Real Time New Rules May 29, 2009
By Heather Monday Jun 01, 2009 7:43am
Real Time's New Rules from May 29, 2009, greed is bad edition, which was probably the best part of the whole show. The panel was awful with John Bolton and Heather Wilson and Maher failing to challenge either of them on much of anything. I was looking forward to the show when I saw Bolton on the guest list thinking Maher might get onto him for his neocon ways. He sorely disappointed.
Even in this portion which I thought was really good, there was a stinker. Apparently Bill's just now found out that there were soldiers electrocuted in Iraq. Hey Bill...that story is well over a year old. Where have you been?
If you caught the show you also learned that twinkies stay soft forever and Bill thinks that almost all food is going to kill us. I honestly don't know how the man manages to find anything to eat that suits his criteria after watching his interview with Michael Pollan.
Next week's lineup is D.L. Hughley, Richard Haas, Paula Froelich, Jeremy Scahill and Matt Miller.
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The rant about greed is excellent. I often get mad at Bill for his offensive comments about women and the Clintons. But then he does something worthwile like this, which is right on the money.
And I mean that in the best way possible. That was the sort of fearless social criticism of modern America that our politicians are too scared to utter. Thank you Bill for having the guts to say something that desperately needs to not only be said but also talked about openly and then changed.
That's why Maher remains the only one to lose their job in the aftermath of 9/11.
The brain-dead bushleaguer error wasn't a very funny eight years, but it was comedy GOLD!!
If Kenny Banya had been part of the bush administration he would have been the smartest one of the bunch.
This hasn't been a banner year for Maher's show and it's tough to extract much humor from the lunatic-fringe likes of John Bolton and Heather Wilson while attempting to take them seriously at the same time, but I've gotta give Maher props for attempting to give the clueless cons a chance to give their side of the story.
It's not his fault they've got nothing to say. That said, it didn't take the better part of an hour for Bolton and Wilson to establish that fact.
While I've got no problem watching John Bolton douse himself in gasoline and set himself and the "conservative cause" on fire, there was a good 35 minutes of air time that could have been better spent once that got old.
When he said 'we just found out that soldiers are getting electrocuted in Iraq...'. That's been out there for a few years now but I suppose it was a good way to start off the closing monologue. Actually the entire 'greed' monologue was old news but it's nice to see it presented to a large (hbo-sized) audience.
i can no longer watch maher's program; the aggravation at his laziness and failure to prepare responses to the issues HE brings up is maddening. maher has a headline grasp of the issues and every friggin time is overtalked and outmanuevered by the wingnuts he provides unfettered airtime to. unless they happen to be challenged by that week's 'liberal' guest.
But, I agree that his best shows are when he has liberals who go after the conservative(s) he might have on.
In spite of his show being more lame, he still gives me a chuckle every Friday or Saturday night.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think D.L. Hughley isn't remotely funny?
Who is D.L. Hughley?
Never heard of her. or him?
on spike lee's 'original kings of comedy', but if you rent it, rent it to see steve harvey (who's really funny) and cedric the entertainer (who's friggin hilarious).
I remember back when Imus had his tv show and Bill was his guest. Imus mentioned something that everyone knew and was talking about. Bill was totally clueless on the subject and I wondered at the time, how could he not know about this? He doesn't seem to search out things but instead wait until they come to him.
That's never a long wait.
Maher can be lazy, shallow, crude and obvious, compared to Imus, Charles and Bernard, gimme a fookin' break.
Maher's act can get old quickly, but, even in the best of times, Imus milked a lotta dry holes that even Maher wouldn't bother with, so unless you can be a bit more specific, Imus is just a hack compared to Maher and Maher's just a marginal big leaguer at best.
I've been a bit disappointed in Bill's shows this season, although I thought the last few weeks (not necessarily including the Bolton show) showed some hope. I also liked his live show here in St. Louis a month or so ago, even though a lot of it was stuff I've heard before from him.
I was hoping for more pushback on Bolton, but at least there was some from Hill Harper, regarding Sotomayor and SCOTUS judges.
I think part of the problem is Bush is no longer around, but Bill said earlier this year that he changes his writers often....so maybe that's part of the problem as well.
But, Bill's rant on greed was a good one. More people need to be pointing this out.....and, in fact, a few shows ago, Bill mentioned that Obama should be making more comments such as we need to turn out the lights when we don't need them; Obama needs to tell us that we shouldn't be buying things we don't really need and can't really afford (just as Obama told us to wash our hands when this swine flu started coming out).
