Real Time with Bill Maher
Each week Bill Maher surrounds himself with a panel of guests which include politicians, actors, comedians, musicians and the like to discuss what's going on in the world.
Comedy, Talk
Episodes (35)
January 13, 2012
Guests: Filmmaker Rob Reiner, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ex GOP Presidential Candidate Herman Cain, Daily Beast Blogger David Frum, Documentarian Alexandra Pelosi. Topics: Herman Cain's presidential campaign, attacks on Mitt Romney's 'vulture capitalism', US marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters, assassination of Iranian scientists, Romney's electability and the Republican primaries, Super PACs and campaign finance, holiday recap.
January 20, 2012
Guests: Journalism legend Bill Moyers, journalist Matt Lewis, Former Governor Charles "Buddy" Roemer, Former Governor Jennifer Granholm, Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind-VT). Topics: The Republican presidential primaries, Keystone oil pipeline and popular support for important legislation, Newt Gingrich's rise and possible racism, electoral disdain for Mitt Romney, SOPA and PIPA, Republicans' fictionalising president Obama, overcoming partisanship, Citizens United and corporate money in politics, venture capitalism.
January 27, 2012
Guests: Former Rep. Mark Foley, celebrity chef Mario Batali, journalist Martin Bashir, political satirist Kennedy, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) Topics: Elections needing a bogeyman, state of the Union speech, Gov. Jan Brewer chastising Obama, food being politicised, Republicans turning on Newt Gingrich, Republicans creating a fake opponent to run against within the bubble, Saul Alinsky
February 03, 2012
Guests: Author Suze Orman, Ex Rep Rick Lazio (R-NY), host Wes Moore, monologist Mike Daisey, author Michael Hastings. Topics: Chinese sweatshops making electronics, Obama running on his record, job growth report, solving the housing crisis, "the haves and the soon to haves", US withdrawal from Afghanistan, decline of the occupy movement, correlation between intelligence and prejudice, education system, atheism not being a religion.
February 10, 2012
Guests: Rev. Al Sharpton, CBS News correspondent Mo Rocca, journalist Zanny Minton Beddoes, commentator Reihan Salam, Ex ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith. Topics: Uprising in Syria, Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, the Republican primaries, Rick Santorum becoming front-runner, anti-contraception legislation, valentines day, gay marriage and proposition 8 in california, Clint Eastwood Superbowl advert, Republican dividing America.
February 17, 2012
Guests: Ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D-NY), Dr. Drew Pinsky, author Alexandra Wentworth, economist Steve Moore, journalist Erin McPike. Topics: American reliance on prescription drugs, death of Whitney Houston, Mitt Romney's failing campaign numbers, recovery of the economy, contraception, Republicans alienation of women voters, 'small government' republicans use of medicare, supreme court conservatism, alternative energy sources, disrespect of the office of President.
March 02, 2012
Guests: Former Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), former Vice Chairman of General Motors Bob Lutz, Democratic strategist James Carville, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, journalist John Heilemann. Topics: Rush Limbaugh's 'slut' comments, campaign finance and Super PACs, Rick Santorum self destructing, 'Blunt' healthcare amendment, the highjacking of the Republican establishment, the auto bailout, climate change, the space program, the importance of scientific advancement, the liberal bubble and the 'joke candidate'.
March 09, 2012
Guests: Israeli ambassador Michael Oren, Ex SEIU head Andrew Stern, author Catherine Crier, Ex, RNC chair Michael Steele, "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm. Topics: Iran's nuclear program, Israel's conservative government, Super Tuesday results, a third political party in America, the price of freedom of speech, contraception and abortion, prejudice and voting against economic interest, home schooling.
March 16, 2012
Guests: Documentarian Alexandra Pelosi, actor Ed Helms, author and MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan, journalist Amy Holmes, Mayor Mark Cornett (Oklahoma City-R) Topics: entitlement culture, democrats losing their base, gas prices and Obama's ratings, stupidest states, 'The Lorax' and liberal brainwashing, the south, Afghanistan, Goldman Sachs, Kony 2012 and youthful advice.
