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, television host, actor, and political commentator. He is best known for his politically charged satire and hosting political talk shows. He currently hosts HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" (since 2003) and the podcast "Club Random" (since 2022). Previously, he hosted "Politically Incorrect" (1993-2002) on Comedy Central and ABC, solidifying his presence as a prominent figure in political comedy and commentary.

Sections (4)

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

January 20, 1956: Bill Maher's Birth

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

1974: High School Graduation

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

1978: College Graduation

In 1978, Bill Maher graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and history.

1997: PETA Board Member

In 1997, Bill Maher joined the board of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), showing his support for animal rights.

2002: Rejection of atheist label

In 2002, Bill Maher rejected being grouped with explicit atheists, stating, "I'm not an atheist. There's a really big difference between an atheist and someone who just doesn't believe in religion."

2008: Self-identification as agnostic

In his 2008 feature film Religulous, Bill Maher refers to himself as agnostic, stating his perspective on religion.

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2008: Obama Support

In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Bill Maher announced his support for U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL).

February 23, 2012: Obama SuperPAC Contribution

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

2012: Purchase of New York Mets Interest

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

2012: "9/11 Liberals" Panel Discussion

In a 2012 panel discussion with Salman Rushdie, Bill Maher counted himself, Rushdie, and others such as Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris as "9/11 liberals", differentiating themselves from mainstream liberals regarding religion.

February 12, 2013: Appearance on Conan

On February 12, 2013, Bill Maher explained on the late-night TV talk show Conan that he owns guns for personal home protection, but does not identify himself as a "proud" gun owner, comparing it to being a "proud remote control owner".

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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 the tipping point for his support.

2014: Defense of Israel's military actions

During the 2014 Gaza war, Bill Maher defended Israel's military actions against Palestinians amid criticism over civilian deaths, arguing that Israel was showing restraint and criticizing those who questioned their right to self-defense. He also faced online backlash for tweeting about dealing with Hamas.

2014: Endorsement of Maine referendum

In 2014, Bill Maher endorsed a Maine referendum to ban the use of bait, traps, and dogs to hunt bears in Maine, specifically criticizing the use of bait and referring to its use as "nothing but an execution".

2014: "Flip a District" Contest

In the lead-up to the 2014 midterm elections, Bill Maher conducted a "Flip a District" contest on his HBO show, aiming to oust Republican Representative John Kline from Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, but was unsuccessful.

November 2015: Opposition to accepting Syrian refugees

In November 2015, Bill Maher expressed opposition to the United States accepting Syrian refugees, arguing that some refugees have values which are at odds with American values due to some refugees may be coming from places which are governed by Sharia law or want to be.

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, stating, "Stop respecting their medieval bullshit under the guise of, 'It's their culture.'", expressing his disapproval of certain aspects of Saudi Arabian culture and U.S. foreign policy.

February 5, 2016: Endorsement of Bernie Sanders

On February 5, 2016, Bill Maher initially endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders for the U.S. presidential election. This marked Maher's initial support in the 2016 election cycle.

June 2016: Support for Hillary Clinton

In June 2016, Bill Maher announced his support for Hillary Clinton after she secured the Democratic Party nomination. This indicated a shift in Maher's endorsement during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

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 feeling that Assange had "lost his way" and harbored animosity towards Hillary Clinton.

March 31, 2017: Response to Hillary Clinton's defeat

On March 31, 2017, Bill Maher responded to suggestions that Hillary Clinton was preparing to end her low profile and speak out following her defeat, advising her to "stay in the woods" and let someone else have a chance, comparing her loss to Bill Buckner's error in the World Series.

June 2017: "House Nigger" controversy

In June 2017, Bill Maher faced criticism for saying "I'm a house nigger" in an off-the-cuff joke on Real Time in response to Senator Ben Sasse. HBO called Maher's remarks "inexcusable and tasteless" and removed the segment from future airings. Maher apologized and had a discussion about the controversy on his show.

