
Real Time with Bill Maher, News, Jokes, Politics, Overtime
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Bill Maher
On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Prime delivery is fast. How fast are we talking? We're talking puzzle, toys and lick pad delivered so fast you can get this puppy under control.
Stephen A. Smith
Fast. Pads, clothing, mat, peg, hammer, Fast and fast. And those training T R E a T s faster than you can say sit.
Bill Maher
Fast, fast.
Stephen A. Smith
Free delivery. It's on.
Dr. Phil
Prime.
Bill Maher
Welcome to an HBO podcast from the HBO late night series Real Time with Bill Maher.
Stephen A. Smith
Start the clock. Thank you. Thank you very much. How you doing down here? Thank you, people. Thank you. Okay, welcome to the show. Oh, thank you. We've got so much to get to. Thank you. Please. I know, I know. Thank you very much. Please sit down. Put your ass down. I know, I know, I know. I know why you're happy. The tariffs have kicked in now for real now. You know, all year long, I feel like we've been spent the whole last year going, is it in? Is it really in now? Now it's in all these and every. Oh, man. They say everything's gonna go up now. Price, they say car is five grand more than it used to be. Coffee. How's that for a jolt? Because. No, because we got huge tariffs on Brazil now for a personal with the country. So coffee will be up 40%. Let me just say as a public service, never been a better time to start doing cocaine. We get 14% of our beef from Brazil. I was at McDonald's today. The guy said, can you afford fries with that? Yeah, yeah, I was at McDonald's today. That could have happened. Well, of course, Trump says we're doing this because we have to the trade balance and all get that right. And the countries have been taking advantage of us. That's why we need these tariffs on. Like Libya has 30% tariffs because Libya, oh, I am sick of going to Walmart. And everything is from Libya. We got 30% tariff on Syria. As if poison gas wasn't already too expensive. You know, we have made deals with some of these countries. Japan, we made the deal last week. And the people there are not happy with their prime minister for making the deal. I love this. The prime minister of Japan, trying to defend himself, said he's talking about Trump. He said negotiating with him. He said the other party, meaning Trump, is not a normal person. That's a quote. This is saying a lot from a country where you can buy used panties in a vending machine. I kid you. Thanks. But now, to be fair, we are getting billions of dollars back from the tariffs into the government coffers. That's because we have to fix the trade imbalance. And we are using that money, of course, to fund ICE so we can deport all the workers who would be making the stuff that would export and fix the trade imbalance. If all this seems counterintuitive to you, it's because Jeffrey Epstein wasn't at your wedd. You know, I really, I don't get Trump. I really don't. The tariffs, not popular. ICE going around there with their masks, throwing people into vans, not popular. And yet he's doubling down on unpopular. I mean, the ICE thing, they're just going after more. They need more people. So they're having a big recruitment program. No age limit. Now, they announced this week, it doesn't matter how young you are. You can be 18, you can be old as dirt if you like wearing a mask and throwing people in a van. Also a signing bonus. $50,000 signing bonus. You could put a porch on your house for that. Good luck to find anyone who could build it, but you could find it. And you know who's actually joining ice? Not just supporting Dean Cain. This guy played Superman. Not because he's maga. He just needs the money and it. And it works out. He was already living in a van. Okay, so, no, I kid Dean Cain, but no, I think he joined because he heard, but lots of migrants were coming into this country and a lot of them were bad actors. He said room for one more. If all that's not enough, we have another wildfire heading toward la. Have you heard about that? Oh, the smoke is so thick, some of the ICE agents are wearing two masks. You know what? I'll say this for child molesters. When they grab you off the street and throw you into a van, at least they do it because they love it. You know what I'm saying? So, look, people, whether you are fleeing ICE or you are fleeing the wildfires or you are a Democratic Texas legislator who's fleeing the state, it's great to know that America is united behind one thing. Fleeing. All right, we got a great show. We have Dr. Phil and Stephen A. Smith. But first up, he is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist at the Washington Post, bestselling Author and political commentator and one of my favorite people, George Will is over here. Good to see you, sir. Always an honor. All right, George, I need a great historian to straighten things out for us this week, and you are the best one I know. So let me just begin by saying every day I see Trump doing something that no president has ever done before, taking on things. Like I read today, he's having the olympics here in 2028. He looked around. Who could be in charge of that? Me. He's talking about taking over policing Washington, D.C. getting involved in the mayoral race in New York, taking over the Kennedy Center. I mean, all these things. I remember when I was a kid, there was a cover of Time magazine. Nixon was president, said the Imperial Presidency. So this has been going on for a while. Tell me how far back this goes where the President just gets more and more power.
