A fellow D.U.er friend was defending Bill Maher

[Texacon]

https://democraticunderground.com/100220825357


Thought I'd bring this over just to save it, and it has a pretty good reflection of DU as a whole in one very simple post.  I don't think several of these posts will last over there.

samplegirl (13,599 posts)

Sat Nov 22, 2025, 09:33 PM
43
Recommend

A fellow D.U.er friend was defending Bill Maher
to me tonight on the phone. It ended in a an argument.
Sorry I can't watch Bill Maher because I think he's an asshole.
As far as I'm concerned he flip flops more than Newt Gingrich.
He was blaming D.U. for not liking him.

Halicarnassus (27 posts)

17. And that's fine!

Reply to samplegirl (Original post)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 03:14 AM

It sounds like you had a healthy, perfectly reasonable discussion. There’s nothing more American.

My vigilant defense of Bill Maher is mostly a reaction to the extra vitriol he seems to receive here. It’s the same hate that’s also reserved for Senator John Fetterman. It’s silly. The moderate wing of the party is as large (if not larger - it fluctuates), as the progressive wing. I can only shake my head with a smile at the bull$h!t hurled weekly at Bill, that would never, NEVER be tolerated if said about sacred cows like Maddow, Colbert, AOC, Sanders, Mamdani, et al.

I know this is a progressive-leaning site, but Dean or Kucinich weren’t nominated in 2004; Sanders wasn’t nominated in 2016; he along with Warren didn’t come close in 2020; and again in 2024, though… that doesn’t really count as it was weird. But that should tell you where the party is.

So you don’t like Bill Maher, great. Don’t watch him. And then don’t comment on him. And I’ll do the same with Rachel Maddow and her interesting… “theories.” Or Oliver and Colbert’s brand of humor. And we’ll all get along better looking ahead to next year!

Emile (39,411 posts)

18. You call AOC, Mamdani, and Bernie cows. Then you defend

Reply to Halicarnassus (Reply #17)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 06:21 AM

Bill maher a moderate republican-libertarian.

KLK1972 (6 posts)

51. They said "sacred cow" which isn't the same pejorative....

Reply to Emile (Reply #18)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 10:27 AM

I don;t think they were saying those figures are "fat" or any of the typical things people use "cow" as a slur or insult over. They're saying that they are treated as though they are untouchable- above reproach, etc.

Emile (39,411 posts)

53. Welcome to du.

Reply to KLK1972 (Reply #51)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 10:31 AM

The term "sacred cow" is offensive.

Here is the post that is DU in a nut shell.  Perfectly summed up.

Abolishinist (2,846 posts)

65. Welcome to DU!

Reply to Halicarnassus (Reply #17)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 05:12 PM

You've already bumped into one of the more divisive 'topics' on this site, at least that I'm aware of.

That being said, what I and others have found is that very few of the 'FBM' crowd are able/willing to engage in a reasonable conversation. Typically they start out with nothing more than exaggeration and name calling and move on.

Yup, not much more accurate than that about the entire site!

Paladin (32,079 posts)

25. You're right. Your friend is wrong.

Reply to samplegirl (Original post)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 07:43 AM

Maher is untalented hack who has been regularly trashing Democrats for years. Once he did that overnight jaunt to trump's White House and emerged with tales of what a nice guy trump is, all Democrats should have been through with him. I walked away from his shows and his insults years ago; never have regretted it.

samplegirl (13,599 posts)

40. That's my point I've seen

Reply to Paladin (Reply #25)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 09:06 AM

him trash democrats. If my friend wants to watch him and listen to his shit~~~ so be it!
I'm a leftist and since maga swooped this country your either with us or against us.
Maher is wishywashy!
He can take his spin on comedy and shove it!

Oh and hes not even funny!

My friend use to be a leftist but I question that these days.

And now we find out who she's bickering with ...

JohnnyRingo (20,310 posts)

33. What's wrong with that guy?

Reply to samplegirl (Original post)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 08:40 AM

I hope you and him are still friends. Sometimes you just have to let it go.
Besides, I'm sure he loves you very much.

samplegirl (13,599 posts)

42. He's got nothing good to say

Reply to JohnnyRingo (Reply #33)
Sun Nov 23, 2025, 09:13 AM

And neither does the pizza hole you choose to buy food from that voted for you to have less healthcare and fair drug prices! While they vote for every Rebulicans across the board!
This stuff use to matter to you.

Fun thread if you have a little time.

KC

[SVPete]

Halicarnassus is a noob, reg'ed just 11 days ago. It's all but guaranteed that (s)he's been post-reported and could be an object of MIRT action for not toeing the Dem Party line.

Emile (39,411 posts)

18. You call AOC, Mamdani, and Bernie cows. ...

Is this a classic instance of quoting out of context, a Prog SOP? Or does Emile not know what the metaphor "Sacred Cow" means?

As best I can tell, Maher is a pragmatic liberal. He agrees with some/many liberal ideas, but is realistic enough to call out lib ideas and actions when they do not work. His realistic side might also be called "libertarian". Anyway, he's off the Prog-Dem Plantation, so off with his head!

For my part, I know I'm human and there are days I disagree with myself. So I'm not into perfection-or-nothing and take people as I find them - when they're right, they're right, and when they're wrong they're wrong.

[SVPete]

Bill Maher Obliterates Leftist Media: 'I Don't Give Quarter to Leftists Who Constantly Downgrade America'

https://pjmedia.com/michaelcantrell/2025/11/25/bill-maher-obliterates-leftist-media-i-dont-give-quarter-to-leftists-who-constantly-downgrade-america-n4946403

During a recent episode of Maher’s popular podcast Club Random, the stand-up comedian sat down with President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, and they chatted about a variety of subjects, including the political and societal interference China pushes in the U.S.

The most notable segment of the podcast came when Maher took an opportunity to put liberals on blast for helping that interference, saying, “I don’t give any quarter to the leftists who just constantly downgrade America.” Neither do I, Bill. Neither do I.

“It’s another reason why they hate me. I mean, this is what I said to him – your father-in-law in the text. It’s like, you know, if I’m so captured by the lunatic left, why do they hate me, too?” Maher said. He then noted that his take on many issues has created a fanbase for his program that sits “in the middle” and has “had enough of people in their bubble,” which he says includes those in “old” news media.

“You know, I find it very frustrating that I cannot get the full story anywhere in the old media. It’s very – I mean, I love the new Free Press,” Maher explained. “My girl Bari Weiss who started that and now she runs CBS. You know, you’re seeing a change there that’s more fair.”