Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - 1/29/21

[Rhiannon12866]

Monologue: Frazzledrip

Bill recaps the top stories of the week, including President Biden's executive orders and GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's kooky conspiracy theories.




Heather Heying & Bret Weinstein: The Lab Theory

Evolutionary biologists Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein join Bill Maher to discuss the nature and possible origins of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.

Link to tweet

New Rule: The Baldy Awards

Bill wants to "bring unsexy back" by honoring dull, but dedicated, civil servants like former Rep. Henry Waxman.




Here's a "bootleg" version of the show which includes the entire in-studio panel with CNN political commentator Van Jones and journalist James Pogue, and Bill's weekly "funny bit." It won't last long, as usual:

[Warpy]

1. Good show overall

but I wasn't super impressed with the lab created virus theory for a couple of reasons. First, the spread in China showed that the virus had already spread widely before its discovery in Wuhan with the cluster of cases from the wet market. Cases have been documented in the US from December 2019, also indicating spread was occurring outside China.

Having a virus spread more easily indoors is nothing new for respiratory viruses, it's the main way they operate. Flu season generally doesn't start until we move indoors during the winter in cold climates and often during the rainy season in warm ones. There is nothing that special about this virus in that regard.

Most of all, the lab development theory was a conspiracy theory pushed by Dumdum in the beginning, trying to gin up resentment against China. Both the CDC and the military labs found lab development highly unlikely, probably because SARS Cov2 was attenuated and less lethal than SARS Cov1, with which it shared 80% of its RNA. Bugs created in the lab tend to be more dangerous, not less.

If it turns out it was developed in a lab and sloppy protocols (which the lab in Wuhan was actually cited for by the WHO), that will make the Qbots think their other conspiracy idiocy is true. This is not good.

As for the vaccine, take what you can get. Supplies are likely to be short for months.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Thanks for your analysis and I tend to agree. That was my least favorite part of the show.

And we do know that the virus that hit our opposite coasts came from different origins. The way I understand it is that the one of Chinese origin came into the West Coast while the East Coast (New York) was affected by the virus that was affecting Europe (Italy). But I'm hardly an authority. I'm just hoping that the vaccine becomes more widely available here Upstate. My friend who works in the local hospital ER had to drive to a major hospital downstate to get the Pfizer vaccine.

But I really liked New Rules this week, that one's a keeper. He not only defended Hillary Clinton, but the appearance by the great Henry Waxman at the end was a cool and amusing bonus!

[Warpy]

8. Agreed about the New Rules, they were great

Bill needs to recognize that the trashers in Seattle and Portland aren't leftists, they're anarchists. There's a difference.

I did love Waxman accepting his Baldy. That was classic.

[Quixote1818]

11. Thanks. The same issues popped into my mind when watching. nt

[Warpy]

13. The two of them are a married couple in the opinion business

I looked them up because there were a few glaring flaws in their reasoning, flaws I wouldn't expect to find among people doing current research in evolutionary biology.

[Auggie]

3. When evolutionary biologists speak I listen

These aren't crackpot conspiracists. The openness and authenticity with which they discussed the virus and its origins blew my mind.

Great show. The segment on Champ and Major had me LOL.

Thanks for posting Rhiannon12866.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Thanks! The part about the dogs was my favorite part, too, we know that Bill loves dogs

Well, that and his tribute to Henry Waxman!

[Warpy]

9. When one is Heather Heying, I don't.

While her background is great, what she's done with it hasn't been.

Maher was an early adopter of Bannon's crackpot "they made it in the lab to destroy us" theory. He's also an antivaxer.

There is bias there that you need to pay more attention to. Both Heying and Weinstein are opinion writers.

[Quixote1818]

12. These two have shady backgrounds it sounds like

https://news.yahoo.com/bill-maher-pushes-bonkers-steve-050238602.html

[smirkymonkey]

5. Good show!

Thanks for posting, Rhiannon!

Hope all is well with you!

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Oh, I agree!

I particularly liked New Rules this week, his tribute to Henry Waxman was long overdue!

And I'm still under-the-weather with a sinus infection, but even without that, I wouldn't feel much like going out, it's that cold outside! And it's not just me, my dog is resisting going out, too. I think he was freaked out when we started the season with 34 inches of snow in 24 hours - he had an area cleared for him, but I think he was intimidated by walls of snow that were taller than he is!

I hope things are better in your neck-of-the woods!

[smirkymonkey]

10. I also loved his tribute to Henry Waxman. I was really impressed by that.

I am so sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. I hope you recover soon!

I can imagine how brutal the weather is in your neck-of-the-woods. I am from upstate NY myself and I know how cold it can get! It is also freezing here in Boston - a toasty 10 degrees right now. I would not mind it so much, but the heat in my apartment is kind of lame so it's pretty cold in here. Fortunately, I have tons of cozy blankets to keep me warm.

I can't believe how much snow you have already! Your poor little pupper! Hope he is getting accostomed to the changes in the weather. My parents are even further upstate than you are and have been dumped on with snow. They should be in Florida by now, but they are waiting for their second Covid shot before they go.

Doing ok here, just hunkering down for the season and feeling fortunate that I can wfh. Take care of yourself and feel better soon!

[pansypoo53219]

7. ever since i discovered c-span, congressman waxman always impressed me.