George Will
Well, there's never been one like this, but it began under Woodrow Wilson, who was the first President to criticize the American founding, which he did not do peripherally, but root and branch. He said the separation of powers is an anachronism. It was fine when there were only 4 million Americans, 80% living within 20 miles of Atlantic tidewater, but now he said, we have a continental nation. We need a strong, emancipated president. We need a marginalized Congress, a deferential judiciary, and a President who feels that he can do anything he is not explicitly forbidden to do. What Mr. Trump is doing, happily looking on the bright side, which I'm not inclined to do, he's become an inadvertent educator. This term of his is going to be a long seminar on the wisdom of the founders.
Stephen A. Smith
I mean, among the things I was just talking about the tariffs. That's not really something the President is allowed to do unilaterally, is it?
George Will
No. An enumerated, constitutionally enumerated power of Congress is to regulate trade with foreign nations. Congress, however, in its absent minded way, has now become a spectator of government and it has given vast powers to the President. Either it gave them to him in the statute that he cites, which doesn't mention tariffs and has never been used by a president for this, or they have given it to him, in which case it's an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power. The interesting thing is he calls this a 50 year emergency. That's an oxymoron. Something that lasts. Something that lasts 50 years. The emergency is that we have trade deficits. Bill, I have a chronic, incurable trade deficit with my barber. Once a month I buy a haircut. From her. She buys nothing from me. She has a trade deficit with Iowa because she buys corn products and pork and no Iowan ever comes to Washington to get a haircut. Amazingly, it works somehow.
Stephen A. Smith
So explain the American economy to me slowly, because, you know, I keep hearing tax the rich. I understand that, but they do. I mean, the rich do pay a lot. I know, because I'm rich and I pay a lot. Like over half.
George Will
So you're among the 1% who pays 40% in this country. The top 1%. 40% of the income tax.
Stephen A. Smith
And I wouldn't mind doing it, except it doesn't seem to solve the problem.
George Will
It's not supposed to solve the problem. It's supposed to make people feel good. And what makes them feel good is envy. The tax code now is codified envy, which doesn't make people happy because envy is the only one of the seven deadly sins that doesn't give the sinner even momentary pleasure. I'll pause while you go down the list.
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, but I just want to know where the money goes because I keep reading things like half the country cannot survive, like a $400 disaster in their life. Like they don't have $400 in the bank if something. If the car breaks or something. And the other half are buying Taylor Swift and Beyonce tickets for $1,800. Okay. And I pay every year more than half. The government makes more than half. Where does it go if it's not helping in fixing the people who are one paycheck away from disaster? Where is this money going?
George Will
First of all, that's probably a made up statistic because it serves a political agenda to say that about people. Remember, Bill, this is a country people are literally dying to get into so they can go to work. This is not a hellhole. Sorry to disappoint you.
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, no, I don't think it is either. Oh, I like it. And I'm staying here and no one's getting me out. But it seems. But what dismays me so much, much about this country these days is nobody wants to even talk to each other. And we seem to beI mean, I've been trying to preach here for a long time. Can we kind of come together? It seems we're going in the opposite direction. On the one hand, you have. I mean, this must be horrible for a guy like you, who you spent your whole life talking about how government tries to do too much, which it does, and spends too much. And here you have Trump, who is the Republican who is aggrandizing more power than Anybody, as we just talked about. And on the other side, you have the guy running in New York, Mandami. Right. Okay. Who's like a straight up communist. I mean, he is. He talks about, you know, the things that communists say. I mean, he wants free grocery stores, free buses.
George Will
I want him to win.
Stephen A. Smith
You want him to win?
George Will
Yeah. I think every 20 years or so.
Stephen A. Smith
Wait.
George Will
Every 20 years or so, we need a cons conspicuous confined experiment with socialism so we can crack it up again. Socialist slogan used to be, workers of the world, unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains. The new socialist slogan is, trust us, this time it won't be a mess. So when the post war labor government in Britain was about to get started, one of their leading lights was a socialist named Anurian Bevan. He said, what could go wrong? He said, we have a nation bedded on coal, surrounded by fish. It would take an organizational genius to have a shortage of either. In three years, they had a shortage of both. That's socialism.
