Real Time with Bill Maher

This was a standing appointment in our house, but Maher has become a one-trick pony (will, maybe two or three tricks) and his "I said it first" self congratulations go on ad nauseum these days. The list of repetitious blather includes: how long it took to get his solar panels, Americans are fat, I told you so, I hate kids, blah, blah, blah. He's starting to sound like someone's crotchety grandpa, and we're almost the same age.

The show was much more interesting with three panelists and better opening monologues that didn't feel quite so teed-up. While New Rules is always entertaining, the best part of Real Time is the closing monologue, which is always thought-provoking, smart, well-written, and well-delivered, Maher shines here without fail. More of this, less of the rest, please.

Bill Maher is an annoying character. You can appreciate his humour, his political views and his humanity but his smirk irks. That smart ass grin he gets when he tells a gag, especially a controversial one, takes the shine off an otherwise great performance. Maybe it's just me.

I'm an Australian. I live in Australia and visit the US about once a year for business. I find watching Real Time and Jon Stewart's The Daily Show all I need to keep up with what is happening in that country. I get that education in an entertaining way. I don't agree with everything Maher espouses (smoking pot is dumb - period) his views sit well with a right wing Aussie. It amazes me that a right wing Aussie is about level with an extreme left wing American. Our countries are similar but so different.

The show starts with a short Johnny Carson style monologue - and Maher should either refresh his writers or look at his delivery style as it isn't as great as it could or should be. A few chuckles on the events of the week but nothing you want to remember for the water cooler Monday.

We then go into an interview with a weekly guest. Maher brings in some interesting guests, some of which I would normally go out of my way to avoid, but he manages to extrude interesting television from each and every one of them. I remember he once brought in a rapper I'd never heard of and had my finger poised on the fast forward button. To my amazement the interview finished before it got pressed.

We then get into the panel where three guests discuss and debate issues. This is where the show gets into its own space. The conversation bubbles along with a rapid pace and humorous tone. Maher chips in with his two cents worth which is normally death to a chat show host - there's an unwritten rule that the moderator sits in the middle and steer the conversation, not get involved in it. Maher somehow gets away with it most of the time.

We wrap up with New Rules where his writers earn the money. This is regularly the funniest part of the show making fun of everything from teenagers cell phone addiction to the president. New Rules finishes with a semi-serious dig and social commentary which proves to be Maher's issue of the week.

All in all, a reasonably entertaining show considering it's subject matter. Not as funny as Jon Stewart but Maher goes a bit deeper in his hour than Stewart can.

It has been a long time, a very long time, before I have seen something intelligent on TV. I never watched "Politically Incorrect"; I just never got into that show. But I do like the political nature of Bill Maher's comedy and prose, and while I do not agree on all his points, I do deeply respect his true representation of them; he doesn't mollify his points because others may not want hear them. This is something truly refreshing. If you don't like flagrant intellectualism and polar politics, this show isn't for you. However, if you have an open mind and want to hear some of the questions people don't want you to ask, this IS for you.

Of course, some people are attracted to the unstable. I have to watch this show whenever I notice it is on, even when I find it to be an episode that I have already seen. You are never sure if you should laugh or wince as Bill takes aim at everything ridiculous about America. He even lets himself be ridiculed, which is the mark of a fair commentator. The guests on his shows frequently disagree with him and the show is more fun when they disagree. The first time I really took to Bill's style was watching a show where one of the guests(Andrew Sullivan, I think) slammed a comment of Bill's that they then discussed for a few minutes. The only thing I don't like about the show is that it is too short. Bill frequently has to cut discussions off to make way for other topics, which gives it the feel in pace of PTI. An important show with a perfect home in HBO, where you can actually say what you want to say.

Followed for years and years but now that bill has entered his 'I can't be wrong' phase I find myself tuning him out as he talks to people who know sht.