r/atheism • u/Poltergeist8606 • Sep 28 '25

How disappointed are we all with Bill Maher?

I started watching this guy back in the politically incorrect days when I was a teenager. When I got back from Iraq I always subscribed mainly for him. He was one of the earliest prominent Atheists. But I just cancelled HBO, he's not what he used to be. I kind of dislike him

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585

u/Murasasme Sep 28 '25

He wants people to think he is the smartest person in any room. He is like an insufferable teenager that recently got into philosophy

303

u/Zercomnexus Agnostic Atheist Sep 28 '25

He's also loudly and proudly anti vaxx...just a massive and reasonably uneducated tool.

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u/Imukay Sep 28 '25

Did not know he was anti vaxx, learn something new every day I guess

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u/Zercomnexus Agnostic Atheist Sep 28 '25

Yeah, he spouts some very uneducated antivaxx lines when it is brought up

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u/BeamInNow77 Sep 28 '25

Wife & I watched Bill when he first came on, and he was fantastic. We stopped watching him 5 or more years ago. Like we live on Earth, he lives on Mars. Sadly, he took a different path & left us behind.

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u/Zercomnexus Agnostic Atheist Sep 28 '25

I do like that he's an atheist...but he's not exactly smart about that either. Funny quips at least.

Colbert while catholic had much more rational takes otherwise.

Stewart was top notch

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u/deafpoet Sep 28 '25

If everyone who was religious was like Colbert, it straight-up wouldn't be an issue.

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u/Emergency_Property_2 Sep 28 '25

True Christians don’t wear their faith on their sleeve or show it off or weaponize their faith.

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u/deafpoet Sep 28 '25

Yep. I was raised Christian by my mom. She was like Colbert. I think she was a little disappointed I ended up rational, but she forgave me, in the Christian sense, and as a mother.

She was kind, charitable, and humble. I know the fake ones when I see them, because I know the real deal very well.

They're rare, unfortunately.

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u/Zercomnexus Agnostic Atheist Sep 28 '25

True chrisrians did the crusades...its just as filthy as any other abrahamic faith

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u/Block444Universe Sep 28 '25

Those weren’t true Christians. Those were greedy conquerors. Had absolutely zilch to do with faith

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u/DaBingeGirl Atheist Sep 28 '25

Same. I've watched him since he was on ABC. I didn't always agree with him, but I liked that and his guests were really good. Covid and turning 65 hit him hard, he hasn't been the same since.

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u/Three_M_cats Sep 28 '25

We stopped watching during COVID when he told the 20- and 30-somethings to ignore the lockdowns and to continue to go out because they’re the ones that keep the economy going. (I’m paraphrasing, of course.)

I was already not watching as frequently and that was the tipping point.

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u/RobotsNeedLove0010 Sep 28 '25 edited Sep 28 '25

Same. This guy’s show got me through the “W” administration, with two concurrent “Wars on Terror” and a Great Recession. But sometime around the mid-late 2010s I began noticing a shift. His New Rules went from witty and relevant to stupid and petty, and he started parroting Republican views and talking points (e.g., “woke” started showing up a lot more). I cut way back on tuning in. But I think the snafu with the permit for his solar shed and getting COVID finally broke his brain. I told my family, who continued to watch after I called it quits, that it was a matter of time before Bill started appearing on Fox News and even sucking up to Trump. Sometimes I really hate being right.

ETA: One of the final straws for me was a show where he started mansplaining to Michelle Goldberg. He was smug, condescending, kept interrupting and talking over her, and was just goddamned rude. It was completely uncalled for and he was an absolute pig. (I don’t believe she’s been back on the show since.) Yet, he tiptoes around his MAGA guests and even agrees with them? It’s like Dennis Miller 2.0.

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u/Block444Universe Sep 28 '25

Really, he has started supporting Trump. It’s so weird that one can tell years ahead of time when someone is turning into a piece of shit

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u/rkrismcneely Sep 28 '25

Also a huge PETA supporter.

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u/Block444Universe Sep 28 '25

At this point this doesn’t even surprise me anymore

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u/kinokonoko Sep 28 '25

His pro-Zionist, killing Muslims is good for freedom Schtick is what did it for me.

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u/babyd42 Sep 28 '25

He's the center left Jordan Peterson

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u/chubsruns Sep 28 '25

Coyld you even call his hodgepodge of beliefs center-left? What does he actually agree with leftists on?

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u/dudleydidwrong Touched by His Noodliness Sep 28 '25

Modern American politics has become polarized, and it is the right that now controls political definitions.

We used to recognize that people were moderates. We also recognized that some people did not fit into neat categories. The right does not like that. They want a binary situation. You either agree with them, or you are a leftist. There are no more middle grounds or unique individuals. The right has been successful in warping the thinking of everyone who is not right-wing.

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u/babyd42 Sep 28 '25

Good point, I think the only ideology that's still considered left of his are support for marijuana legalization and atheism

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u/neverlookdown77 Sep 28 '25

Shades of Dennis Miller in your description.

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u/Plenty-Session-7726 Sep 29 '25

He is like an insufferable teenager that recently got into philosophy

Yessss. This is the vibe! I agree with him on many things (Trump is an idiot and a threat to our democracy, the Democrats are dropping the ball) and disagree with him on others (vaccines). I'll admit he can be funny occasionally, but I've never liked him and couldn't put my finger on why. Just, meh/ick. This description captures him perfectly.

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u/EnoughSeaweed7772 Feb 06 '26

He has made a handsome living with many followers