'Real Time with Bill Maher' returning to HBO without writers amid WGA strike

[Voltaire2]

Source: nbc news

Bill Maher's political talk show will return to the HBO lineup for new episodes without writers amid the dual Hollywood strikes, he said on social media Wednesday night.

"Real Time is coming back, unfortunately, sans writers or writing," Maher said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work."

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/tv/real-time-bill-maher-returning-hbo-writers-wga-strike-rcna104978

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SCAB

[dchill]

1. The Beatles are returning without John, Paul and George.

[justaprogressive]

8. and Ringo!

this is Pete at Best (that's a joke son!)

[efhmc]

2. He is and always will be in the exact same white male personhood as DJT.

Maher is a sociopath, "the world is mine and I will do and say what ever I want."

[2naSalit]

4. And he's probably...

Jealous of the muskrat.

[irisblue]

3. Mahler is a scab?

How much did the strike hurt his wallet?

[cstanleytech]

12. Not unless he is a member of the union and the actors union requires him not to host a talk show.

[thebigidea]

38. Of course he's a member. He's a fucking scab stabbing other wga members in the back

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Writers Guild called Mr. Maher’s decision “disappointing,” and said that members would begin picketing the HBO show.

“As a W.G.A. member, Bill Maher is obligated to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services,” the guild said. “It is difficult to imagine how ‘Real Time’ can go forward without a violation of W.G.A. strike rules taking place.”

[cstanleytech]

45. If he was violating union rules they would have censured him but clearly

he isn't.

[jimfields33]

14. The view did the same thing. Are they also scabs?

[irisblue]

17. I do not know those people or tv show I cannot answer that

[jimfields33]

28. I don't even know what scab is. Must be something about jerks working during strike.

Just a guess.

[Magoo48]

30. You must be quite young?

[thebigidea]

39. are they WGA members like Bill is? Then yes.

[2naSalit]

5. Could be the...

Death knell of that show too.

[Oopsie Daisy]

21. Good!

Rest in Pieces. Bon-voy-ah-gee!

[2naSalit]

24. I haven't missed it so if it dies...

I won't care. He stopped being amusing a long time ago.

[LenaBaby61]

56. Yes, it's REALLY fallen off. GOOD!!!!

He needs to go sit his ass down and be the scab that he is.

[relayerbob]

6. I'll watch it as often as I did before

Ie, never. Can’t stand that idiot, don’t care what his (increasingly reactionary) politics are.

[Oopsie Daisy]

22. I was a fan, until I wasn't (about three years ago).

And when I say "fan", what I mean is... if my husband was watching it, I'd watch too (mostly "new rules" and the mid-show bit.)

But now, as part of our cord-cutting, we no longer subscribe to HBO/Max. We streamed them for a short while, but we weren't getting our money's worth, so we dropped it.

Besides, if there's any "must see" episode, it will show up on Youtube anyway.

[BigmanPigman]

43. That is when I stopped watching him, too.

He was always going on and on about how Covid was not as serious as the govt and scientists say. He was pissed off about not being able to do stand-up and he was losing money. He is a greedy, narcissistic Libertarian.

[nycbos]

7. To my understanding this happened after the last strike.

Stewart, Colbert etc came back with out writers and did the monologues etc themselves. I could be wrong though.

[Silent Type]

20. Exactly, they all did.

[WhiteTara]

9. I hope he gets zero views for his perfidy

SCAB

[ancianita]

10. Fuck that scab. Fuck Drew Barrymore, too.

Solidarity from AFT Local #1.

[cstanleytech]

13. Do union rules apply to talk show hosts as well? If not then how is he a scab?

[ancianita]

32. So what if they don't. Just because he doesn't use striking writers, doesn't mean he isn't a

SCAB at heart, who's trying to find management loopholes when he says, " It has been five months, and it is time to bring people back to work."

As a union worker, I know a pro-management SCAB when I hear one.

He's in FAKE solidarity when all he cares about is his show.

I'm not watching his show, and hope his ratings are down.

