History Series / RealTimeWithBillMaher

* HollywoodAtheist: Maher can be thought of as one (generally due to his {{documentary}} ''Film/{{Religulous}}'' and his statements that religious belief is a neurological disorder), but is an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism apatheist]]. Technically speaking, this would place him more towards "hard agnosticism" than full on atheism.

* BeliefMakesYouStupid: Typical of a New Atheist, Maher once told a guest that being a man of faith meant he was a man who "suspends critical judgement and accepts things on no evidence." Shockingly, Maher's religious guest agreed with him, a moment so strange that [[Creator/BishopBarron a Roman Catholic Bishop]] did a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGDDKlXl488 whole video on it]].

* ThanatosGambit: After the death of UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden, Bill had wondered whether America's behavior since TheWarOnTerror has been this for Bin Laden.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: His hatred of boycotts as "un-American" to the extent of defending Laura Ingraham [[LaserGuidedKarma losing sponsors]] for [[KickTheDog cheap-shotting]] Parkland survivor David Hogg's college applications makes more sense when remembering ''him'' running his mouth killed his last show.
* DoubleStandard: In one episode, he asked why Democrats who are caught in sex scandals are immediately disgraced, whereas Republicans caught under similar circumstances can go on with their careers as if nothing happened. This idea really only makes any sense paying attention solely to the last year in the film industry, rather than the last decade of scandals including Wrestling/HulkHogan's sex tape and one notable republican's remark about the injustice of his status.

* HitlerAteSugar: During his tirade against conservatives, who had done an utterly baffling thing in his eyes by attacking Michelle Obama for her initiative to get parents to send kids outside to play more as a way to get them to be more healthy, he responds with a deadpan comment of:

* {{Hypocrite}}: The aforementioned DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale since ''male'' pedophiles are obviously scum, but women like Debra LaFave and Mary Kay Letourneau get a free pass.

* JesusWasWayCool: Religious people are one of Maher's favorite targets. It is common for him to mock conservative Christians for failing to live up to Jesus' teachings on matters such as the killing of UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden. He has consistently praised UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter, who helped popularize the term "Born-again Christian", as an underrated president.

* OppositesAttract:
** Fond of having Ann Coulter as a guest, who he's said is a friend of his, and it's rumored they used to date. A lot of this stems from him admitting that it was his old show that ended up making her famous.

## The show opens with Maher performing some kind of humorous monologue on different topics for around ten minutes.
## Maher interviews an individual about a political subject of his or her expertise for ten to fifteen minutes.
## Maher then moves to a broad discussion of current events with a panel of (usually) three individuals, hopefully representing a broad range of the political spectrum. Authors, journalists, pundits, politicians and opinionated celebrities are often members. During this section, Maher will sometimes pause the discussion to deliver scripted comedy bits.
## Midway through the panel discussion, Maher will bring a fourth member to discuss a particular issue. This person often has a higher name recognition than the other guests. After a few minutes interviewing the new guest, Maher opens the discussion back up to the rest of the panel.
## The show ends with a five-or-so-minute segment called New Rules, where Maher monologues on issues, with a picture and text caption to describe the issue. New Rules concludes by seguing into a longer and more serious statement on a topical issue.

The show generally follows a rather simple pattern. It opens with Maher performing some kind of humorous monologue on different topics for around ten minutes. This is followed by him interviewing an individual for ten to fifteen minutes. The show gets into deeper political commentary when he moves onto the panel.

The panel is (normally) composed of three individuals: one liberal, one conservative and the other a WildCard who is generally an entertainer of some sorts. Panelists who don't fall into the political spectrum, such as reporters or people involved in international politics, have become more common as the show goes on.

The panel will discuss certain issues that are brought up by Maher, with him leading the discussion. Sometimes Maher will bring on a fourth guest halfway through who is almost always an entertainer promoting a new project of theirs. The show ends with a five or so minute segment called New Rules, where Maher effectively monologues on issues, with a picture and text caption to describe the issue. New Rules concludes by seguing into a longer and more serious statement on a topical issue.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: He originally stated that he did not believe in [[http://www.csicop.org/si/show/bill_maher_crank_and_comic/ germ-theory or vaccines]]
** [[http://www.winnipegsun.com/entertainment/tv/2009/10/28/11548266-sun.html He has more recently stated that he is not a germ-theory denier and does think that vaccines work, but does not think that many of them are necessary for people in first world countries.]]

* AuthorTract: Maher has a number of pet issues that he will often dedicate large portions of screen time to addressing, including environmentalism, marijuana legalization and religion.

-->Republicans need to stop saying UsefulNotes/BarackObama is an elitist, or looks down on rural people, and just admit you don’t like him because of something he can’t help, something that’s a result of the way he was born. Admit it, you’re not voting for him because he’s... [[YoureJustJealous smarter than you]].