To how much someone that cares about other people can tolerate in the idiots they have to lampoon.
How would you like to sit there with Bolton and Wilson, two traitors? Remember he works for HBO, and who owns it?
Maher needs to get over his "everything in the grocery store is bad" phase. Bill, no one here gets out alive, enjoy life. The "organic" veggies you love so much, have them tested. You'll be amazed how much lead, mercury, pcb's and god knows what else is in them.
Yes, that is one thing I really do not agree with Bill on....bad food, etc. I do agree that Americans have been eating bad food such as twinkies (I haven't had one in years!), but there is good stuff out there.
I don't necessarily agree with him on a related topic....that the Pharmaceutical companies want to keep us sick.....sure, they charge way too much, but I don't think they want to keep people sick.
I do wish he would get over this stuff.....every now and then, it is ok, but it really seems like he's been pushing these ideas a lot this season.
that Bill has parlayed his comedic sucess way past its expiration date. His preparation is sloppy and his delivery is very uneven. I still like that he has a voice out there but that voice seems to be getting dimmer.
...the early episodes of "Real Time" (I'm up to #70 - yes, I don't have a life), and I'm struck by his apologia for Bush re the Iraq debacle as it unfolded. Yea, he was burned by the ABC firing, but I just can't see him as anyone substantial to "go to" for any opinions...
I don't get HBO so I don't see Bill's show at all and from this video, I feel I'm not missing a thing. I guess I am just spoiled by Jon and Colbert.
I doubt Bill will be eager to give up his excessive paycheck (in light of the "product" he delivers) in the name of combating greed and helping those less fortunate than himself.
Bill needs to spend less time partying in the hot tub, and more time reading. If he's going to do a TV show about political issues he could at least be up to date on the issues, and he rarely is. The electrocution story being a fine example of that. I first read about soldiers being electrocuted in showers well over 2 years ago... No wonder he can't hold his own when debating right-wingers... He was also fond of saying "the surge worked" at the end of his last season, even though "the surge" had little to do with the situation on the ground.
He also needs to get off his high horse. Canned food may not taste as good as fresh vegetables, but there is nothing unhealthy about it, and for millions of people that is what fits their budget. We don't all get to lounge by the hot tub cashing HBO checks...
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Maher needs to let Real Time go and focus on other issues. The show has definitively jumped the shark. Mainly, his narcissism has taken hold of him and he's unable to do anything with guests. Plus, after all these years, he's still unreasonably impressed with his battle with "political correctness." Tho all PC means to him now is being as sexist as he wants to be.
I think you mean "political INcorrectness". PC is exactly what Bill has been railing AGAINST all these years. He even called his former show Politically INcorrect.
(1) Bolton and Wilson will say anything;
(2) Maher was very soft; and
(3) Maher's increasingly frantic and frequent tirades against food and drug manufacturers are annoying. Yes, food production is not pretty, but how does he propose to manufacture enough food to feed 300 million people in this country at prices affordable to average Americans. Bill appears to forget that not everyone can afford to pay Whole Food prices for organic produce. And I'm waiting to see how far he's committed to his anti-drug crusade once his health starts failing. Yes, big pharm produces a lot of junk, especially for children, but Maher acts like high blood pressure medicine hasn't saved lives.
I like the show generally, but Maher's very comfortable with his success, a circumstance made obvious during the writer's strike when it became obvious that his whole shlock is written for him by other people. The show was unwatchable. I mean, how hard is it for you to sit down and actually write the New Rules yourself?
Two-person panels stink, and sucking up to cretins like John Bolton stinks. Maher's kowtowing to the right is a variation on the MSM's habit of giving validity to every point of view no matter how crackpot it is. The old unreliable false equivalency.
Bill needs to put down the bong.
Smoke your weed, have a great time, but when the sharp goes dull, detox is in order.
It pains me to say it because I love him, but Bill has sucked lately. He's not prepared to counter propaganda from the righties (or the lefties for that matter), and he's so far behind the curve on news stories that I expect him to report next on the murderous astronaut wearing diapers.
Plus, I am getting REEEEELLY sick and tired of the default blame for everything that he uses on his show: Religion. He has founded the Church of Atheism and if you dare challenge it on his show, you're stupid, unserious, and you get an eyeroll or worse from him. What's the problem with gas prices? Religion. Why can't we have health care? Religion. Why do baseball players take steroids? Religion. You can make ANYTHING the bane of human existence with enough twists and turns of logic, and frankly he has exhausted my intellectual patience.
