Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - 9/15/17

[Rhiannon12866]

Monologue: Amnesty Don

Bill dishes on Donald Trump's dealings with Democrats in his Real Time monologue.



Bret Stephens: Out of the Echo Chamber

Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Bret Stephens joins Bill to discuss the growing divide between liberals and conservatives.



25 Thing You Don't Know About Melania Trump

Bill shares a few fun facts about First Lady Melania Trump.



New Rule: Liberal States' Rights

Bill takes a stand against the "outside agitators" who wants to interfere with California's progressive agenda.



Overtime with Bill Maher: J Edgar Hoover, Chelsea Manning, PC Colleges

Bill and his guests – Bret Stephens, Fran Lebowitz, Salman Rushdie, and Tim Gunn – answer viewer questions after the show.

[pbmus]

1. Thanks for putting overtime on here...

[Rhiannon12866]

2. It really was a particularly interesting one!

And I waited till all the segments were available before posting, not everybody will want to watch the whole thing. I found this week's New Rules to be one of his best ever - not only did he make an excellent point, but it was a reminder that he's a talented comedian.

[floppyboo]

3. Bill is right - he does piss off the left

I consider myself left - even by Canadian standards - I am way left. Progressive Democratic.
I believe the state/nation should own all the natural resources in trust for its citizens. I believe management of all related ondustry to these resources should be 50% worker controlled, minimum, as unions. I believe in private enterprise and entrepreneurs but strongly believe in anti-trust/monopoly laws. I believe in individual freedoms and rights and believe, on balance, they should favour rights over freedom, because freedom is empty and lonely without rights.
And sometimes I like Bill Maher - I liked his last bit of parody on the right re. states rights. But, that kinda feeds into his whole fight fire with fire thing, and are democrats really that strong on state rights? I might be naiive here, but I thought that was the whole thing behind the republican party... don't fight so hard bill - or you just might win. It was amusing. He is trying too hard.
I though brett stevens was awesome, btw.

Also, I don't know how old you all are, or where you grew up, but in the 60's in quebec and in Ontario, everyone I knew put plastic bags on their feet cause your shoes/boots/hand me downs had holes. No one ran out to the non-exsistant malls to buy cheap shit from Bangladesh with ivanka's name on it. And we had 2 cars. and a house. It wasn't a big fucking deal. Just put the bags on, cause summer is comin' in. And your feet'll be too big next year anyway. that's what everyone did.

So, big fuck off on that Bill.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. I certainly agree, he tends to piss off the left on certain issues,

His repeated bashing of Muslims comes to mind. And since he appeals to a liberal audience, his tendency to book conservative guests can get annoying, even if he and other guests get the best of them.

I also consider myself a liberal, mostly voted Democratic since I was old enough to vote. Whenever I've taken those "tests," I tend to show up pretty far to the left of Gandhi...

And states' rights is considered a conservative viewpoint, think it was brilliant the way he turned this around. A good example was when Ronald Reagan kicked off his 1980 presidential campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the place where three civil rights workers were murdered and buried back in 1964. This was seen as a signal to the South that he supported states' rights - and it worked. He carried every southern state but Georgia - his opponent Jimmy Carter's home state.

"New Rules" is usually my favorite part, but this one was one of his best, IMO. The voice was a great touch and he made an excellent point!

I grew up in the '60s too - and I live in Northeastern NY (closer to Canada than NYC) so we have pretty severe winters. And I do remember plastic bags - when I was a kid we still wore the kind of boots that go over your shoes - and I seem to remember kids putting plastic bags over their shoes as an additional barrier to keep the snow and wet from getting in.

Some of Bill's shows are better than others and I regard this as a pretty good show - no right-wing guests to annoy his liberal viewers, a terrific New Rules - and a very interesting Overtime!

[floppyboo]

5. yes, it was one of his best.

I still struggle with the rights and freedoms thing. And I went to uni for 5 years studying this and my head still hurts thinking about it. Rights surely come with obligations, but come from inherent freedoms... Oh no - my head hurts again!

Good indicator of a good show - makes you think!

[floppyboo]

6. Is freedom and obligation mutually exclusive or ying and yang?

and what is ying and yang except some mystical recognition of chaos? Or is it the more sublime recognition of obligation?? The obligation to respect that freedom cannot exist without the restraint of recognizing the right of others? And is being an individual even possible in this scenario?

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I think that a rather trite summary of Bill's New Rules would be

"Turnabout is fair play..."

[Rhiannon12866]

7. And it was also very funny - at least New Rules was - and that's the best way to get attention

And persuade the audience to be on "your side."

And I admit some of this makes my head hurt, too. Though I did very well in history and always voted (when I was really little, my Dad took me in the voting booth with him and let me push the levers ), I never paid close enough attention until 9/11 freaked me out - so the best political education I've had was finding DU in early 2003...

[smirkymonkey]

9. Thanks for posting!

[Rhiannon12866]

11. I thought it was a particularly good one!

Especially New Rules!

[Dennis Donovan]

10. Kick and Rec - thanks for posting the best parts of the show!

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Thank you!

I thought this week's New Rules was a standout!

[Boomerproud]

13. "Liberal States Rights" was a classic. Well-written and perfectly performed.

Well done Mr. Maher!

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I completely agree!

That was my favorite part, too! I wish that he'd do more bits like this - he has the material and he really is a talented comedian.