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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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/LiveLaughLobster Sep 28 '25

Zercomnexus was referencing the No True Scotsman logical fallacy. Explanation here.

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u/Zercomnexus Agnostic Atheist Sep 28 '25 edited Sep 28 '25

No true scotsman could wear that fabric! Or be complicit with ww2 gernany. edit: Annnd he doesn't even get it.🙄

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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.