As playing politics devolved into playing hero, comedian Bill Maher had a feeling California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was “ready for his closeup” to accompany some metal bracelets.
The leadership problem for the Democratic Party had found many of the usual suspects seemingly jockeying for position as the 2028 presidential primary was already unofficially underway. On the latest installment of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” the host argued to that end Newsom was practically begging for a “mugshot” that a leftist “hero will rise.”
After teasing the idea during his monologue, Maher had returned to the matter with his guests Ian Bremmer, president of the firm Eurasia Group, and author Rutger Bregman when he said, “What happens in movies, as soon as there’s a big problem, a hero will rise. And I think we saw that this week because Gavin Newsom — this makes me feel good because people make fun of me all the time, ‘Why do you stick with Gavin? What do you — he sways too far left.’ Yeah, but he’s been moving to the center lately, and he kind of had his moment now.”
” … Gavin Newsom going up there saying, ‘Arrest me, tough guy,'” he said before drawing a parallet to President Donald Trump’s response to be booked at the Fulton County Jail. “You think Trump liked having his face in a mugshot? This guy wants his face on a mugshot.”
NEW: Bill Maher says Gavin Newsom is BEGGING for a mug shot—just to play hero against Trump.
“Trump likes this [conflict]. I think he [Gavin] might like this, too… Gavin Newsom going up there saying, ‘Arrest me, tough guy’… You think Trump liked having his face in a mugshot?… pic.twitter.com/dcedxgZsVt
— The Vigilant Fox (@VigilantFox) June 14, 2025
“I mean, I did a joke in the monologue about it, but, like, he’s saying Trump likes this,” said Maher before affecting a whisper. “I think he might like this too.”
“Because, you know, Democrats have been looking for somebody — you know [New Jersey Sen.] Cory Booker stood up there for 25 hours … he did like a — one of those filibusters. It wasn’t sexy,” the host continued. “Didn’t go to the bathroom the entire time. Right … Okay, that’s not gonna get the job done.”
During the panel, the comedian had included the referenced clip where Newsom had reacted to reminders from border czar Tom Homan that obstruction of federal law enforcement is a felony to which the governor had said, “Come after me, arrest me. Let’s just get it over with, tough guy. I don’t give a damn.”
‘Come and get me, tough guy’: Newsom goads Homan after arrest threat, Trump calls for swift action https://t.co/5La4XL2fAu
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) June 9, 2025
Meanwhile, ever the party of projection, Newsom had asserted during a press conference during the week after California Sen. Alex Padilla (D) had been detained for presenting as a threat to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and then scuffling with law enforcement, “This is what [Trump] does. He creates a problem and then he tries to be a hero in his own Marvel movie.”
This is what Donald Trump does.
He creates a problem — and then he tries to be a hero in his own Marvel movie.
I would call it pathetic if it wasn’t so dangerous. pic.twitter.com/1eBvEcl2wN
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 13, 2025
Much like arguing Newsom had been “moving to the center lately,” Maher downplayed the protests in Los Angeles and joked, “This is such a minor crisis, Mayor Bass didn’t even leave town.”
He also referenced Padilla’s detention where they “f*ckin’ frog marched” him out of Noem’s press conference and “threw him on the ground,” by suggesting Newsom said, “Now do me.”
“If anyone is ready for his closeup, it’s Gavin,” determined Maher. “I think this is his moment.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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