Plus, I saw his movie, it wasn't good, and that's why he didn't get nominated for any awards. He needs to get over it, stop mentioning it on his show, and if he wants to get a nomination for an Oscar, he needs to make better movies.
All that said, he could get better and I hope he does. Bill, you don't have to throw the bong away, just hide it for a while. And check that ego, dude, it's unbecoming.
...with all of your points. But... put down the bong?! That's a little extreme.
LOL
I know those of us with green thumbs don't like to do it, but c'est nécessaire de temps en temps. And remember how fun it is when you haven't done it for a while? Bliss.
Agree with you on Religuous. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a deep, theological debate on religion (though that would have been much more interesting and fascinating), but Maher (and his co-hort, Larry Charles, director of Borat) go after the most simplistic, silliest religious people they can find, and make lazy, condenscending shots at their subjects. It's an intellectually lazy film, almost propaganda like.
He's still mentioning that he didn't get nominated for an Oscar? Geez. He needs to make a better film, and there are a lot of documentarians out there who are really good filmmakers and who don't have a big name like Maher does. Maher got his film distributed mainly because he's known and has a HBO show. Most doc filmmakers can struggle for years to get their films finished and exhibited, especially in the old days, when they would have to shoot on film stock (they can shoot on digital video now and don't have to pay development costs) and there was no cable TV or home video. So Maher should be grateful, which he obviously isn't.
why fault Larry Charrles and MAher for going after the norm, rather than the exception? There is nothing lazy about that...
In their concept, there is no distinction between the norm and the exception. In Charles and Maher's world, if you describe yourself as religious, you automatically believe every word of the bible literally and pray to Jesus for money to magically appear in your bank account. They do not qualify any degrees of religiosity, all Christians think Jesus flew and all Jews worship only the mean God of the Old Testament. When it comes to Bill's movie, it shows an awful lot of buffoonery, from the examples of religious freaks he finds as well as from himself.
I like Bill's show, but the religion thing got old YEARS ago. The fault in Bill's argument is that he treats all religion as if it were the same literalistic fundamentalist crap that's got us into trouble. And all religious people as if they were holy-rolling, LOOKATMELOOKATMELOOKATME Jesus jumpers. He leaves no room at all for religion as metaphor, religion as moral guide, religion as repository of cultural art, philosophy and wisdom - religion as ANYTHING, really, except silly, self-indulgent flatulence of the "God loves us so he'll make us rich!" variety.
When atheists treat the subject in the exact same framework as the fundamentalists they're against, then all they do is expose how shallow and unthinking is their image of the world, and of humanity. I simply can't take them, or Bill, seriously when they get onto this kick of "religion is stupid, nyah nyah nyah". It just turns into sandbox games and nothing is accomplished. Sorry, but another round of I know you are, but what am I? never helps anything.
You're being rather unfair to Maher by claiming he's only just now heard of the electrocuting soldiers. He has known since the story broke.
He was merely focusing on that because it's so outrageous.
And you'll also realize that if you push an interviewee too hard, they 1) likely won't answer your question and 2) will never return for another interview.
Maher is no longer just a comedian. He has a reputation to uphold as a fair interviewer so he can continue to ask questions as a reporter.
Maher did fine, but I agree that he focused too much on food for it being mainly a political program.
Maher is no longer just a comedian. He has a reputation to uphold as a fair interviewer so he can continue to ask questions as a reporter.
He's not a reporter. He'll never be a reporter, nor does he have to worry about it. I just think he's lost in a perpetual "I wish they'd stop talking so I could start talking" frame of mind.
As for being a political comedian, see Stewart, Jon or Colbert, Stephen. It can be done if you care about the issues. Maher is interested in religion and the food industry mainly, thus, that's what his show devolves into regardless of his guests. Oh, that and him feeling clever for calling women whores and such.
It is two years old, but KBR is STILL getting new contracts from the government for the same things that they already screwed up. Doesn't that deserve attention? I think it deserves outrage.
