HBO Says Bill Maher's Use of the N-Word "Completely Inexcusable"

[DonViejo]

Source: Hollywood Reporter


The comment will be removed from future episode airings.

9:16 AM PDT 6/3/2017 by Ryan Parker


HBO officials on Saturday morning said Bill Maher's use of the N-word on Friday night's show was "completely inexcusable."

The network also said in a statement to THR the use of the word would be edited out of future airings of that Real Time episode.

"Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless," the HBO statement said. "We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.”

There was instant backlash on social media after the comic and host used the word when responding to guest Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska's question "Would you like to come work in the field with us?"

Read more: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hbo-says-bill-mahers-use-n-word-completely-inexcusable-1010006

[underpants]

1. Hold on Bill

This is going to get rough. They need a distraction/airtime killer and you were already a bigger deal than Kathy Griffin.

[BootinUp]

2. This white guy married to a black woman

Is just wondering if we don't have more important assholes to go after than Bill Mather right now.

[bettyellen]

6. Never married and he actually compared being married to slavery....

One of his black partners said he used abusive racial slurs aimed at her. I'm going to choose to belive her based on evidence.



"I'm the last of my guy friends to have never gotten married, and their wives—they don't want them playing with me. I'm like the escaped slave—I bring news of freedom"

[pnwmom]

13. Did she watch the segment and tell you what she thought about it?

Or are you just assuming you know?

[BootinUp]

16. I haven't even seen it. I assume it's typical Maher.

[pnwmom]

18. The rich white guy made a joke about not working in the fields

because he's a House N.

Maybe you should watch the segment before deciding black people wouldn't be offended by a joke that minimizes slavery.

[Liberalagogo]

3. They're editing it out...

So can we move on now from this squirrel, please?

[Lint Head]

4. Let's see. Collusion with an enemy, treason, destroying evidence and obstruction of justice.

A TV personality using the "n" word says something about racism in society but ignoring a coup means the end of a free society which gives even the lousiest racist the right to spout his or her ignorance.

[ciaobaby]

30. So you can only handle one subject at a time - that's unfortunate.

[Lint Head]

33. You will handle nothing in a country under the control of a

Russian murderer. If our country disappears so will any rights, civil or otherwise. They will mean nothing.

[Les Cowbell]

5. He probably shouldn't have said it but he's not a racist nor ..

an Islamophobe nor a sexist. He points out things that make people uncomfortable on many sides. Just like George Carlin and Lenny Bruce. True he doesn't like PC culture on either side and he will single out Islam, but he uses facts to back up his points.

Funny that this guy who gave a million dollars to Obama and has been a leader in the fight against Trump is now ready to be tossed to the side by so-called liberals because of something that was not said to be offensive or to denigrate. But that doesn't mater to the purity police because they now see an opportunity to get their pound of flesh for whatever grievance they have had while the real enemies rejoice.

I've only been posting here a short while but it is already becoming clear that if the views of many on here are reflective of a broader liberal electorate then my hopes for turning things around in 2018 are being dashed.

[HopeAgain]

27. This arrogant would-be

can't hold a candle to Bruce or Carlin.

[Blue_Roses]

48. I agree

I've watched Bill Maher's show since way back when it was PI on ABC. I also watched the show from last night today and the word is bleeped out. In the context of what he was talking about, working in the fields, I can see he was not trying to be racially offensive, even though it came out that way.

I like Bill Maher's show because it's "real". I don't always agree with him, but I appreciate him trying to make some sense (and laughs) out of this ongoing nightmare.

[Drahthaardogs]

49. I thought he was mocking Sasse for saying "You need to come work in our fields"

A rich, ivy league, white dude talking about come work on our fields. Bill did not have to use the word though.

However, my teenager listens to rap and the use of that word is ubiquitous. I find it offensive. I don't buy the whole, well black people can own it bullshit. I am Italian American and I find WOP and Dago repulsive as well as the portrayal of all Italian Americans as Mafia. Even here on DU the mafia references are abundant.

Racial slurs are just that. No one needs to be using it.

[Blue_Roses]

50. I was born, raised and still live in the Deep South

and I hate racial slurs, especially those that are laced with such venomous hate.

Bill didn't say it to be vicious. He said it as a joke that didn't go over well. He recognized it and apologized.

