Bill Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, is set to become the first nighttime host to return to the air amidst the ongoing Hollywood writers strike. According to NPR, Maher made the announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter. Maher expressed sympathy for the writers’ important issues, but emphasized that other people in the industry also have concerns and shouldn’t be ignored. He stated, “I am not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.” The strike began in May and its end is uncertain.
Maher’s decision to return to the air has been met with criticism, similar to Drew Barrymore’s choice to continue her daytime show. The Writers Guild of America, as reported by Deadline, called Maher’s decision “disappointing” and announced plans to picket his show. Keith Olbermann, as noted by Variety, was more direct in his criticism. Olbermann wrote, “Without writers, the new weekly SCAB edition of ‘Real Time With [Bill Maher]’ will be 83 seconds long. As somebody who’s known you since 1978: F— you, Bill, you selfish and unfunny scumbag.”
Maher has stated that the show will return without a monologue or other written segments, and will instead focus on panel discussions. The AV Club reports that Maher recently criticized some of the writers’ demands as “kooky” on his Club Random podcast. He expressed his objection to the strike’s philosophy, saying “they have really morphed a long way from 2007’s strike, where they kind of believe that you’re owed a living as a writer, and you’re not. This is show business. This is the make-or-miss league.” (Read more Bill Maher stories.)
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