With respect to food, are you kidding me? Cans are lined with a chemical, bisphenol A, that causes severe illness. It affects your endocrine system, and that of your pets as well. There is a bill in Congress that would ban it in this country, and that bill is being fought by food manufacturers because they--get ready for a big surprise here--don't want to lessen their profits. Pharmaceutical companies now own the FDA, and they are trying out their new drugs on the general public instead of using clinical trials. Thus, the increased number of recalls. They advertise their poisons on TV and in magazines, and people go to their doctors demanding these new and essentially untested drugs. Advertising drugs should be illegal as it is in most of Europe. They reward doctors for prescribing them, and they pay for phony reports from researchers to cover their asses. Speaking of which, get your heads out of yours. Do some research before you put your ignorant opinions out there. If it is too inconvenient for you to study this issue, then just shut up. I wish Maher would do more about food and drugs. I have many more examples of how you are getting poisoned with corporate food. I actually did research, and fact-checking. I suggest you all do the same. Start with this name: Monsanto. And, to you who would state the obvious, I am not saying all drugs are bad. And if anyone says that, I am going to track you down and make you lick the inside of a pop-top can.
if he didn't say he just found out about it, I would not have assumed he just found out about it. Those were his words during the segment, not something I just made up.
Maher: "Now LAST WEEK we find out American personnel are being electrocuted in the shower."
What part of Bill Maher saying he just found out about this did I not understand?
that way so as not to embarrass people who were not previously paying attention to this situation. Maybe thinking people are just overloaded with all the rotten things that occurred during the Bush administration that have to be cleaned up now. Soldiers are dying over there while taking showers. From faulty wiring. KBR hires locals to do the work cheap, and they are not even electricians. Soldiers take showers, get shocked, some are killed, and their death certificates contain COD's that cover KBR's asses. This means their survivors cannot sue KBR. Are you angry yet? KBR gets billions, the truth comes out, US Gov. hires them at a cost of more billions to fix the wiring. WTF? You must be angry now. Look it up. Don't just take my word for it.
or he wouldn't have said it. I don't try to get inside of people's heads and second guess what they might have meant. I don't think Maher follows things the way he should if he wants to have a show about politics.
This was just one example of many times where he was not up on a topic that I had read about and where it was obvious that he's not watching or reading about the news or even following the blog he contributes to, The Huffington Post.
All in all I like Bill Maher. I agree with a lot of his views but not all of them and never have. I've always been irritated at him for not looking like he follows things well enough to combat the right wing liars on his show. In the past he's had guests on that made up for that, but not lately.
I agree with Heather. It would have been nice if there was a good Liberal on the panel. Bill was a pussy because he didn't want to offend Bolton. It's his worst show yet.
I love Maher, but his food snobbery does get on my nerves. It's the one problem I have with some vegetarians/vegans - they look down their nose on people who don't have the same eating habits as they do.
The point just zoomed by your head, didn't it? How is it "food snobbery" to point out that the shit we eat is exactly that - SHIT? I've never made more than $26K a year and I agree with him wholeheartedly. Have you actually tried to find food that isn't loaded with chemicals, fertilizers and/or poison? Doesn't matter if you're rich or poor (in fact, if you're not rich, you should be MORE concerned than Bill is, because you're more of a target), it's an issue that affects everyone.
Try to toughen up your thin skin there, Sparky, and you might just hear what other people are saying, and not what your ego insists they're saying.
indeed, the sugar thing i've heard before. corn is an american crp so they put corn syrup in everything.
High fructose corn syrup. Some foods contain HFS (made from genetically modified corn, or as it is know in Europe and elsewhere Frankenfood), and plain sugar. Like you need both. That's like having Splenda and acesulfame in your diet soda. Wait, that is a bad example, because it is true. Both are in almost diet anything. Talk about overkill. Have you wondered why food prices rose when the price of oil did, but since oil prices came down food prices did not? Corn for ethanol. And they will have you believe the Arabs are responsible. It's Monsanto. Their motto, "Purveyors to the World of Fine Frankenfood." Oh, yeah. Sugar seems to be addictive. The more you eat, the more you want. Get on the diabetes special.
...somebody just proved your point...
But are you sure you want to cite that without first comparing the numbers of executions? They dont have anyone on death row because as soon as theyre convicted theyre led out into a courtyard and shot in the head.
I was really disappointed with Bill when Bolten proclaimed he and his party were so open to new ideas, then when Bill brings up Colin Powell as a possible new Repub leader Bolten interrupts Bill to say "That's a non issue"
This is where I Bill should have pointed out how Bolten was lying about wanting new ideas.
I thought comedians were supposed to be quick witted. Bill just sat there and actually agreed with him even thought his audience was rumbling.
Weak
I think Maher forgot about their wonderful song titled "Money Money Money." I love ABBA, but c'mon that song just talks about a woman dreaming of ways to become rich by marrying a rich man, by winning at the tables in Monoco, etc. So, Maher you really didn't do your homework there.
I guess I'm not surprised that he didn't press Bolton on anything. This is the same Maher who repeatedly had Ann Coulter on his show and seemed more buddy-buddy with her than anything else.