[Drahthaardogs]

56. Understood.

My point is EVERYONE needs to lose the vile word. Rappers included.

[truthisfreedom]

7. When comedians can't say the n word on HBO

And the presidunce can grab pussy.

[putitinD]

20. I pay for HBO and I want Bill Maher to be able to say anything he wants.

[Plucketeer]

22. +1

I'm really tired of this faux outrage. This, when black comedians can loft to the wind like bubble blow. If you don't want to hear it, STOP perpetuating it and let it DIE! Sheesh! And we get all bent outta shape about the media "normalizing" this embarrassment of a pResident!

[ciaobaby]

31. Neither is appropriate.

[yallerdawg]

8. A corporation and a Republican condemn Bill Maher.

Well, that's all I need to know.

He's been fired before (ABC). For his offensive words.

But I think we're going to find out, part of the joke is he isn't really a "House Negro."

[Thrill]

9. Shame on Griffin and Bill Maher

Stupidly giving the media a reason to take the focus on the failure that is Trump

[mnhtnbb]

10. All this uproar just reinforces Bill Maher's point--over the years--that policing pc language

is the wrong focus for liberals.

[pnwmom]

15. New Rule: when you say something that is pointlessly offensive, APOLOGIZE. nt

[bettyellen]

28. Gotta love that he's not principled enough to follow his own rules...

Although I'm sure the usual suspects will be defending him for "telling it like it is". HA HA

[Lotusflower70]

32. He can't afford to

There are people calling for him to be fired. I get the point though. Offer an apology and most people move on. I don't want to lose his voice even if I don't always agree with him.

[bettyellen]

34. I LOVE that this slur has exposed him as a hypocrite. Am sick of seeing people

in glass houses throwing rocks. Was easy for him to say, now not so much!

[Lotusflower70]

35. I understand that

He likes to make people think, maybe this will make him think. Hopefully he learns something.

[bettyellen]

37. He's pretty much an arrogant pig on this issue. Now he's also a hypocrite.

I don't hate him or need him to be fired but I think he got way too big for his bigoted britches. He deserved the slap down.

[Pluvious]

53. Is there a difference between...

... apologizing for something unintentionally spoken, vs done with deliberate intent ?

Bill Maher certainly didn't intend the use of the offensive word.

It does however reveal he must be using such language in private. Hanging out with other comedians, of all stripes and colors, it would seem inevitable.

It's a good lesson to learn from.

And this distraction is not helpful in these dangerous times.

[Lotusflower70]

55. I understand that

But I think as the Democratic party, we need to examine our faults as well. This is a lesson for him but can be a lesson for us too. We have to learn from it. We have to pick and choose our battles. Also focus on message and expectations.

As a woman of color, I can see how the difference in backgrounds impacts perception. I also understand how his friends and relationships impact what is and isn't acceptable. The perception of Maher saying something like that among friends is totally different than in front of a nationwide audience. Because we all have our filters that influence our perception, that is something to be considered. But he owned up to it and is moving forward. Do I hate him forever for it and will I not watch his show? No but that is my choice. Maybe just maybe he needed to be called out for it in order to check himself.

[Les Cowbell]

39. Have no doubt that you have more than your share of hypocrisy

Not that you would ever admit to it since you so far superior to everyone else that it allows you to sit in judgment of who's racist and sexist and who isn't.

[bettyellen]

41. so.... you're rubber and I'm glue? Gotcha. Fuck yes I will call out racism

And not give a damn about your approval. Seriously dude, check yourself. Why would you be pro protecting racist slurs? Where the hell are we?

[Humanist_Activist]

43. I'll just leave this here:

"I was reading a book (about interjections, oddly enough) yesterday which included the phrase “In these days of political correctness…” talking about no longer making jokes that denigrated people for their culture or for the colour of their skin. And I thought, “That’s not actually anything to do with ‘political correctness’. That’s just treating other people with respect.”

Which made me oddly happy. I started imagining a world in which we replaced the phrase “politically correct” wherever we could with “treating other people with respect”, and it made me smile.

You should try it. It’s peculiarly enlightening.

I know what you’re thinking now. You’re thinking “Oh my god, that’s treating other people with respect gone mad!”

Happy Valentine’s Day."

