News/Commentary

Bill Maher is BLASTED for defying Hollywood writer’s strike, union vows retaliation

September 15, 2023 | | Print Article

The Hollywood writers’ strike may be continuing to drag on but comic Bill Maher isn’t about to let it ring down the curtain on the new season of his popular HBO show, and his crossing of the picket line has made some people very upset.

Maher, who had previously criticized the striking Writers Guild of America writers’ “kooky” demands, announced that he would be bringing back “Real Time With Bill Maher” albeit in a stripped-down version because the strike has dragged on for way too long and his staff has suffered mightily despite his having done what he could to help them out.

On Wednesday, the liberal stand-up comedian and social critic took to X, formerly known as Twitter, with a post explaining his decision and the rationale behind defying the idle writers.

“Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing. It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns,” Maher wrote.

“Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily. We all were hopeful this would come to an end after Labor Day, but that day has come and gone, and there still seems to be nothing happening,” the host continued. “I love my writers, I am one of them, but I’m not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”

“I will honor the spirit of the strike by not doing a monologue, desk piece, New Rules or editorial, the written pieces that I am so proud of on Real Time. And I’ll say it upfront to the audience: the show I will be doing without my writers will not be as good as our normal show, full stop. But the heart of the show is an off-the-cuff panel discussion that aims to cut through the bullsh-t and predictable partisanship, and that will continue. The show will not disappoint,” he said.

Those were fighting words with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) blasting his announcement and vowing to picket “Real Time” in a statement published by Deadline.

“Bill Maher’s decision to go back on the air while his Guild is on strike is disappointing. If he goes forward with his plan, he needs to honor more than ‘the spirit of the strike’. Bill Maher is obligated as a WGA member to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time with Bill Maher can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show,” the union said.

The comic was also pummeled by X users, including the reclusive, pathetic left-wing crank Keith Olbermann who fired off a typically nasty, profanity-ridden tirade from the confines of his New York City apartment.

“As somebody who’s known you since 1978: F**k you, Bill, you selfish and unfunny scumbag,’ Olbermann wrote.

Other X users showered Maher with vitriol and vulgarity:

More encouraging was Fox News’ funnyman Greg Gutfeld.

Also offering words of encouragement was billionaire Elon Musk, who invited him to X.

“They’re asking for a lot of things that are, like, kooky,” Maher had said of the striking writers on a recent edition of his “Club Random” podcast. “What I find objectionable about the philosophy of the strike, it seems to be they have really morphed a long way from 2007 strike where they kind of believe that you’re owed a living as a writer and you’re not.

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Chris Donaldson
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