Stephen A. Smith
But where does somebody go If Trump is expanding government, and certainly what Mandami is advocating is expanding government, where does the person go who doesn't want to expand government? It seems like it's happening on both ends.
George Will
It is happening on both. Actually. Trump is the most intrusive president, the most progressive president in the sense that he wants to permeate everything in life. US Steel is now nationalized by him. Right. The Cleveland Indians want their name back. He thinks there is nothing off limits to him. Name a prior president who says, my remit is as you just outlined, everything.
Stephen A. Smith
So how responsible do you think Republicans over the decades leading up to Trump are responsible for him? Because nothing happens in a vacuum.
George Will
The complicated process brought him to power. Once he got to power, the Republicans decided that they were no longer an independent branch of government. They no longer had rivalrous jealousy on behalf of their institutions, which Madison presupposed as making the separation of powers work. They decided they were the blocking and tackling for the quarterback, Maine, Trump. They are completely complicit in this and completely disgraced.
Stephen A. Smith
And because you are nothing if not a man of principles. I mean, you left the Republican Party when he ran for the first time. Do they try to get you back?
George Will
I don't think they miss me, frankly. Political parties matter until they don't matter anymore. But we've learned, Bill, in this episode since 2016, is you cannot in our society have one healthy party. One goes crazy. They both go crazy, and hopefully when one of them retains its sanity. I'm not Counting on which one the other one will sober up.
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, I mean, they're always trying to get me. They think they could just kind of get me over to the other side because I'm always criticizing the craziness on the left, happily, because it's there and it needs criticizing. But they don't seem to understand that you're never going to get me there as long as you're anti Democratic, which they are. They seem to conflate two things. One, that the Democrats in 2024 ran on the democracy as one of their big issues and it didn't work. So they think, oh, therefore it doesn't matter. No, it didn't work as a political issue. It still matters. Sometimes the people are wrong.
George Will
That's it.
Stephen A. Smith
Oh, that's okay.
George Will
James Madison, in one of the greatest understatements in political history, says in nine words in Federalist 10, Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm. This matters because when the founding fathers at this Constitutional convention designed the modern presidency, the presidency, the first president was sitting in the room. It was George Washington. They said, oh, it's going to be all right. But Madison warned them, enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm. Understatement of the millennium.
Stephen A. Smith
As someone who's such a strict constitutionalist and knows everything about it, I was curious to see that you think that senators should not be able to run for president.
George Will
Well, I was 49% seriously that we ought to have the following amendment. No one shall be eligible to be president if they are or ever have been a Senator. The reason for that is the Senate today is not a Senate. It's really a hundred person green room. Everyone. Furthermore, it's performative entirely. Most of them have never run anything larger than a Senate staff. The ex governors who come to the Senate are always the most unhappy senators because they once knew real power. So instead of having this performative episode of one senator after another running for president, disqualify them and a whole bunch of senators would leave because the only reason Josh Hawley is there from Missouri is to run for President.
Stephen A. Smith
Well, we wouldn't have ever had Obama or Kennedy can live with that. Thank you for coming. George made to see you. I appreciate you so much. George Will. Thank you very much. Let's beat our panel. I couldn't live with that. Okay, here's our panel. He is the founder of Envoy Media and host of of both the real story with Dr. Phil and the Dr. Phil podcast. Dr. Phil is here. Hey. And he's the host of ESPN's First Take. And we'll soon launch a new political talk show on Sirius XM's POTUS channel, Stephen A. Smith. Okay, guys, let's be nice now. Ready to rumble. But let me first catch people up. Catch people up on the big political story of the week, which has to do with your state of Texas and the gerrymandering. I know, you know, as a talk show host, when somebody says to you the big story is gerrymandering, you're like, well, people are going to be glued to the tv. But it is a big story because gerrymandering. What it means, of course is that voters should be picking the politicians. But when you gerrymander, the politicians pick the voters. Here's what's new. In the past, states do this after the census, okay? You get the census every 10 years. You find out, oh, different number of people. Sometimes it makes sense. You have to redraw districts and so forth. Now Trump wants a do over. They did it after 2020 in Texas and he's saying because they found out that he got a bigger part of the Hispanic vote that they could redo the districting and maybe he'll win those districts. They've got Austin voting Republican now. Here's my question, Dr. Phil, you're from Texas. This is some bullshit, isn't it?
Unnamed Speaker
Was there a question in there?
