Club Random with Bill Maher
Guest: Drea de Matteo
Release Date: September 8, 2025
Overview
This episode of Club Random features a candid, free-ranging conversation between Bill Maher and actress Drea de Matteo. The two dive into topics like aging in Hollywood, Italian-American identity, the legacy of The Sopranos, political polarization, personal fallout from COVID-era controversies, conspiracy theories (especially around geoengineering and chemtrails), gender and the entertainment industry, and Drea's pivot to OnlyFans during career turbulence.
Lighthearted moments, philosophical tangents, and raw exchanges characterize the discussion, offering listeners a blend of humor, vulnerability, and cultural critique.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
Navigating Life and Career after The Sopranos
- Italian-American Heritage & Typecasting:
Both Bill and Drea reflect on how Italian identity shaped casting choices and the authenticity of The Sopranos."I didn't get a part on the show because he didn't think I was Italian enough. But because I was Italian, he asked me to play just some, you know, the hostess." – Drea (03:47)
- Impact and Legacy of the Show:
Drea feels her role and the show's impact were career peaks, making it difficult to feel attached to later industry politics or rewards."After I did The Sopranos. I think I did it. I conquered it. I won... After that, I sort of felt like, I don't know what could be better than this." – Drea (10:45) "You were a key part of the show that more than any show ever got critics. Not that they're always right, but they did come all over the face of that show in a way I've never seen." – Bill (11:13)
- Shared HBO History:
Bill credits blockbuster HBO shows like The Sopranos for boosting his own show's viewership by bringing more people to the network. (12:28)
Aging, Beauty, and Hollywood
- Aging in the Public Eye:
The pair joke and commiserate about whether movie stars age better, with Bill complimenting Drea’s enduring looks and Drea attributing hers to Italian heritage and outdoor life (03:03–03:45). - Changing Roles and the Challenge of ‘Normal’ Parts:
Drea expresses boredom with conventional roles and a preference for more “stereotyped” or interesting characters, even if it means being typecast. (53:41–54:00)
Cancel Culture, Politics, and Isolation
- Losing Friends and Industry Opportunities:
Both reflect on being ‘canceled’ or ostracized due to political views, especially around COVID and Trump."I've, you know, canceled, whatever. I don't really care, but I don't. And I also don't really care who the President is." – Drea (08:34)
- Bill's Dinner with Trump & Political Tribalism:
Bill rejects calls to shun people over politics:"That is the stupidest thing in the world, not to talk to people, especially when it's the President." – Bill (08:00)
COVID Controversies, Conspiracies, and Medical Skepticism
- Vaccine Skepticism/Narratives:
Both are critical of the mainstream COVID narrative, with Drea saying industry protocols and political reactions cost her work."I got dropped by my agent. I got dropped by people." – Drea (74:25)
"You and I both got a lot of shit for what we said about COVID. And we're not exactly on... the same page, but it's a bullshit term from people who are way over on the other side who see someone who's just sensible and have to make them the enemy." – Bill (30:17) - Alternative Health and Institutional Distrust:
Bill references Andrew Huberman’s views on how little we know about the human body (25:41), and Drea expresses general skepticism about medicine and institutional motives.
Geoengineering and ‘Chemtrails’
- Strongly Held Beliefs:
Drea is outspoken about sky spraying/geoengineering (chemtrails), arguing it’s deliberately dimming the sun for climate reasons, while Bill is skeptical but open to hearing the details."We try not to call them chemtrails, but we call them cunt trails." – Drea (35:24) "But it's happening and they're trying to normalize it now." – Drea (36:14) "Where are you getting this? This is nuts." – Bill (40:00) She references “The Dimming,” a documentary she urges Bill and listeners to watch (49:17).
- Bees as Victims of Environmental Damage:
The discussion branches off into environmental harm, the mysterious disappearance of bees, and the broader impact of pollution."There’s no bees here. We have no bees in California right now." – Drea (49:51)
Bill responds that he sees bees at his house and reflects on insect die-offs in general (50:04–51:18).
Gender, Feminism, and OnlyFans
- Romantic Relationships & Motherhood:
Drea talks about never marrying, having “bastard children,” raising her kids as a single mom, and developing a new appreciation for traditions like marriage after the pandemic (65:43). - OnlyFans and the Hustle:
Drea discusses turning to OnlyFans (originally for uncensored podcasting), which unexpectedly became a financial lifesaver."I put a picture up as a placeholder and I fucking was able to save my house within hours." – Drea (64:03) She is candid about the desperation but finds humor and some empowerment in the pivot (73:58). "I did it out of desperation, there’s no question...I did it. I haven't." – Drea (73:56, 74:07) Bill and Drea riff on sexual double standards, aging, and women’s sexuality (72:39–73:51).
