Bill Maher had two clear reasons for writing his new book, “What This Comedian Said Will Shock You” (Simon & Schuster).
“I wanted people to be able to buy a book that was sort of an encyclopedia of all the good things I’ve said over the last 20 years,” the “Real Time with Bill Maher” host said of of the anthology, featuring his editorials from his TV shows.
“The other reason I wanted to do this is because I thought by looking at all these things from the past, I could check if I had changed or if the policy had changed,” said Maher, a Democrat for a long time.
“It’s an accusation that has often been made to me over the last ten years: ‘You’re making fun of the left more than before.’ And my answer is yes, absolutely, because they’ve gotten a lot crazier.
I spoke to Maher about his book, released Tuesday, and began by asking him what encourages him to speak out against his own side.
Maher: “Why do I make fun of the left more? Because there is a lot more identity politics, hypersensitivity, victim culture, cancel culture, hostility to free speech, unnecessary white self-hatred, imposing complex ideas about race and gender to kids who can’t even spell yet – all that kind of stuff. it happens on the left.
“That doesn’t mean I became Republican or more conservative – because that’s not the case. It just means I don’t bend the knee and ignore the goofy stuff because I’m on the blue team.
I’m curious if, in re-reading your editorials, were there any specific editorials that seemed particularly prophetic to you?
“I know for sure that there were a number of issues that I was really on the front lines of.
I think I’ve been at the forefront of marijuana reform. I’ve been outspoken about the idea that our food is what’s killing us.
I also advocated that college was a scam for a very long time and that it was better not to go in most cases. The Democrats’ idea that we are always better off if we have more education is bullshit. What we need to do, instead of making college affordable for everyone, is make college unnecessary for most jobs, which is usually the case.
I think I was also opposed to the idea that children lack self-esteem. They have too much respect. We transformed them into little monsters.
Do you think that in the wake of the October 7 attacks and all the madness that has erupted on campuses, we could see a return to normal to thwart fringe extremism?
“I hope so. A lot of people ask me if I was wrong to make fun of the left more than before. I mean, if I ever had the slightest doubt about this issue, the reaction in a big way part of this country and particularly on college campuses as of October 7 has put this question aside for me.
The left has gone crazy because it allied itself with Hamas. I mean really? People who consider themselves the most liberal in the world are on the side of those who ban homosexuality and force women to wear the burqa? Really?
You leave the book in a very disturbing place, with a chapter on the Civil War. How seriously do you actually take this threat, especially as the 2024 elections approach?
“I think there may be a real nightmare looming.
We need to get back to that place where we didn’t hate each other just because we had different political views. I’ve said it a million times: you can hate Trump. You can’t hate everyone who loves him. This represents half the country. Although I will never vote for him, I understand when people do.
And that’s because there are a lot of bad ideas on the left – you know, abolish the police and give communism another chance, tear down Lincoln statues and get rid of border patrols, and maybe capitalism should go away, and white supremacy never has It’s worse, you can be healthy no matter what your weight, gender is just a social construct.
These are terrible ideas. And we only have two choices, so a lot of people look around and say, “Yes, Donald Trump has a lot of bad things about him, but I’m not going to vote for this (progressive) menu either.” »
What is the main takeaway you hope readers take away from your book?
“We are going to fall like the Roman Empire unless we can get back to a place where we don’t hate each other so much that we literally take sides against our fellow Americans.
This is the United States and we can’t forget the ‘united’ part.”
New York Post