—Neil Gaiman

I'm assuming the use of the n-word is something you are quite familiar with.

[athena]

44. Being politically correct means being considerate

of other people's feelings. When did consideration, empathy, and kindness became passé? We liberals made a huge mistake when we allowed the right wing to declare that political correctness was a bad thing. Now, they go around wearing T-shirts saying, "Fuck your feelings", while we defend libertarian TV personalities for using the N-word.

[GreenEyedLefty]

11. They're coming for the comedians.

I also love that HBO is suddenly taking the high road and everyone is wringing their hands. Meanwhile, our democracy is being shredded by a bunch of fucking oligarch wannabes in Washington led by an orange anus-mouthed man-baby. Dear Jesus on a cracker.

[mnhtnbb]

45. Really.

[Pluvious]

54. Whom are being supported by the real rabid racists and bigots n/t

[lillypaddle]

12. Through another's eyes

Link to tweet

[Cha]

46. Hell yeah!

[thbobby]

14. So Maher fucked up

His using the N word was stupid. Being a hater is evil. He did not use it in a racist manner. Stupid yes. Evil NO.

[pnwmom]

17. And this is what apologizes are for. n/t

[IADEMO2004]

19. HBO needs to apologize for letting Ben Sasse sell his shit book on my subscription channel

We need to watch out for the Nebraska pretty boy.

[SunSeeker]

23. Yep. He let Sasse spew the same climate change denying lies as Trump did in the Rose Garden.

Bill offered no fact checking. Sasse said the Paris Accord would cost jobs. That is totally false. Yet Bill Maher seemed to accept that as fact, only saying the effort to save the planet is worth it.

Then Sasse says the Accord is not worth it because it would not do much, that at best it would only reduce temperstures by 0 .1 degree -- a lie right out of Trump's speech. Maher did not challenge that in any way. As the Post's Chris Mooney wrote, reporting on an analysis from an MIT researcher: "The current country level pledges under the Paris agreement would reduce the planet’s warming by the year 2100 down from 4.2 degrees Celsius (7.6 degrees Fahrenheit) to 3.3 degrees Celsius (5.9 degrees Fahrenheit), or nearly a full degree Celsius." That is very significant considering a temperature rise of just 2 degrees would flood our coasts.

Instead, when Sasse invited him to come to the agricultural fields of his state, Bill went for the stupid, racist, cheap laugh about how he doesn't go in the fields because "I'm a house n****r."



That said, I don't think Maher meant to be racist. And his show has been pretty outstanding generally in taking it to Trump. Indeed, the rest of last night's show was quite good, especially the panel with Elliott Spitzer.

[bettyellen]

38. You do realize that intent has nothing to do with if you're racist? It's ignorance based so...

The majority of racists do think what they do and say is normal. That's entirely how it works.

[SunSeeker]

42. Well, many are quite intentional about it, but yes, it's racist regardless of intent.

Which is why I called it a racist joke.

[leftyladyfrommo]

21. They are going after the comedians.

Especially the late night guys. Their shows are all really anti dumb fuck.

I think the late night guys have all been afraid this would happen.

[forgotmylogin]

25. Comedians are modern jesters.

They got to say all kinds of inappropriate things about the court to amuse the King.

But one misstep, and off with their head. (With apologies to K.G.)

[William769]

24. What Bill Maher did was wrong and inexcusable.

And don't give me no 1st Amendment shit. If that were the case racists, bigots & bullies would rule the day, oh wait, my bad.

For the one's of us that don't use slurs of any type, we need to stick together and call the one's out that do.

A slur is a slur is a slur. I don't give a shit who you think you are when you say it.

P.S. I cannot believe the apologists in this thread. I'm beginning to understand trump apologists now and trust me when I say that's a group you do not want to be associated with.

That's my rant so far for a saturday afternoon.

[ciaobaby]

29. Brilliant Rant - Thanks.

It is surprising and depressing that this site is so full of hate speech apologists.

[Les Cowbell]

40. even worse that so many like you can't distinguish ...

hate speech and what Maher said.

[greatauntoftriplets]

36. + 100,000

[Lokilooney]

47. The word is only funny

When someone like Wyatt Cenac uses the House/Field N gag when commenting on the sea world orca kerfuffle, dontcha know.