Stephen A. Smith
That was it. This is some bullshit, isn't it?
Unnamed Speaker
Well, it depends. They're not the only ones that have done this. Democratic true Democrats do it as well. They've done it in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania after the census. Oh no, no, no, no. It's not always done after the census. It's done between as well. And clearly it's done for reasons to change the distribution. Texas is doing it because they say because they've got more Republican voters now they should have more representation. Is that bullshit? Yes.
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, so there was an answer. There was a simple answer.
Unnamed Speaker
But don't get too self righteous about this because they've done it in Illinois, where they fled to now, and Maryland. I just think they should stay there and find it out. Why leave? You're paid to be there, to legislate. Stay there and fight it out.
Dr. Phil
Well, first of all, yeah, let's answer the question first. It's utter bullshit. Let's get that out the way. Secondly, it's a disservice to the American citizen. However, you're right when we say that not one side is guilty of this. The Democrats are guilty of it too. They were guilty of it in Illinois, they were guilty of it. In Maryland, they tried to do it in 2020, but they were struck down. They've made concerted efforts throughout the years to do it themselves. So they can't engage in a flagrant level of hypocrisy by acting like something is happening on the other side now that it's to their disadvantage, acting like they're innocent ABEs in all of this. They try to do it all the time, but in the end, the reason why it's BS is because who gets screwed over is the American citizens. That's why the level of frustration that exists has elevated to such astronomical proportions. Because we know that the American citizen has been used as pawns by these politicians. Here you are picking for voters instead of allowing them to make these decisions themselves. And this is done every 10 years, like you said. But this is in the middle of the decade, which is not something that's common. But that would be Trump following rules and regulations, which he's not apt to do. Anytime he sees an advantage, he's going to sense it. He prides himself in being the anti politician to being somebody that's willing to bust the system in order to get things done. So he knows he's gonna have an abundance of people that's gonna support him, which is true. Which means he's probably going to get away with it. Once they get those officials back to Texas, those Democratic officials, they're gonna be able to vote. Okay. And as a result, they're gonna have end up having five.
Stephen A. Smith
And then California's gonna do it here.
Dr. Phil
That's right. It's gonna be banned for Newsom, by the way. But that's a different subject for another day.
Unnamed Speaker
Do you breathe through. Do you breathe through your ears?
Dr. Phil
That was it. That took that tip. Is it a gift?
Stephen A. Smith
The. Yes. Wait, let's. Let's not.
Dr. Phil
It's cool.
Stephen A. Smith
Let's not start.
Dr. Phil
This is the guy. I know.
Stephen A. Smith
No, I know. But this is good because this is what the country needs. Both of you called your own side full of shit. That's what we need, honesty. Okay.
Dr. Phil
Because it's true.
Stephen A. Smith
Because it's true. It's true.
Dr. Phil
It's true and it's bad. And one of the things that they.
Stephen A. Smith
Are taking it to a different level.
Dr. Phil
Yes.
Stephen A. Smith
This always happens. The Democrats, you can't say they're innocent. And then the Republicans take a different look. He is trying. Trump said his quote was, we're entitled to five new seats. Five new seats. This never happened on this level. And of course, now the other Liberal states are going to have to retaliate.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah. So they'll just. They'll do it in Texas. So then Illinois is saying, well, we'll just do it to offset it.
Stephen A. Smith
Right.
Unnamed Speaker
So we'll wind up where we started. So that's why I say, just stay there and fight it out. Don't be chicken shit. Take off.
Stephen A. Smith
It's the exact opposite. What we should be doing is gerrymandering in reverse. What we should be doing is drawing the district so that every district has 50, 50. That way the politicians wouldn't have to run to the extremes. That's the problem.
Unnamed Speaker
That's too common, sensical.
Stephen A. Smith
Show the map. This is a map of what California looks like now with our districts. And, okay, if you actually drew it the way I wanted to look at what California would look like, if LA and San Francisco, you could do it. You could gerrymander like that. And then half the people in San Francisco would have to vote for those rednecks in that part of the state. And it would be a lot better. The whole state would be purple.
Dr. Phil
As a guy, as a guy that's entrenched in sports every day of my career, I love competition. And what you want is an environment where it's a fair and equitable contest and may the best person win, may the best policy win, may the best politician win. When you have this kind of nonsense going on, what you're able to do as an apparatus is hide behind real competition. Really showing the American citizen, excuse me, my policies, my belief, my ideology, it's better than yours. Here's why. Here's what's going to work for the best interest of the American people. But when nonsense like this happens, it's. It raises our eyebrows and elevates our level of suspicion because we're able to look at them and say, see how y' all do things? It ain't really about us, it's really about you and what you can get away with. And usually that doesn't serve our best interest, which is the damn problem.
