Bill Maher HBO Specials
Season 1
TV-MA
Controversial comedian Bill Maher was known as the driving force behind edgy panel discussion shows "Politically Incorrect" (Comedy Central, 1993-96; ABC 1997-2002) and "Real Time with Bill Maher" (HBO, 2003- ). He eventually developed into one of the top political comedians of the 1990s and beyond, bringing the much-needed format of open political debate and a wide array of viewpoints to the TV airwaves. The comedian's personal approach - broaching taboo subjects or critiquing long-revered institutions - however, was the center of the proceedings, with Maher seemingly offending viewers, networks, policymakers and advertisers at every turn. For all the outcry surrounding his controversial points of view, Maher did instigate valuable debates on such critical topics as the war in Iraq and the Bush administration - and through his show, as well as stand-up specials and humorous books, helped present the issues of the day in a digestible format for the masses.
Where to Watch Season 1
14 Episodes
- Be More Cynical
E5Be More CynicalBill Maher: Be More Cynical is Bill Maher's fifth HBO special, filmed in the summer of 2000 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, months before the 2000 US presidential election. Topics that he covered during his performance included religion, attack ads, candidates Al Gore, John McCain, and George W. Bush (about whom he states, "I don't like this little prick, I gotta be honest" [1]), drugs, gun control, and outgoing President Bill Clinton. - Victory Begins at Home
E6Victory Begins at HomeIn the show, Maher addresses contemporary political, social and cultural topics -- Iraq, President Bush and the so called Axis of Evil. The opinionated Maher said about Victory Begins at Home: "We've heard everything about the War on Terrorism except what we can actually do to help win it. The government used to do that for us through propaganda (the positive kind) posters, so taking my cue from the great old posters of World War I and World War II ('Loose Lips Sink Ships,' 'Buy War Bonds,' 'Plant a Victory Garden,' etc.) I commissioned artists to paint the posters our government today should be putting out to help us win this war." - I'm Swiss
E7I'm Swiss"I don't hate America," comedian Bill Maher declares during I'm Swiss, recorded in March 2005 in Portland, OR. "I love America. (But) I'm embarrassed." And there we have not only the source of the title (his discomfiture, he jokes, has led him to pretend he's from another country) but also the crux of Maher's overall presentation on this, his third DVD taken from a program that was first shown on HBO. Maher's tendency toward smugness and superiority regularly provoke the wrath of his opponents on the far right. But despite his disingenuous claims to the contrary ("I'm not making this up, I'm just reporting," or "I'm not being partisan"), he certainly can't be accused of not having a point of view. His targets are many in I'm Swiss, ranging from reality TV to Cialis ("the boner pill") and even Civil War reenactments, but he reserves most of his scorn for "the morals and values crowd" and George W. Bush. He excoriates the former for turning the '04 presidential election into "a referendum on boys kissing," part of their campaign to "legislate taste" while using their "nonsensical and spiritually unnecessary" religious devotion to claim the high moral ground. As for Bush, Maher's comment that "sometimes this guy is so retarded, he could be on death row in Texas" is one of his milder jabs; and when it comes to the Iraq war, describing Baghdad as "the galleria at Halliburton Square" pretty much sums up Maher's feelings about that. Much of what Maher says during this 99-minute monologue (plus a Q&A session with the audience that's included in the bonus material) is genuinely funny, especially a segment called "Master P's Theater," in which he translates rap lyrics from Ebonics into "white." But make no mistake about it: Bill Maher is one infuriated fellow, and whether you love him or loathe him, I'm Swiss provides ample food for thought - But I'm Not Wrong
E9But I'm Not WrongBill Maher: But I'm Not Wrong is Bill Maher's ninth HBO stand-up comedy special. It was filmed at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, North Carolina, and premiered on February 13, 2010. Maher covered various political and social topics such as Barack Obama, the Tea Party movement, the economy, drugs, terrorism, war and religion. - #AdultingE13
#AdultingFilmed at Miami's Fillmore Theater, Bill Maher headlines this stand-up special that sees the acclaimed comedian, host, and satirist take the stage for a hilarious and scathing hour in which he brings his no-holds-barred perspective to cancel culture, quarantine, Q-Anon and everything in-between. - Is Anyone Else Seeing This?
E14Is Anyone Else Seeing This?Bill Maher serves up another dose of reality in his 13th HBO stand-up special. With his signature sardonic wit and unfiltered approach to discussing controversial issues, the comedian offers up his scathing commentary on the hypocrisies of both conservative and liberal politics, as well as trends in modern parenting, sex and dating, and religion.
