Bill Maher’s Real Time is set to return to television without the aid of writers, a decision Maher claims stems from his concern for those who are struggling. In a social media post on September 13, Maher expressed his sympathy for the writers and hopes that their concerns will be addressed satisfactorily. However, he also acknowledges the hardships faced by the rest of the staff and states that he is unwilling to lose an entire year and watch the below-the-line workers suffer. The strike by unionized writers has been ongoing since mid-May and demands better pay, improved working conditions, and job security in an era of streaming platforms and advancing artificial intelligence (AI). Maher plans to honor the spirit of the strike by eliminating pre-written content from his show and focusing instead on spontaneous panel discussions. However, author Stephen King, a vocal supporter of the writers’ strike, believes that Maher is betraying his writers and expressed his disapproval of Maher’s decision. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is doubtful that Maher can continue the show without violating union rules and has announced plans to picket the show. This is not the first time Maher has shown ambivalence towards the strike. In a recent podcast episode, he called some WGA demands “kooky” and claimed that writers should not expect to be automatically entitled to a living. Drew Barrymore, another celebrity facing backlash for returning to work during the strike, also received criticism for her decision. Late-night hosts such as Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver have taken a different approach, creating the Strike Force Five podcast to raise funds for out-of-work staff members. They have also organized a live show in Las Vegas to support their employees financially.
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