When you accept rationalizations that come out of management and show hosts like Maher and Barrymore, you don't help unions. You help divide public opinion into pro-human labor v pro-AI management.

I'll err on the side of pro-human labor every time.

Just my opinion.

[cstanleytech]

36. Well my apologies but he isn't a scab if he isn't required not do a show.

It's just a simple fact.
Do I agree with him doing it? No, but I don't him a scab unless he required to it as a member of a union.

[ancianita]

44. The WGA has said it will be picketing both shows. That's good enough for me.

If you're not union, you don't get the last word on who a SCAB is.

[cstanleytech]

46. That's their right and I wish the well at it.

[Paladin]

11. Far and away the best comment I've seen on this:

Bill Maher without writers: Like a turd sandwich without the mayo.

[pwb]

15. So Bill must not be in the Union himself?

Mahar and Barrymore both are more management types. IMO.

[Farther]

16. Not just the writers

Last edited Thu Sep 14, 2023, 11:39 AM - Edit history (1)

Maher contended on twitter that his return is justified because he is eliminating the segments of his show requiring writers. However, he did not address the fact that is also crossing the picket line of SAG-AFTRA which is also on strike.

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals.

About - SAG-AFTRA |
SAG-AFTRA |
https://www.sagaftra.org › about

Maher is a scab.

Whose side are you on?

[JohnSJ]

29. He will get plenty of right wing jackasses

[FakeNoose]

18. I hope he gets no guests - nobody else will cross the line

Now that he's decided to "fire" his writers, maybe he'll get picketed too?

Maybe he'll show 60 minutes of TikTok videos? I don't know and don't care.

[BeyondGeography]

19. Bill Maher on New Rules (aka the best part of his show)

“There will be no more New Rules until the strike is resolved.”

[efhmc]

23. Who are feminists and real lovers of women still watching this show?

He has proven time and time again that he is a woman hater.

[TygrBright]

25. Why am I not surprised Maher is a scab? n/t

[obamanut2012]

26. I am so shocked Maher is also a scab

So shocked.

[Flatrat]

27. I would boycott Maher...

But I'm already not watching the smug egotistical libertarian and his platform for conservatives.

[Magoo48]

31. Same here...

[bmichaelh]

33. I prefer Last Week Tonight

I stopped watching over a year ago.

I prefer Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

[sarcasmo]

34. Libertarian Scab!

[ificandream]

35. Drew Barrymore is also bringing back her show.

Not that I would watch it anyway.

[Voltaire2]

37. Maybe they should date. Scab on scab romance.

Neither of them are hurting financially. Maher gets 10M a year from HBOMaxDiscovery.

[aggiesal]

40. Won't watch with SCABS writing the show. ...

I know it says no writers, but I'm not buying it.

Once strike is over, I'll start watching the show again.

[LiberalFighter]

41. If he has writers they likely not top notch.

At least not like those of Stephen Colbert. And Stephen praises his writers every once in a while during the show.

[SouthernDem4ever]

42. His show sucked with writers

Can't imagine it now.

[flying_wahini]

47. Can't stand the guy. He never misses an opportunity to heap scorn on women,

[Recycle_Guru]

48. fuck that unfunny pot head

[blueknight73]

49. Fuck that

Scabby prick.

[AZLD4Candidate]

50. What little respect I had as a person I had for him after I met this POS hypocrite died today

Fuck him.

[PortTack]

51. Interesting...a year or two ago, there were still many here singing his praises..not so much now

I hope he finds himself in the same tank as frucker carlson, doing videos from his basement and not finding many venues to air them.

[GoneOffShore]

52. Bill Maher - Joe Rogan without the steroids.

[Paladin]

53. DU'ers need to quit watching Maher's show. Quit supporting him in any way.

He started going over to the Dark Side years ago. He's on a clear trajectory downwards. Enough already.

[The Grand Illuminist]

54. I miss the old days

On how to deal with scabs.

[truthisfreedom]

55. He has an opportunity to raise money to help

Like a few of the late night comedians are doing.