Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - 10/29/21

[Rhiannon12866]

Monologue: Sunday Scaries

Bill recaps the week's top stories, including the Halloween weekend and President Biden's meeting with Pope Francis.




Sean Spicer: Radical Nation

Former Trump White House Press Secretary and "Radical Nation" author Sean Spicer joins Bill on Real Time.




New Rule: Words Matter

This is why word inflation is a problem: You can try to change reality by redefining words, but it won't work – it just stops you from dealing with it.




Here's a "bootleg" version of the show which includes the entire interview with Sean Spicer (5:45), entire panel discussion with Sen. Chris Coons and Caitlin Flanagan (16:49), Bill's "Funny Bit" (32:20), and includes the opening part of New Rules (46:32). It won't last long, as usual:

[Hoyt]

1. Best part of good show was Maher kicking Spicer's rear all over the screen.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I know! As usual, Spicer was defenseless.

Why he puts himself out there is a mystery to me...

[ForgoTheConsequence]

4. I thought the best part was Bill declaring the pandemic is over.

He's a buffoon.

[LiberatedUSA]

5. What a great New Rules.

The silence is violence crap has gotten out of hand. Excellent list hijacked words. Bill always knows how to cut through the bullshit.

“My kid is my hero”.

LOL

[Behind the Aegis]

7. I liked it too, though he did get "phobia" wrong, partially.

While true that -phobia is a suffix attached to words meaning "fear of", coming from Greek, it has an additional meaning that has been around for decades, and that is "aversion to, strong distrust of". So, there are some words which aren't strictly being afraid of something, but having an aversion to something, including his aversion to commitment, is such aversion is strong enough. However, it has to be so strong as to cause a sense of revulsion. Thus, there is a difference in what is considered the "psychological" use and the "sociological" use, the former being the physical fear of something, like arachnophobia or agoraphobia. The latter is used in terms like transphobia, Islamophobia, and homophobia. Though, I will also say any of the sociological versions can also manifest as psychological versions too.

[markpkessinger]

8. Good point . . .

Language is always changing and evolving. We can insist on original meanings all we want, but in the end, language is as language does.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Good analysis!

And one thing that the detractors failed to notice was Bill's defense of President Biden's progressive policies when Caitlin Flanagan made a face during their discussion of the president's agenda. She turned to Chris Coons and said that at least we were lucky to have him - and Bill corrected her.

[smirkymonkey]

10. Am I the only person who thinks that Sean Spicer and Caitlin Flanagan are two of the most

obnoxious, annoying people on the planet? Ugh! They were both insufferable.

I enjoyed hearing Chris Coons though. He kind of saved the day.

New Rules was funny, as usual! Thanks Rhiannon!

[Rhiannon12866]

11. I don't think you'll get any argument here on Sean Spicer, though I'm surprised he'd agree to appear

He had to be pretty desperate to publicize his book. And Caitlin Flanagan was critical of President Biden's policies - though Bill made a point of correcting her.

And I agree that this was another good New Rules, he's been on a winning streak with those this season.