Good Lord, that man has one gigantic ego. All he did was smirk into the camera. I didn't even laugh once during that clip because all I could see was his own self-righteous attitude and smugness. I used to watch Real Time when it was first on. Now, I can't really stand to watch it because of Maher. I'll take my Stewart and Colbert anytime over Maher. At least those two guys do their homework and are actually funny. Plus, their egos are in check.
Not that I really ever cared what this boob had to say. I have always found him a bit of an ass...
I want to say their relationship was short-lived and very hush, hush. The guy has zero taste in women as I recall.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with him myself. I'd love to hang out with him for an evening of ganja and political discussion, but I wouldn't EVER want to date/sleep with him. He loves women but doesn't like them very much. That said, he's kind of a jerk I wouldn't mind partying with.
cutting edge has dulled considerably.
since Johnny retired. But I have never watched TV and only ride trains when attending family gatherings such as funerals.
Greed used to be a sin. In fact, it was one of the seven deadly sins. Meaning that people used to understand how toxic and dangerous greed is. Leave it to America to decide that it's actually not that bad; in fact, it's great! Along with sloth, lust, ire, and all the rest of them. Somehow, this country managed to convince itself that everything - EVERYTHING - that used to be considered the worst of human traits, is now a fucking ADVANTAGE. And everything that used to be a virtue - frugality, humility, sacrifice, kindness, honor - is now a liability.
What other result could we possibly have expected?
Next time Bolton and his ilk are invited to the panel, Tim Robbins must also be invited.
He is the best progressive guest EVAR, as he is up on everything and is not afraid to kick him some Talking Point Amplifier ass!
The only cure is Campaign Finance Reform.
As long as Royalty gets to choose our candidates, we'll never get anywhere.
Because as long as campaigning costs megabucks, only the Royalty will be able to afford it. And only their anointed will be put on the national stage. And only those on the national stage can be elected.
As Boss Tweed said: "I don't care who does the voting as long as I get to do the nominating."
As long as we can only choose from amongst these Royal bastards, we'll only be peasants.
E Pleb Neesta
Boss Tweed covered up the Kennedy assassination.
May 8, 2009:
Democratic consultant James Carville, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, author Naomi Klein, journalist Matt Taibbi, author Reza Aslan
They were all excellent guests and Seth & Reza were hysterically funny. Reza had or pretended to have a "man-crush" on Seth. I watched it 3 times over that weekend. And laughed every time.
Last Friday's show was the first time I didn't bother to watch the repeat. It was too boring.
its always boggled my mind how people can call america "the free-est nation on earth" when it has the highest incarceration rate on earth.
ha! i read some comments here. i love that maher isn't a darling of the left anymore. one thing hes not is a shill, he doesn't give a shit about what his audience thinks.
He's got the single payer system mixed up with the public option in Obama's thoroughly inadequate "health care reform," which will simply continue to feed the waste and abuse of our current system (I'm sure fraud could fit in there as well -- perhaps calling it "coverage" or "insurance" is enough to qualify as fraudulent). If, in the end, there is a "public option," it will probably be so hamstrung with conditions (designed to protect the insurance companies) that its failure will be all but guaranteed, proving once again that only the US among developed countries is too stupid to figure out how to deliver health care to its people.
Why doesn't everyone who wants single-payer or simply the elimination of the insurance industry as it is now, e-mail whitehouse.gov and your senators and reps. and demand just that. Do it every day, if necessary. All in D.C. need to be reminded of who they are supposed to be representing. Right-wingers like to throw around the term, "We the people," but that doesn't mean anything anymore, except as a way to placate those who cannot think critically. Overwhelm them with e-mails. We need to stop waiting for politicians to do the right thing. That's not going to happen on its own.
I couldn't stomach to watch Bill Maher.
Maher won't say or do anything that will put his HBO paycheck at risk, I heard not any mention of Wilson and our local sheriff(d white) caught buying votes this last election, and why not just kiss Bolton's ass on air and be done with it. ol bill is a coward and a shill. CEO,citizens,eyes,open
An arrogant fucktard with a very low opinion of humanity in general.
Bill Maher has to be better prepared for his shows instead of headline points.
New Rule.....Maher has to eliminate that pompous ass, I'm better than everyone, attitude from his act. It's stale Bill and your routine is getting old.
Maher thinks that an airplane can cause a skyscrapper to implode twice in one day, no questions asked - don't expect anything from him.
What are you saying?
It's funny cause it's true...
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