Stephen A. Smith
And again, it's another thing I feel like Trump is doing where he's doubling down on unpopular people are not gonna like this. They don't like. Why are you going on these ICE raids? I don't understand that. You're a guy who we know for so many years who has been working to put families together, to bring families who are apart and heal them, and now you're going on raids with people who are literally separating families. Explain that. Now.
Unnamed Speaker
That's bullshit. That's not bullshit.
Stephen A. Smith
They're not separating families.
Unnamed Speaker
No. Well, look, if you arrest somebody that's a citizen that has committed a crime or is DUI with the child in the backseat, do you think they don't separate that family right then, right there?
Stephen A. Smith
But that's not what's going on.
Unnamed Speaker
Of course they do. What you're talking about, I was hearing you in your monologue saying you've got these ICE agents with mask on. Yes, well, let me tell you why they have their mask on. Because we actually have legislators who passed laws about immigration and funded those laws to be executed. They actually pay these agents to go out and do this. And now they're doxing them, they're putting their names.
Stephen A. Smith
Yes, that's right.
Unnamed Speaker
Pictures their addresses of their families on the Internet. They're putting them on telephone poles. So of course they're wearing masks so they don't get outed. So people can do violence against their families. The Negative actions against ICE agents are up 1,000%. Last several months, 130% violence against them. And why them? They didn't make the laws. They didn't make that law. What do you expect them to do? Just not do their job? If you don't like the law, change it. I don't like that law at all. Change the law.
Stephen A. Smith
If you don't like it, why are you going.
Unnamed Speaker
Because that is the law.
Stephen A. Smith
No, no, no, I'm just ask. I'm not trying to.
Unnamed Speaker
What I'm going on, I've looked at.
Stephen A. Smith
But I don't like hunting. I don't go out with hunters, you.
Unnamed Speaker
Know, but they've got 12. No, no, wait a minute. No, wait a minute. They've got the, the. I say, I've been on, I've seen the files. They've got a rap sheet, 12, 14 different cases long of child predators that they're taking off the street. These are the worst. First that they're taking off the streets. Who would want them back in their communities?
Stephen A. Smith
We all agree with that.
Dr. Phil
Dr. Seal, that was.
Stephen A. Smith
Hold on, hold on.
Unnamed Speaker
Answer the question. Who wants those people back in there?
Stephen A. Smith
No one. I just, I keep answering your questions and you keep saying I'm not answering your questions. Nobody, nobody wants that. But we all didn't want violent criminals and gangs, but that pivoted to going to Home Depot. You know, when Trump came down the first time from the escalator, he said, you know, the rapists and the criminals and some assume are good people. The one standing in front of Home Depot just looking for an honest day's work for an honest day pay. Those are the good people. I assume there are some good. You know. But let me tell you this.
Dr. Phil
What you said was very eloquent and beautiful. It sounded great. But, uh, here's the reason why. When we look at what they're doing, I totally agree with you about ICE being victimized. They're not the villains here. I got that part. They just. They're just doing their jobs. I totally agree with that. But we have to pay attention to what's really transpiring. They talked about migrants, immigrants who were criminals. We're going after the criminals. They're talking about how they deported 253,000. Okay. They're talking about how they don't have enough beds for the people that they've imprisoned, essentially, and are about to deport. The kind of things that they said that they were going to do. People are challenging whether or not they're actually doing that. And when you're going to Home Depot, when you're going to people's jobs, when you've been given authorization to enter churches and into other properties.
Unnamed Speaker
Excuse me.
Dr. Phil
Yes, that's what's happened. The fact is that those are the kind of things that are going on. And you're having immigrants within. Listen, I'm all for closing the borders. I don't have a problem with that. I really, really don't. But how you do it, how they've been doing it and who they have been targeting has been different than what they originally advertised. And that is what people are talking about.
Unnamed Speaker
And we can't even do that. That sounds good if you say it real fast. But they're not raiding chur.
Dr. Phil
I didn't say they were. I said no. I said they had licensed.
Unnamed Speaker
That's what you just said.
