HBO’s Bill Maher is a lot of things: an old curmudgeon, liberal elite, avid Trump hater, sometimes hilarious comedian, and teller of uncomfortable truths. But there’s one thing conservatives must realize that the late-night host is not. He’s not worth getting triggered over.
Maher’s show, Real Time with Bill Maher, isn’t exactly a stranger to controversy. His whole schtick is to be controversial. His latest success in this regard came over the weekend, after a monologue in which the liberal comedian tastelessly celebrated and goaded over the death of libertarian philanthropist David Koch.
As reported by the Washington Examiner, Maher had this to say about Koch’s passing: “F— him … I’m glad he’s dead. He and his brother have done more than anybody to fund climate science deniers for decades. So, f— him, the Amazon is burning up, I’m glad he’s dead, and I hope the end was painful.”
“I guess I’m going to have to reevaluate my low opinion of prostate cancer,” @billmaher said.https://t.co/YISH1LgWYI
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 24, 2019
Some conservatives melted down after the comedian clearly hit a sore spot.
One Townhall columnist said Maher’s monologue was evidence of “the Left’s unforgivable celebration of death.” Right-wing Twitter personality Denise McAllister called him “a lost and depraved human being.” Conservative radio host Mark Levin called Maher a “lowlife,” Fox News’ Greg Gutfield slammed him, and many other conservatives were equally outraged.
Calm down, people. A comedian’s job is often to offend viewers, to push them outside of their comfort zones, and to cross the boundaries of acceptable speech in polite society. If Maher didn’t occasionally say something outrageous, he wouldn’t be doing his job. And almost nothing should be considered beyond the pale in comedy. Many of these same conservatives are probably fine with comedians making edgy jokes about race, sexuality, or gender — which is fine too — but then how can they clutch their pearls when the Right is targeted?
It’d be one thing to point out that Maher’s comments are unfounded or unfunny, which I think they were. Not all attempts at comedy work. But to suggest that a comedian is a bad person because he said something mean is snowflakery at its worst.
Maher aside, the serious liberal journalists and politicos celebrating the billionaire’s death are reprehensible. Koch was a good, principled man with a wonderful legacy.
But Maher’s willingness to offend is what makes him a good comedic pundit and an invaluable voice on the political Left. Sometimes it hits the mark perfectly. Countless leftist mobs have targeted Maher for that reason, whether it’s for calling out left-wing snowflakes and political correctness, vocally supporting Israel, his blunt criticisms of Islam, or his hosting of controversial conservative voices such as Ben Shapiro and Kevin Williamson on his show. Would any other liberal late-night host do that?
Maher embodies a willingness to explore controversial ideas that is almost nonexistent on today’s Left, and social justice warriors have tried to “cancel” him countless times. The conservatives that have conniption fits and form outrage mobs every time Maher or other left-wing comedians cross the line are little better than the campus snowflakes and liberal Twitter mobs they so often decry.