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The show did not solidify its long-running format for the first few episodes. One first-season episode has Creator/BobOdenkirk perform a one-man comedy routine as God doing a Creator/RobertEvans impression, originally seen on ''Series/MrShow''.

* JesusWasWayCool: Religious people are one of Maher's favorite targets. It is common for him to mock conservative Christians for failing to live up to Jesus' teachings on matters such as the killing of UsefulNotes/OsamaBinLaden.
** He has consistently praised UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter, who helped popularize the term "Born-again Christian", as an underrated president.

** Invariably, Bill jokes that one of his guests is working "my old job." Bill's quite the RenaissanceMan.

* RunningGag: Maher will often portray a character called "Face-Ripper Monkey" as a politician, both for the humor of Face-Ripper Monkey on its own and for the benefit of attacking politicians.

* DoubleStandard: In one episode, he asked why Democrats who are caught in sex scandals are immediately disgraced, whereas Republicans caught under similar circumstances can go on with their careers as if nothing happened. This idea really only makes any sense paying attention solely to the last year in the film industry, rather than the last decade of scandals including Creator/HulkHogan's sex tape and one notable republican's remark about the injustice of his status.

* BeliefMakesYouStupid: Typical of a New Atheist, Maher once told a guest that being a man of faith meant he was a man who "suspends critical judgement and accepts things on no evidence. Shockingly, Maher's religious guest agreed with him, a moment so strange that [[Creator/BishopBarron a Roman Catholic Bishop]] did a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGDDKlXl488 whole video on it]].

-->Who are you gonna believe: the fake blond with big tits or Donald Trump?

* GladIThoughtOfIt: Took credit for Milo Yiannopoulos's [[HowTheMightyHaveFallen downfall]] after his appearance on the show when as [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/lets-shine-some-light-awfulness-that-bill-maher/ Cracked pointed out]], it was the ReaganBattalion Twitter handle that dug up the damning words of pedophilia.

%%* BaitAndSwitchComment:
%%-->Republicans need to stop saying UsefulNotes/BarackObama is an elitist, or looks down on rural people, and just admit you don’t like him because of something he can’t help, something that’s a result of the way he was born. Admit it, you’re not voting for him because he’s... [[YoureJustJealous smarter than you]].
%%** If he doesn't outright say what he actually thinks is the reason behind others disliking Obama, he always does the above.
%%-->They just can't like the guy, and I can't quite put my finger on why...maybe it's because he's skinny.

%%* CaptainObviousAesop: He'll occasionally [[InvokedTrope give]] one jokingly.
%%--> And look, I am no fan of [[UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring Assad]], and I say that openly! I don't care if that costs me jobs in Hollywood!
%%* DeadpanSnarker: Well...
%%-->''"France's voter turnout was 90%. You couldn't get 90% of [eligible] Americans to vote if the election were between 'tits,' and 'bigger tits,' and they were handing out free samples!"''

* DoubleStandard: In one episode, he asked why Democrats who are caught in sex scandals are immediately disgraced, whereas Republicans caught under similar circumstances can go on with their careers as if nothing happened.

%%* FreudianSlip: Occasionally.
%%-->'''Bill Maher, talking about the Republican Party's attitude towards UsefulNotes/BarackObama:''' "If Michelle Bachman-''if Michelle Bachman''... If Michelle ''Obama'', *laughs*, says it's good to eat vegetables and take a walk, then I'm gonna sit in my garage with the car running and drink bacon grease out of a coffee can!"
%%-->'''Bill Maher, quoting Jerry Falwell, a HeteronormativeCrusader:''' "If you're a born-again Christian, you are a failure as a hu- If you're ''not'' a born-again Christian you're a failure as a human being."
%%* GirlOnGirlIsHot:
%%-->''"The media has to stop using gay marriage as an excuse to show hot girl-on-girl action."''

%%** He himself has guest hosted Piers Morgan's show a few times.

* JerkassHasAPoint: He can often be crude, but even people who hate him have to concede that he at least occasionally has a point. One good example was when he called America a stupid country. In response to the backlash, he listed some depressing statistics. Such as [[WhatAnIdiot 18% of Americans believe that the Sun revolves around the Earth]].

* LiteralMinded:
* NWordPrivileges: Maher faced heavy criticism for joking about being a “house nigger” during an interview with Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE). The following week, both [[Creator/IceCube rapper Ice Cube]] and Bernie Sanders advisor Symone Sanders were guests on the show and explained why Maher could not use the word, even during a comedy routine. Ice Cube in particular deconstructed the logic by which many white people believe they can use but still cannot.

