Bill Maher: Whore or Comic? Poll (Somewhere in between?)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Poll question: Bill Maher: Whore or Comic? Poll (Somewhere in between?)

Tonight was tired rhetoric to me. He seemed to be more interested in not offending anyone than in being funny or topical. Where would you put him?

[tcfrogs]

1. Whore for whom?

Didn't see the show, but I've rarely seen him be on the Repug side.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. Tonight (In my opinion only) he spent a lot of time defending the reublica

n view of things in some areas only.

He seemed to be bending over backwards as to not offend.

[Maven]

20. Not to mention

How easy he went on that "Bush is a rebel" douchebag in comparison to his questions to Feingold ("But what if a bomb goes off in Longbeach?!") Bleh.

I can't believe he basically brushed off the whole NSA spying thing as no big deal.

[babylonsister]

2. Silly poll. I think Maher is a thoughtful and opinonated man,

keeps his mouth shut when the guests are going off, as he should, and I like him.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. I thought the suggested poll answers were pretty fair.

After watching him tonight, I felt there was a definite change in attitude from last year.

Just wanted to see if anyone else felt this way.

[cynatnite]

7. sorry, don't agree...

I want to see him say what needs to be said to these repug morans. No one else is doing it. They just keep spewing their bullshit with no regard to truth or sensibility. It would be nice, just for once, to see someone call them on their crap.

That's what I keep hoping to see, but Bill hasn't done it in so long and it's a real shame. By letting them get away with it, he's pandering in hopes of keeping vile people like Coulter, Carlson and others to come on as guests.

This makes me wonder why he does what he does. Oh, money...yeah, forgot about that. :eyes:

[babylonsister]

8. He's cautious, but he gets the point across by letting his

guests vent. I was happy to see Bill back, and liked the show.
I don't think any comedian wants to piss off too many people. The ones we like occasionally say things we don't like to have some balance, and an example of that is Jon Stewart. If they want to be really truthful (Randi? et al), they'd be on 'liberal' radio.

[cynatnite]

18. It's frustrating as hell...

The only shows unafraid of the truth on any kind of mainstream is KO and you could almost count Maher.

It pisses me off to no end that people like O'Lielly, Carlson, and Coulter can get on just about any mainstream show like Today and others, spout their lies and not get called on it. The so-called journalists don't do it.

So many of them are fucking bought and paid for it amazes me they can even call themselves journalists.

Air America is nice to have, but it sure would be great if once in a while the real truth about Iraq, this corrupt regime and more would be covered as it should be rather than the corporate media who is in bed with the goddamn repukes.

Conservative pukes continue to spew their vile shit such as equating those who dissent with terrorists. They call us immoral and say things I wouldn't speak to my fundie mother.

Frankly, I'm sick and damn tired of it. I quit hoping for anyone to get out there in the media to speak the truth, stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves, and be the voice of those whose voices are never heard.

And even when a very few do manage to speak out, they get drowned out by creeps like Tweety, Hannity and others. Tweety and a few others will utter a few words of truth in order to pander to the liberal demographic, but in the same breath they'll spew the RW lies.

I hate pandering. It's disingenuous and pathetic.

[bigjohn16]

4. I'm not really sure but...

... to say that wiretaps with no judicial oversight is ok is very odd to me.

[varkam]

6. Plus

Maher is vehemently anti-religion. I saw him on Larry King once, and a caller called in to tell him that she had talked to God, and what would Maher do if God spoke with him. Maher said he would check himself into a mental hospital for psychosis, which is what he recommended to the caller. *Zing!*

[tulsakatz]

11. haha.........

....I can see him saying that!

He thinks religion is a mental disorder.

Personally, I think if someone is religious, it's their right to choose that.........but if they're talking to God and they hear God talking back to them, they may want to talk to a professional...........