[still_one]

51. thank god, now please bring back GOT so we can all enjoy the rape, incest, and sexism that is

constantly exploited




by the way, I am not a Bill Maher fan, or GOT for that matter, and believe the use of racial slurs is NOT cool, and its use tends to normalizes racism and bigotry that seem to be making a reemergence.

Ironically, when CNN, and other outlets give a voice to the bigotry of trump through his surrogates, and ask questions such as, "are Jews really people?", one has to do a double take of what is happening.

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/news/a50906/are-jews-people-was-a-real/

[SledDriver]

52. gonna invoke the Rev. George Carlin

There is nothing wrong with the word - in and of itself.
It's the *context...

Maher is good in the trenches... It's distasteful and likely wrong, but i'll let it go. We are AT WAR. We need all hands on deck. Infighting is what these fuckers want...

[CakeGrrl]

57. Black person here: Stop doing the RW's job!

Maher used the term in the correct context and to the correct effect: To throw Sasse's dumb comment back in his face.

The concepts of "House N***er" and "Field N***er", some would argue, are very much in effect.

They are terms that I would, as a black person, personally use to characterize people like Omarosa ('People will bow to Donald Trump!'), Trump-supporting pundit Paris Dennard, Stacey Dash and Sheriff Clarke: Those who happily cast their lot with a group of people who clearly see their race as lesser people, all for their own personal gain and comfort.

"Django Unchained" illustrated this dynamic vividly in Samuel L. Jackson's character.

If Maher is willing to make the distinction between using a term with historical context than using it the way the KKK and the White Nationalists use the N-word, i.e., subhumans who need to die so they don't menace white people, then let him use his pulpit.

But here we go heading the way of Kathy Griffin, forcing contrition and apology when the RW will simply not accept that...they'll push to get another Trump-criticizing voice silenced while they ride the wave of "outrage".

[Curtis]

58. This highlights our (the left's) problem, IMO

First off, a little about me. I started off working for politicians in San Diego County. Luck Kilea was the first one as she ran for the Assembly and later State Senate as a Democrat and then Ind. I then worked for various city counsel members of all races and sees and eventually worked with Dee Dee McClure and was the manager for Jesse Jackson's campaign in San Diego County in 1988.

I then went to work for the United Farm Workers' Union all through the state and became close friends with Cesar Chavez and was an honorary pall barer for his funeral procession. I even went back to School and became the first Caucasian elected as president of MECHA at San Diego Mesa College and Vice President of the Black Student Union.

I then moved up to Chino Hills and continued in politics and ran for an open seat in the Assembly in 19922 after a meeting with Jerry Brown where he urged me to do exactly that. As an unknown in the area running against two well established Dems in the primary I made it a very close three way race, which captured the attention of Ruben Ayala. So, I went to work for him as he began grooming me for his seat when he would be termed out in 96.

However, a devastating illness at the time made me focus on my health so I walked away from it all. I did go back to school and got a couple of classes away from an Masters before I went back to work as a cop then EMT. Now, I'm returned after a major injury and split my time between California and sailing the Caribbean. In fact, I left for the Caribbean before Trump occupied the White House and won't be home until late this month. I'm still hoping he's gone by then.

Anyway, with ALL that explanation, the reason I went into it all, I just want to say that our problem as Dems or liberals or leftists is that we always, ALWAYS, eat our own when they fuck up.

Was what Bill said off color? Sure. But, my god people. It's not like he took healthcare away from millions. It's not like he took away school lunches. It's not like he disenfranchised anyone. It's not like he paid women $0.75 that of men. It's not like he's ta king away anyone's reproductive rights. It's really quite simple really. He's not taking away anyone's choice. If you don't want to watch him: don't. It's that simple. But, by God we need to stop eating our own and focus our energy on the real enemy because they are out there laughing while we destroy ourselves. They laugh while we vote for Jill Stein because Bernie didn't get the nomination. They laugh because they hold us to a higher standard than they hold themselves and we fucking play right along like obedient dogs. Fuck them. Don't let them set the rules. We should focus all of our hatred and anger squarely at them and not at ourselves.

[Skittles]

59. excellent post, Curtis

yes INDEED

[WoonTars]

60. But what about ever other utterance of that word in every other. ..

... comic stand up performance or movie?

Just a stupid over-reaction...