.

1978: College Graduation

In 1978, Maher graduated from Cornell University with degrees in English and history.

1997: Joins PETA Board

In 1997, Maher joined the board of PETA, supporting animal rights.

2002: Rejection of Atheist Label

In 2002, Bill Maher stated, "I'm not an atheist. There's a really big difference between an atheist and someone who just doesn't believe in religion. Religion to me is a bureaucracy between man and God that I don't need, but I'm not an atheist, no."

October 19, 2007: Maher Confronts 9/11 Truthers

On October 19, 2007, Bill Maher confronted and had 9/11 truthers ejected from his show audience after they disrupted the live broadcast. The incident received significant media attention.

2008: Maher on Health Plans and Nutrition

In 2008, Bill Maher stated that poor nutrition is a primary cause of illness and that the answer isn't another pill, during an episode of his show discussing the presidential candidates' health plans.

2008: Self-Identification as Agnostic in Religulous

In his 2008 feature film Religulous, Bill Maher refers to himself as agnostic.

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2008: Support for Barack Obama

In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Maher announced his support for U.S. Senator Barack Obama.

2009: Maher on the Affordable Care Act

In 2009, Bill Maher stated that Obama should pass the Affordable Care Act with just 51 votes, dismissing the need for 60 votes and referring to those who disagree with evolution as "stupid."

2011: Maher Supports Medicare-for-All

In 2011, Bill Maher consistently agreed with the proposal of Medicare-for-All, a universal single-payer health care system.

2011: Maher Declares Apatheism

In 2011, Bill Maher referred to himself as an apatheist, stating he doesn't know or care what happens after death. He clarified that on a scale of certainty about God's non-existence, he ranked himself at 6.9, emphasizing doubt as the most appropriate human response.

February 23, 2012: Contribution to Obama SuperPAC

On February 23, 2012, after his "Crazy Stupid Politics" special streamed on Yahoo! Screen, Maher announced that he was contributing $1 million to Priorities USA, the Obama SuperPAC.

2012: Maher Purchases Interest in New York Mets

In 2012, Bill Maher purchased a minority ownership interest in the New York Mets.

2012: Maher on Atheism

In 2012, Bill Maher stated on his HBO show that atheism is not a religion and doesn't require much time, reiterating his stance against the certitude of both the existence and non-existence of deities.

2012: "9/11 liberals" Panel Discussion

In a 2012 panel discussion with Salman Rushdie, Maher counted himself, Rushdie, and others such as Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris as "9/11 liberals", noting that they differentiate themselves from many mainstream liberals in saying that not all religions are alike and that they are not bigoted in criticizing a particular religion.

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, aiming to remove a "terrible, entrenched" member of Congress from office, ultimately selecting Republican Representative John Kline from Minnesota's 2nd congressional district.

2015: Maher Calls for Marijuana Pardons

In 2015, Bill Maher called on then President Barack Obama to pardon people incarcerated for marijuana offenses.

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, after Hillary Clinton won the nomination from the Democratic Party primary elections, Bill Maher announced his support for her in the U.S. presidential election.

2017: Maher on Western Values and Islam

In 2017, Bill Maher defended his criticisms of Islam and Muslim culture, stating his belief in Western values such as separation of church and state, equality of the sexes, and free speech. Maher also agreed with Sam Harris that the left has allied itself with Islamists, and liberals have failed to stand up to Islamic extremism.