Democratic Sen. Al Franken pulled out of a scheduled appearance on an upcoming episode of HBO’s “Real Time,” following host Bill Maher’s controversial “house n—–” joke.
Franken, D-Minn., is currently promoting a new book, but said he would not appear on the show due to the controversy.
“Sen. Franken believes that what Bill Maher said was inappropriate and offensive, which is why he made the decision not to appear on the next episode of ‘Real Time,'” Franken’s spokesperson said in a statement to the Huffington Post. “He was glad to see Bill, who the senator considers to be a good friend, apologize and express sincere regret for his comment.”
Last week on “Real Time,” during an interview with Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Maher joked that as a “house n—–,” he wouldn’t “work in the fields” of Nebraska, Sasse’s home state.
After widespread scrutiny and media coverage, Maher apologized for the comment and HBO called the joke “tasteless.”
It’s the second time Franken has had to distance himself from a comedian friend while promoting his book.
Last week, Franken distanced himself from Kathy Griffin after she posed for a photo with a faux-severed head of President Trump. He canceled an appearance with her scheduled for next month.