%%* SarcasmMode: Bill's default mode.
%%--> At the Golden Globes this month, Michael Keaton mixed up the titles of two movies that had a black cast: ''Film/HiddenFigures'' and ''Film/{{Fences}}''. He said "Hidden Fences." [[DeadpanSnarker Because he's a Klansman.]]
%%* SpiritualSuccessor: To the Creator/ComedyCentral[=/=]Creator/{{ABC}} program ''Politically Incorrect''.
%%* StrawmanPolitical: Often used straight and also often identified and attacked, by Maher or guests in either case.

* OppositesAttract: Fond of having Ann Coulter as a guest, who he's said is a friend of his, and it's rumored they used to date. A lot of this stems from him admitting that it was his old show that ended up making her famous.

A late night {{political program|mes}} that airs on {{Creator/HBO}} since 2003.

%%* FetishFuel: Maher noted in-universe that Creator/ScarlettJohansson dressing as Disney/{{Cinderella}} was this.

* BaitAndSwitchComment:
-->Republicans need to stop saying UsefulNotes/BarackObama is an elitist, or looks down on rural people, and just admit you don’t like him because of something he can’t help, something that’s a result of the way he was born. Admit it, you’re not voting for him because he’s... [[YoureJustJealous smarter than you]].
** If he doesn't outright say what he actually thinks is the reason behind others disliking Obama, he always does the above.
-->They just can't like the guy, and I can't quite put my finger on why...maybe it's because he's skinny.
* CaptainObviousAesop: He'll occasionally [[InvokedTrope give]] one jokingly.
--> And look, I am no fan of [[UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring Assad]], and I say that openly! I don't care if that costs me jobs in Hollywood!
* DeadpanSnarker: Well...
-->"France's voter turnout was 90%. You couldn't get 90% of [eligible] Americans to vote if the election were between 'tits,' and 'bigger tits,' and they were handing out free samples!"

* FetishFuel: Note in-universe that Creator/ScarlettJohansson dressing as Disney/{{Cinderella}} was this.
* FreudianSlip: Occasionally.
-->'''Bill Maher, talking about the Republican Party's attitude towards UsefulNotes/BarackObama:''' "If Michelle Bachman-''if Michelle Bachman''... If Michelle ''Obama'', *laughs*, says it's good to eat vegetables and take a walk, then I'm gonna sit in my garage with the car running and drink bacon grease out of a coffee can!"

-->'''Bill Maher, quoting Jerry Falwell, a HeteronormativeCrusader:''' "If you're a born-again Christian, you are a failure as a hu- If you're ''not'' a born-again Christian you're a failure as a human being."
* GirlOnGirlIsHot:
-->The media has to stop using gay marriage as an excuse to show hot girl-on-girl action.
* GuestHost: Not for a whole episode, mind, but Creator/SethMacFarlane ''did'' host a recent edition of Overtime.
** He himself has guest hosted Piers Morgan's show a few times.

-->"Well, I mean, you know who else "sent" people places? ...Hitler."
* HollywoodAtheist: Maher can be thought of as one (generally due to his {{documentary}} ''Film/{{Religulous}}'' and his statements that religious belief is a neurological disorder), but is an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatheism apatheist]] Technically speaking, this would place him more towards "hard agnosticism" than full on atheism.
* HurricaneOfPuns: The "New Rules" segments.
* HypocriticalHumor: He both loves to point this out, and do it himself.

* IfIWantedXIWouldY

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Some of his New Rules take this form, with varying degrees of humor.
* RunningGag: Face-Ripper Monkey as a politician.
* SarcasmMode: Bill's default mode.
--> At the Golden Globes this month, Michael Keaton mixed up the titles of two movies that had a black cast: ''Film/HiddenFigures'' and ''Film/{{Fences}}''. He said "Hidden Fences." [[DeadpanSnarker Because he's a Klansman.]]
* SpiritualSuccessor: To the Creator/ComedyCentral[=/=]Creator/{{ABC}} program ''Politically Incorrect''.
* StrawmanPolitical: Often used straight and also often identified and attacked, by Maher or guests in either case.

--> And look, I am no fan of [[/UsefulNotes/TheArabSpring Assad]], and I say that openly! I don't care if that costs me jobs in Hollywood!

--> And look, I am no fan of Assad, and I say that openly! I don't care if that costs me jobs in Hollywood!

'''Bill:''' [[BluntYes Yeah.]] I mean, a place that takes a little note from my hand from LA on Monday, to give it to my sister in New Jersey on Wednesday, for 42 cents? Well let me be the first to say that I would be THRILLED if America's healthcare system was anywhere ''near'' as functional as the post office.

%%* BluntYes: See AnalogyBackfire.
* CaptainObviousAesop: He'll occasionally give one jokingly.