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April 13, 2018: Prediction of Trump's refusal to concede

On April 13, 2018, Bill Maher began a series of predictions on Real Time with Bill Maher suggesting that Donald Trump would refuse to concede if he lost the 2020 United States presidential election, a theme he would reiterate over multiple broadcasts and interviews.

March 14, 2019: Trump's assertion of support

On March 14, 2019, Donald Trump asserted that he had the support of the police, the military, and bikers, which Bill Maher cited as evidence that Trump would seek to remain in office by force, reinforcing Maher's prediction that Trump would not concede the election.

August 2019: Denouncement of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement

In August 2019, Bill Maher denounced the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, criticizing its premise and responding to Rep. Rashida Tlaib's call to boycott his talk show. He also condemned the October 7 attacks as Israel's 9/11, cautioning Israel against losing the moral high ground in the Gaza war.

August 2019: Statement on economic recession

In August 2019, Bill Maher stated that an economic recession would be "worth it" to prevent Donald Trump's re-election in 2020, expressing a preference for enduring economic hardship over another term for Trump.

January 25, 2020: 'New Rules' segment on Trump's refusal to leave

On January 25, 2020, Bill Maher dedicated a 'New Rules' end segment to the subject of Donald Trump potentially refusing to concede any loss in the 2020 United States presidential election, highlighting the seriousness of the issue.

April 2020: Defense of the term "Wuhan virus"

In April 2020, Bill Maher criticized those who equated using the term "Wuhan virus" with racism, arguing that scientists have historically named diseases after the places they originated from, such as the Zika Forest and Ebola River, and that the term was not related to Asian Americans but to China.

August 7, 2020: Continued predictions about Trump

On August 7, 2020, Bill Maher continued to predict that Donald Trump would refuse to concede any loss in the 2020 United States presidential election on 'Real Time with Bill Maher,' reinforcing his concerns about a peaceful transfer of power.

August 15, 2020: Interview with Vanity Fair

On August 15, 2020, in an 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 and his potential refusal to leave office.

September 25, 2020: Criticism of media coverage

On September 25, 2020, during an edition of Real Time, Bill Maher criticized the framing of a New York Times story by Michael Crowley headlined "Trump Won't Commit to Peaceful Transfer of Power," asserting that the media should have amplified the severity of Trump's threats.

2020: Sale of New York Mets Interest

In 2020, Bill Maher sold his minority ownership interest in the New York Mets.

March 2021: Criticism of China's treatment of Uyghurs

In March 2021, Bill Maher criticized China's treatment of the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. However, he also said that the United States has "lost" to China in the "battle for the 21st century", pointing to China's advancements in high-speed rail while the U.S. is focused on "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. He argued for one national anthem and rejected separate ceremonies based on race, which drew some criticism.

2021: Urging America to take in Afghan refugees

In 2021, after the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Bill Maher urged America to take in Afghan refugees.

January 2022: Declining to run in 2024

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, removing himself from potential candidacy.

2022: Blaming Hollywood for mass shootings

In 2022, Bill Maher blamed mass shootings in part on Hollywood's romanticization of gun violence in movies, despite acknowledging that he is glad guns exist as they "level the playing field".

2022: Criticism of Biden administration's Disinformation Governance Board

In 2022, Bill Maher criticized the Biden administration's Disinformation Governance Board and agreed with the comparison that the board was similar to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

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2022: Criticism of Democratic Party's diversity priorities

In 2022, Bill Maher criticized the Democratic Party for "checking boxes" in regard to candidates of different identity groups, stating that Democrats prioritize diversity over merit. He has also spoken out against critical race theory but supports teaching the history of racism.

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, expressing 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".

September 2025: Criticism of lack of coverage on persecution of Christians in Nigeria

In September 2025, Bill Maher criticized the lack of news coverage on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, stating that they are being "systematically killed" and questioning why there weren't protests about it.