March 23, 2012
Guests: Journalist Charles M. Blow, comedian Fred Armisen, author Glenn Greenwald, political scientist Wendy Schiller, political commentator Andrew Sullivan Topics: Hate crimes, Trayvon Martin murder and racism in America, 'stand your ground' law, stupidest states, assassination of American citizens, Jason Russell meltdown, catholicism in America, Romney's inevitability and the need to curb fake outrage.
March 30, 2012
Guests: Dr Ezekiel Emanuel, author Van Jones, columnist Rich Galen, blogger Elise Jordan, "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner. Topics: Healthcare reform and the Supreme Court, Trayvon Martin shooting, historical and contemporary America, green energy initiatives, gun control in America.
April 13, 2012
Guests: News personality Tavis Smiley, author Eric Klinenberg, former Prime Minister of Canada Kim Campbell, former Rep. David Stockman (R-MI), author Matthew Continetti Topics: Trayvon Martin case, racism and gun control, poverty, abortion rights, tax laws, decline of marriage, women voters, the war on drugs, antiquated Cuba policy.
April 20, 2012
Guests: Environmentalist Lynn Henning, columnist Ross Douthat, author Thomas Frank, author Todd Buchholz, Reuters editor Chrystia Freeland Topics: Earth day and environmentalism, media exaggeration of Trayvon Martin case, the war on women, secret service sex scandal, the decline of religion in America, the defeat of the Buffett rule, pink slime and Republican obstructionism.
April 27, 2012
Guests: Author Charles Murray, Founder and Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Paul Rieckhoff, Democratic strategist Paul Begala, columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin, columnist S.E. Cupp Topics: class division in America, college education prices, Obama as celebrity, American definition of successful, farewell to Republican nominees, veteran healthcare and suicide prevention, need for a draft, media obsession with sex scandals and non-stories.
May 4, 2012
Guests: Comedian Arsenio Hall, comedian Bobcat Goldthwait, Republican strategist Susan del Percio, host of MSNBC's "The Ed Show" Ed Schultz, former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell Lawrence Wilkerson Topics: Anniversary of Rodney King/LA riots, Obama being painted as the most left president ever, the future of NATO, Anniversary of Bin Laden's death, republican vice presidential nominee, war on women, success in America, charitable giving
May 11, 2012
Guests: Former White House advisor Richard Clarke, actress Eva Longoria, CNN political contributor Margaret Hoover, Reuters columnist David Cay Johnston, Founder Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist Topics: Obama's War on Terror, Obama versus Romney on gay rights, Romney and the hard right, Obama's economic recovery, the latino vote and immigration policy, is Romney insensitive to weak and vulnerable people?, obesity
May 18, 2012
Guests: Journalist Dan Rather, former senator Bill Bradley (D-N.J.); business reporter Michelle Caruso-Cabrera; journalist Jeremy Scahill, columnist Joel Stein. Topics: the trivialisation of the mainstream news, citizens united and unions, the debt under Obama, masculinity in America, minority babies, economic growth, Obama as a socialist, religious Universities.
May 25, 2012
Guests: Journalist Jeffrey Gettleman, actor Kevin Nealon, journalist Michelle Bernard, economist Paul Krugman, economist Arthur Laffer Topics: The economy, the fillibuster, venture capitalism, resurgence of the birther movement, vice-president vetting, Romney's faith influencing his decisions, Facebook's IPO, fake narrative of Obama being a radical.