[tulsakatz]

9. I don't agree either.........

...did you see the part where Senor was trying to say what a great thing it was that Iraqis and Afghanis can vote now? Bill accused him of flag waving.........which is basically what he was doing!

Senor was trying to say.........aren't we great people? We risk life and limb just to give democracy to these people!

In fact, Helen and Griffin kept talking so much, Senor almost didn't get to make his point!

Actually, I don't think you can judge where Bill is by just one show. I like to get an overall picture of the season. But I do generally agree with him most of the time.

[RoyGBiv]

10. He plays devil's advocate ...

He's always done this, especially when he's interacting with someone who just needs an opening to make a point that isn't considered "politically correct," which is the basis of much of his social and political commentary.

He did that a lot tonight with Feingold, and it worked very well.

Of course I don't agree with him all the time, but that's one big reason I respect him. He doesn't come across as a mouthpiece for any particular ideology but his own. We need more of that, not less.

[tulsakatz]

14. that's why I like him!!

I haven't always agreed with everything he has said but I enjoy watching him because he makes me think about things.........

And for TV, it's refreshing to find a show that makes you think about things, usually TV is more about NOT making you think!

[Pryderi]

12. He's toned down considerably since I first started watching him on HBO. I

am disappointed in him, and believe he's selling out. Let's hope he doesn't become Dennis Miller.

[radio4progressives]

13. i voted "same as past years" because i've pretty much seen him as a basic

whore..

he feigns outrage then caves or gives way too much deference to ultra right wing bullshit. with the exception of a few rare moments, that's generally where he's always been ... and never funny.

[maine_raptor]

15. Bill was a little rusty tonight

But I think he'll warm up.

He did a nice job with Russ and let Barnes hang himself. His point about "if you believe that there not spying on you, then you're dumb enough to be a Bush supporter" (paraphrase) was spot on. And Griffin(?) was brilliant with his "Iraq = 13 colonies" analysis.

No, it was a good show. Bill has his own mind and thoughts......don't we all?

[leftofthedial]

16. some whores are pretty funny

he's just kind of a narcissistic jerk, but pretty funny.

[jillan]

17. Narcisstic - totally agree.

But he is good.
He has a unique way of discussing the issues. I'm hooked...even tho at times I don't agree with what he is saying.

[TheWraith]

19. Maher has always been too cozy with the right.

He acts in a way that makes me think he wants to actually have a conversation, but he invites these right-wing nutjobs like Dan Senor, or the worst of them, Ann Coulter, and then tries to discuss issues in between them shouting down all opposition. I think Maher has a little too much of the classically liberal idea that everybody's entitled to have their opinion respected, and most of the time he doesn't realize that some people's opinions are just wrong, and not worth of respect.

[bridgit]

21. comic...

[Appalachian_American]

22. I was intrigued when he seemed to want to shut down Eddie

Griffin's thoughts on the debit card fraud.

The worst part of the debit card fraud stuff is that bush lovers will only recognize that part of the fraud, just like they only seem to understand individual welfare cheats as opposed to corporate welfare abuses. They turn a blind eye to that and they will turn a blind eye to Halliburton and Haley Barbour's kinfolk getting reconstruction contracts and gouging taxpayers in the process.

Maybe Eddie feels like I do...I suspect there will be much more money wasted by the likes of Halliburton than a few debit cards going toward strip clubs and casinos.

[JuneInJax]

23. It wasn't his

greatest show. Still, he and the guests got me to applaud several times and wake the dogs. lol! I hope rusty is just what it is, and he'll get things zinging next week.

And I must say, I absolutely LOVE Helen Thomas!
:)
Moni

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

24. I'd watch anything with Helen.

[ThomWV]

25. I Always Thought He Was An Asshole And Don't Watch

I may agree with some of the shit he says but he just comes across as one of the world's first class assholes if you ask me. I can't stand to watch him no matter what he has to say or who he has on to interupt when he says it. Oh, and did I mention I though he was a childish asshole too?