AI, Technology, and a Changing World
- Drea’s Daughter’s Fear of AI:
"My kid is at home right now making T-shirt art for us because she refused... to use an AI generator... She’s so obsessed with the idea of AI ruining the world." – Drea (27:01)
- Philosophical Speculation:
The conversation delves into whether work is essential to human identity or if AI will disrupt that paradigm, and what people might do when relieved of labor (28:34–29:44)."Where’s it written that we all have to work?... And do what and how [do we] get money to eat?" – Bill (29:14)
Inverted Politics, Woke Culture, and Social Change
- Left, Right & ‘The Switcheroo’:
Drea and Bill note how political positions, especially around vaccines and environmentalism, have flipped between left and right."It’s been a big switcheroo. Everybody’s fucking… It’s inverted politics, but it’s like mind control." – Drea (46:02)
- Woke Scolds vs. Conservative Morality:
Bill critiques ‘woke’ “no-fun” leftists as the new inheritors of the ultra-conservative role in culture (46:09–46:31).
The Entertainment Industry and Strikes
- Residuals and Changing Economics:
Drea laments not receiving residuals from The Sopranos and recent Netflix hits due to outdated contracts, and both agree streaming oversupply and the actors’ strike have upended Hollywood’s job market. (76:03–77:10) - HBO Loyalty & Comebacks:
Bill encourages Drea to look for a second wind in her career, predicting an American “comeback” moment as culture forgives and re-embraces previously canceled figures (75:14–75:49).
Art, Politics, and Censorship
- Art No Longer Separate from Politics:
Bill observes that the artistic merit is increasingly ignored in favor of political alignment, a new development in his career (83:12–84:29). - Critique of Social Censorship:
"I hope you find a second wind to fight this. It bugs me that people can...go 'okay, well, we agree on A, B, C, D, E, F, G, but then… she didn’t agree with us or she believes this and so you’re gone.' It’s just so wrong. It’s so un-American." – Bill (58:53)
Final Thoughts
- On Empathy, Inclusion, and Disagreement:
Both agree that society is suffering from a plague of exclusion and intolerance of dissent, regardless of who is in power, calling for more nuance, dialogue, and forgiveness (54:23–54:39, 79:37–79:55). - On the Future:
They acknowledge personal struggles but—with classic Club Random flair—close on notes of resilience, humor, and hope for cultural rebalancing.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Celebrity Aging:
"A lot of it has to do with movie stars. They're out in the sun all the time." — Bill (02:13)
- On Political Tribes:
"I don't ever agree with you about the spraying. That doesn't mean I don't like you." — Bill (54:00)
- On Industry Fallout and Resilience:
"I don’t have this, like, I feel empowered… I did it out of desperation, there’s no question."—Drea re: OnlyFans (73:56)
- On Being ‘Canceled’:
"This town is such a bunch of fucking assholes. Yeah, and, and babies and hypocrites. I know, they're just such obnoxious bricks." — Bill (74:34)
- On Lost Faith in Institutions:
"I have no faith in any of these institutions anymore. I don't care about Trump. I don't care about Kennedy. I don't care… to me, it's just me and you and that's it." — Drea (69:09)
- On ‘10,000 Hours’ and Sex:
"Same with fucking. Like, yes, it is. It is kind of a skill that gets better with age, you know?... If they have [10,000 hours] by 18, that's not a good thing at all." – Bill (73:26)
Key Timestamps
- 03:03: Drea on her Italian heritage and casting on The Sopranos
- 08:00: Bill on being criticized for dining with Trump and the perils of refusal to talk across lines
- 10:45: Drea on career detachment post-Sopranos
- 30:17: COVID fallout, skepticism about medical authority
- 35:24: Drea shares her beliefs about geoengineering her term “cunt trails”
- 54:23: Bill denounces exclusionary tactics on the left
- 64:03: Drea describes saving her house via OnlyFans
- 73:26: Bill explains ‘10,000 hours’ of sexual experience
- 75:14–75:49: Bill encourages Drea’s possible comeback and Hollywood’s tendency to forgive
Conclusion
This episode reveals the personal and professional journey of Drea de Matteo amid the collision of celebrity, politics, and major cultural shifts. Her candidness about struggles—financial, social, and philosophical—combined with Bill Maher’s irreverence results in a thoughtful and, at times, provocative meditation on fame, resilience, and the future of open conversation in a divided culture. It’s an essential listen for fans of either host—or anyone interested in uncensored perspectives on today's cultural flashpoints.