June 08, 2012
Guests: Lawyer Susan Burke, journalist E.J. Dionne, politics editor at "Business Insider" Michael Brendan Dougherty, film maker John Waters, economist Dambisa Moyo. Topics: rape in the military, Wisconsin Governor recall election, soda tax in New York, unpatriotic to cause economic downturn, Catholic church's reprimand of nun's, farm subsidies and the impact on Africa, next move for occupy wall street
June 15, 2012
Guests: Economist Joseph Stiglitz, actor Alan Thicke, political consultant Karen Finney, journalist David Frum, pollster Kristen Soltis. Topics: Economic inequality, 'euro-zone' crisis, Obama's immigration reform, fake Obama, Canadian institutions, American's sense of entitlement, Racism, Vacation time in America.
June 22, 2012
Guests: Actors Kirk Douglas and Mark Ruffalo are the interview guests. Panelists: editor Nick Gillespie; MSNBC's Rachel Maddow; publisher Mort Zuckerman. Topics: Fast & Furious scandal, Independents vs partisans, Sandusky trial verdict, War Powers Resolution, Obama courting minority votes, fracking, teenage conservatism.
June 29, 2012
Guests: Journalist Amy Goodman, Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), journalist Fareed Zakaria, former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, comedian Lizz Winstead. Topics: Affordable Care Act, Justices John Roberts and Antonin Scalia, reproductive health, Egypt election, Rep. Allen West, Mitt Romney's plan for China and health care, Romney's VP candidates.
August 17, 2012
Documentary film maker Peter Byck, talk show host Chelsea Handler, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks' Mark Cuban, columnist Reihan Salam, journalist Alex Wagner
August 24, 2012
Our top-of show interview will be with Arianna Huffington, President & Editor-In-Chief, Huffington Post Media Group. Mid-show will be D.L. Hughley who has a new book, I Want You to Shut the F*ck Up. Panel: Katty Kay – Anchor of the BBC's "WorldNews America" Rep. Jack Kingston – Republican (GA) Avik Roy – Romney Advisor and The Apothecary blogger for Forbes.com
August 31, 2012
Political commentator Dinesh D'Souza and author Walter Kirn are the interview guests. Panelists: actor Jason Alexander; political strategist Ron Christie; news anchor Soledad O'Brien.
September 7, 2012
Guests: Steve Schmidt, Jim Vandehei, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Christine O'Donnell, & David Simon.
September 14, 2012
Columnist John Feehery, political commentator Chris Hayes, economist Zanny Minton Beddoes, musician John Legend, sportscaster Bob Costas
September 21, 2012
Top-of-show will be documentarian Eugene Jarecki who's latest film, "The House I Live In," will be out in theatres on October 5th. Mid-show will be literary icon Salman Rushdie who's latest book is Joseph Anton: A Memoir. Panel: Rana Foroohar – Assistant Managing Editor and Economic Columnist at Time Magazine. Roger Hedgecock – Radio Talk Show Host and former Mayor of San Diego. Chris Matthews – Host of MSNBC's "Hardball" and author of Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero.
October 05, 2012
Journalist Will Cain; Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla) ; Actress Kerry Washington; Political consultant Frank Luntz; Environmentalist Bill McKibbe.
October 12, 2012
Actor Ben Affleck; Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA); Gov. Brian Schweitzer; former FDIC chair Sheila Bair; commentator Ann Coulter.
October 19, 2012
Political strategist Boris Epshteyn; Journalist John Fund; Author Goldie Taylor; Stonyfield Farm chairman Gary Hirshberg; Journalist Matt Taibbi.
October 26, 2012
Editor Chrystia Freeland; former Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D-NY); political analyst Michael Steele; Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass); election forecaster Nate Silver.
November 2, 2012
Political commentator Margaret Hoover, former Congressman Rick Lazio (R-NY), actor/director Rob Reiner, co-founder and president of Our Time, Matthew Segal, photographer James Balog
November 9, 2012
Political strategist James Carville; author S. E. Cupp; author Andrew Sullivan; actor Samuel L. Jackson; Mason Tvert.
November 16, 2012
Political strategist David Axelrod; journalist David Frum; filmmaker Michael Moore; political strategist Ana Navarro; comic Eric Idle.