ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - JUNE 02: Bill Maher performs at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater on June 2, 2012 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (Photos by Donald Kravitz)
When comedian and left-leaning political pundit Bill Maher brings his stand-up act to Caesars Atlantic City this weekend, his primary goal will be to make an audience of about 1,500 people laugh for 90 minutes.
But hidden within his edgy humor, which has often been compared to the late George Carlin, will be Maher’s fight to protect and defend the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Several months ago, Maher refused to join a chorus of voices demanding that conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh be thrown off the air after he called a Georgetown University law school student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” because she said health insurance plans should cover contraceptives.
It’s not that Maher agreed with Limbaugh’s statements — quite the opposite, he was also offended by them — but he doesn’t feel someone should be deprived of their livelihood because they said something that offended others.
During an interview with ABC News, Maher, the host of the series Real Time on HBO, made it clear he wasn’t defending Limbaugh’s comments. But just because he said something offensive doesn’t mean he should be permanently silenced.
“Through it all, I have defended Rush’s right to stay on the air,” Maher said. “Not what he said, that was disgusting — but the right to not disappear because people who don’t even listen to you don’t like what you said. That really bothers me.”
Obviously, Maher isn’t a Limbaugh fan. But he is a fan of free speech. Without it, neither Maher nor Limbaugh would probably be employed in their current profession. He said he never listens to Limbaugh’s show “unless a guy in the next truck at a stop light has it on.
“It would be arrogant for me to say ‘he has to disappear’ and deprive the people who do listen to him of what they like,” Maher said. “We all have different tastes and different opinions, that’s America.”
Maher, 56, knows that some of his material might wander up to the line separating good comedy from bad taste, especially with his language. But the New Jersey native said audiences always let him know if he’s swimming into a dangerous current.
Something is happening in Atlantic City’s main casino venues this weekend that — barring another hurricane or some other act of God — will probably never happen again this year.
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"Sarah asked me to do it and I wanted to do whatever it took to facilitate her vision. Wow — what an actory answer ...What have I become?!"
"I’m just the way I am,” Maher says. “It’s not like I’m trying to be a certain way. I have a viewpoint and it’s comedic. Regarding Religulous, I wanted to make a documentary that’s funny. I wanted people who go to the multiplex say, ‘What’s the alternative to the new Owen Wilson film? What else here is funny?’ I wanted to make a documentary that’s enlightening and amusing.”
You need only read the title of his first of two best-selling books to know Jim Norton is partial to poking fun at himself, and would be the first to admit his image is not likely to grace the pages ...
Imposing 6'6'' country music star Trace Adkins has never been shy about expressing his opinions in his deep baritone voice. A regular on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and other stops along the t...
Between Friday and Monday, Atlantic City will experience the single biggest weekend of entertainment the town has ever seen, and with the most demographically diverse collection of artists, too. Few cities anywhere can match the quality, quantity and calibre of shows this weekend, if ever.
Lemmy: 'It kills me how bland this period is. You go backstage these days and you see 20 bottles of Perrier and a bag of nuts. What’s wrong with this fucking picture? Everything is so healthy today and it’s terrible. I don’t get it.'
Two years ago, the mere suggestion that she would simultaneously be executive producing network sitcoms — and starring in one of them — would have probably gotten a bigger laugh than any of Whitney Cummings’ stand-up material.
Golden Nugget encouraged its guests, through a variety of construction-related promotions, to be part of the sweeping makeover that actually began a few weeks before the casino’s parent company, hospitality industry giant Landry’s Inc., purchased the former Trump Marina for $38 million.
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1. Anonymous said... on May 30, 2012 at 07:15PM
“I agree with Bill on free speech, but that doesn't mean free speech comes without consequence. He had to live with consequences when he worked under ABC but he was good enough that HBO picked him up. And now his show is better than ever. My only complaint is it's too short and not frequent enough. Maher rules.”
2. Anonymous said... on May 30, 2012 at 07:17PM
“I agree with Bill on free speech, but that doesn't mean free speech comes without consequence. He had to live with consequences when he worked under ABC but he was good enough that HBO picked him up. And now his show is better than ever. My only complaint is it's too short and not frequent enough. Maher rules.”
3. neateabug said... on May 30, 2012 at 07:34PM
“I agree he has a right to say what he wants, I just hate the guy himself and what he says, I hate that so many are taken in by his lies... he is as bad as Glen Beck , and I'm sorry, certain looney tunes shouldn't be allowed on the airwaves unless its supposed to entertain... they don't entertain as you do, they fear monger and distort truth to destroy our country. I believe its quite different from what you do...... but that is my personal opinion... I'm not a know it all! lol”
4. Dave in Waterford, MI said... on May 30, 2012 at 07:54PM
“It's not just free speech - Bill Maher does an important service to society by pointing out the emperor's nakedness.
Comedy may be the last vestige of speaking truth to power. Comedy is a prime avenue to bring honest information to those who would otherwise reject it because it conflicts with their own Fox-News-based worldview.
Since mega-corporations have had personhood bestowed upon them by activist justices, who themselves are incestuously beholden to those same corporate "persons", we can only hope that corporate leviathans won't smother the venues for heroes like Bill Maher to continue to raise the awareness of all of us!”
5. Anonymous said... on May 31, 2012 at 12:05AM
“if you don't like him, as they say, change the bloody channel & don't go to his shows. It's a free country, America, the home of the brave.”
6. bonedaddy4u said... on May 31, 2012 at 12:05PM
“I'm glad he will say the things I only wish I could too People that need to hear it. I don't think I would be as nice about most of the subjects he gets into. For me he is my voice and I stand with Bill. If you don't like it just put Fox news back on, and continue the blind programming you must love so much. I'm sure all your friends at church will agree with you after your weekly Sunday brainwashing complements the magic man the sky.”
7. KJMNJ said... on Jun 7, 2012 at 09:27AM
“neateabug...Bill Maher lies...what do politicians do? What about Rush or Fox News...really I think Fox News is more of a fear monger and distort the truth a little more than Bill Maher. Everyone has a right to freedom of speech so using China or North Korea type censorship of "airwaves" is not justifiable. If you don't like to listen to it then don't that is your freedom.”