Editorials & Other Articles
In reply to the discussion: Sorry Bill Maher, You've Been Cancelled [View all]wnylib
(21,431 posts)his old network show, Politically Incorrect, in 2001. It was cancelled by the network (ABC I think) for his comments right after 9/11 that were a joking praise of the efficiency of the 9/11 terrorists. His sponsors dropped him like a scalding hot potato and the network followed suit. He complained then that the network should have defended his free speech rights. So he has a very personal issue with "cancel culture."
I thought he was funny enough to continue watching him once in a while, although he annoyed me sometimes with his right wing chumminess. But since the pandemic, I have found a lot of personal mannerisms and attitudes hard to take.
When studios were shut down, he complained about that in his monologue and used laughter and video shots from pre pandemic shows. He would pause in his comments for the sound and video, then move on. It was so artificial that his jokes fell flat with me. Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah do much better jobs with their pandemic programs.
When small, distanced, and masked audiences were allowed again, Maher whined like a child about the restrictions. He was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel one night and complained that Kimmel seemed to be allowed a larger in person audience than Maher had.
I haven't watched him since.