History of Bill Maher in Timeline
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.
January 20, 1956: Bill Maher's Birth
On January 20, 1956, William 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.
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.
June 22, 2002: Los Angeles Press Club Award
On June 22, 2002, Maher received the Los Angeles Press Club president's award for "championing free speech", six days after the cancellation of Politically Incorrect.
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: Maher nominated for Tony Award
In 2003 Bill Maher was nominated at the 57th Tony Awards for the Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event for Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home.
2003: Maher begins dating Coco Johnsen
In 2003, Bill Maher began dating flight attendant Coco Johnsen.
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.
November 2004: Coco Johnsen sues Maher
In November 2004, Coco Johnsen sued Bill Maher for US$9 million for alleged "insulting, humiliating and degrading racial comments" and breach of promise.
November 23, 2004: Maher responds to Johnsen's lawsuit
On November 23, 2004, Bill Maher's lawyers responded to Coco Johnsen's lawsuit, stating that Maher is a "confirmed bachelor" who never promised to marry or have children with Johnsen.
2004: Appearance in Hollywood Hell House
In 2004, Maher appeared on stage as Satan in The Steve Allen Theater production of "Hollywood Hell House".
May 2, 2005: Johnsen's lawsuit against Maher dismissed
On May 2, 2005, Coco Johnsen's lawsuit against Bill Maher was dismissed.
2005: Maher begins dating Karrine Steffans
In 2005, Bill Maher began dating Karrine Steffans, author and former hip hop model.
2005: Comedy Central Ranking
In 2005, Maher was ranked No. 38 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, Maher hosted an edition of Larry King Live.
2006: Maher honored by High Times
In 2006, Bill Maher was honored by High Times as "Top Pot Comic" and Real Time won a Stony Award for "Best Cable News Show".
October 19, 2007: Maher confronts 9/11 truthers on his show
On October 19, 2007, Bill Maher confronted several 9/11 truthers and had them ejected from his show audience after they interrupted the live show numerous times. The incident drew media attention.
2007: Television Producer of the Year Award
In 2007, Maher and his co-producers were awarded the Television Producer of the Year Award in Variety Television by the Producers Guild of America.
October 3, 2008: Release of Religulous
On October 3, 2008, the movie Religulous, co-created by Maher and Larry Charles, was released.
2008: Maher discusses health plans
In 2008, Bill Maher stated that poor nutrition was a primary cause of illness, and that "the answer isn't another pill" during an episode of his show about the 2008 presidential candidates' health plans. He also expressed distaste for the pharmaceutical and health care industries.
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.
2008: Support for Barack Obama
In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Maher announced his support for Barack Obama.
2009: Maher begins dating Cara Santa Maria
From 2009, Bill Maher dated Cara Santa Maria.
2009: Maher discusses the Affordable Care Act
In 2009, Bill Maher discussed the Affordable Care Act. He stated that President Obama should not try to get 60 votes for it, as he only needs 51. He also said that if Jesus was in charge of the country, the country would probably have health care for everybody.
2009: Maher received the Richard Dawkins Award
In 2009, Bill Maher received the Richard Dawkins Award from Atheist Alliance International. He also became an advisory board member of Sam Harris's Project Reason, which promotes scientific knowledge and secular values.
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.
2010: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
In 2010, Maher received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2011: Maher ends relationship with Cara Santa Maria
In 2011, Bill Maher ended his relationship with Cara Santa Maria.
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.
2011: Maher supports Medicare-for-All
Since 2011, Bill Maher has supported the establishment of a Medicare-for-All universal single-payer health care system.
February 23, 2012: Contribution to Obama SuperPAC
On February 23, 2012, Maher announced that he was contributing $1 million to Priorities USA, the Obama SuperPAC, after his "Crazy Stupid Politics" special streamed on Yahoo! Screen.
2012: Maher purchases interest in the New York Mets
In 2012, Bill Maher purchased a minority ownership interest in the New York Mets.
2012: "9/11 Liberals" Panel Discussion
In 2012, during a panel discussion with Salman Rushdie, Maher identified himself, Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris as "9/11 liberals," distinguishing them from mainstream liberals in their views on religion.
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: Emmy Win for Vice
In 2014, Maher won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work as executive producer for Vice.
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.
2014: Maher begins dating Anjulie Persaud
Since 2014, Bill Maher has dated Canadian singer Anjulie Persaud.
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: Maher calls on Obama to pardon marijuana offenses
In 2015, Bill Maher called on then President Barack Obama to pardon people incarcerated for marijuana offenses.
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.'"
2015: Maher wins Emmy Award for Vice
In 2015, Bill Maher won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series or Special for Vice.
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.
2016: Vice nominated for Peabody Award
In 2016, Vice was nominated for the Peabody Award for their segment on student debt.
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."
2017: Maher's defense of his criticism of Islam
In 2017, Bill Maher defended his criticism of Islam, Sharia law, and Muslim culture, citing his belief in Western values like separation of church and state, equality of the sexes, respect for minorities, free elections, free speech and freedom to gather. He also agreed with Sam Harris that the left has allied itself with Islamists.
February 2018: Maher describes #MeToo as McCarthyism
In February 2018, Bill Maher described the #MeToo movement as McCarthyism.
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.
2019: Gorski criticizes Maher on vaccines
In 2019, David Gorski again criticized Bill Maher for his HBO interview with doctor Jay Gordon and Maher's claims about vaccines (in particular, the influenza vaccine).
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.
2020: Maher supports Chris Matthews
In 2020, Bill Maher supported Chris Matthews against allegations of sexual harassment.
January 2021: Maher promoted the COVID-19 lab leak theory
In January 2021, Bill Maher promoted the COVID-19 lab leak theory.
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".
April 16, 2021: Maher calls media coverage of the pandemic "panic porn"
On April 16, 2021, Bill Maher criticized media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it "panic porn" and stating that the population is badly misinformed due to biased sources of medical information.
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 2022: Maher rebukes liberals for opposing the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act
In March 2022, Bill Maher rebuked liberals for their opposition to the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act and defended Republicans for pushing the bill.
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.
May 2022: Maher comments on LGBT identification
In May 2022, Bill Maher commented on the rise in LGBT identification, suggesting it's partly due to feeling free to express oneself and partly due to it being trendy. He also referred to puberty blockers and other transgender health care for trans youth as "literally experimenting on children."
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.
September 2023: Maher criticizes the WGA strike
In September 2023, Bill Maher criticized the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike on his Club Random podcast and in an interview with TMZ. He stated that writers are not owed a living and criticized some of their demands as kooky. He also disagreed with the WGA's proposal of having a mandate to have a particular set number of writers on each show and expressed his wish to have Governor Gavin Newsom help end the strike.
2023: Maher discusses spiritual interests with Deepak Chopra
In 2023, Bill Maher discussed some of his spiritual queries and interests with long-time friend and new age guru, Deepak Chopra, while still being critical of religion.
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".
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