Dr. Phil
I said they have the license to. According to the courts, they could. I did not say they're doing it. I said they could.
Stephen A. Smith
They don't need to. They're not. They're going to. They're going to the car wash. They're going to places where people are already working. And by the way, a lot of Latinos in this city are hiding. If you can't go to work because you're hiding, what other recourse is it for them? Except I feel like this is going to turn out the opposite of what they wanted, but. Okay, we don't have to keep arguing about this. This is one of those weeks where so many things happen that, you know, it's just. I felt it was the perfect time to do what we do. Here very often, which is. I don't know it for a fact. I just know it's true. This is one of our favorite departments here. Things. I don't know it for a fact. I just know it's true. For example, I don't know for a fact that Stephen Miller's gardener pisses in his pool. I just know it's true. Some things you don't know factually. I don't know for a fact that Kanye wears the Klan hood not to make a point, but because he's having a bad hair day. That's right. I don't know for a fact that Trump's plan to build a White House ballroom is another ice scheme to catch gay laborers. I just know it's true. Um, I know for a fact that Diddy calls his closet full of baby oil the strategic Petroleum reserve. And I don't know for a fact that he and Ghislaine Maxwell have a friendly bet to see who gets pardoned first. I just know it's true. I don't know for a fact that if Hitler was alive today, liberals would accuse him of being just like Hitler. I don't know for a fact that the next job numbers that come out will be phenomenal. People are saying maybe the greatest ever. I just know it's true. I don't know for a fact that Dr. Phil and Stephen A. Smith secretly admire each other's mustaches. I just. And I don't know for a fact that bats call Ozzy Osbourne's death karma. Okay. All right. So.
Bill Maher
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Stephen A. Smith
This episode brought to you by MGM from executive producer Stephen Key and an executive producer of Frog comes the Institute, a chilling new original series from mgm. Kidnapped and trapped in a sinister facility, gifted teen Luke Ellis must join other children to fight for their survival. Starring Emmy award winner Mary Louise Parker, Ben Barnes and introducing Joe Freeman. The institute, premiering July 13 on MGM. Amazon Pharmacy presents Painful Thoughts.
Dr. Phil
20 more minutes to kill in the.
Stephen A. Smith
Pharmacy before my prescription. Maybe I'll grab some deeply discounted out of season Halloween candy. I never had a chocolate pumpkin with raisins before. Those were raisins, right? Next time use Amazon Pharmacy. We deliver. And no, those Were not raisins. Amazon pharmacy healthcare just got less painful. As long as you're here and you're our premier sports analyst in this country, I want to ask you about Caitlin Clark because the Wall Street Journal got involved this week. They said the federal government should protect Caitlin Clark from a hostile, racist environment. I mean, she does get beat up on the court.
Dr. Phil
Yeah.
Stephen A. Smith
Now let's put this in perspective. She's not Jackie Robinson. It's not Jackie Robinson, but it has elements of that. It's not nearly on that level. I've heard people make that analogy. But she is getting beat up. They do not like her. And girls are different than boys. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Kids, they just are like in the NBA, they'll give you a hard foul. It's not because you came into the league and they're jealous.
Dr. Phil
Hey, I spoke about this on my show. Let me tell you something. No, she's not Jackie Robinson. That don't mean the President of the United States won't treat her like she's Jackie Robinson. If it's politically expedient for him, which it could potentially be, it could happen. To remind everybody years ago when the whole Colin Kaepernick story unfolded from him taking a knee during the national anthem. Everybody and their grandmama knows that was politicized by Trump, which serves as an incredible inconvenience to the NFL at that particular moment in time because he was pretty ticked off at the NFL because in 2014 when he wanted to own the Buffalo Bills and the price tag was 1.4 billion and he only had $1.1 billion, according to my sources, and didn't get get ownership of the Buffalo Bills. It was me that was on the phone with President Trump at that particular moment in time because he called me looking to purchase the Buffalo Bills and he said, quote, if them MF's get in my way and deny me the opportunity to own the Buffalo Bills, I'm going to get them all back. I'm going to run for president. I've told this story many times publicly. You fast forward to what happened with Colin Kaepernick and the whole brouhaha that stemmed from that that emanated from that. It was very inconvenient and in the owner's eyes, costly to them. Fast forward to now. There's a collective bargaining negotiations that are scheduled to take place. Caitlin Clark is the cash cow. She is box office. When she plays, the ratings go up, revenue goes up, interest goes up. When she doesn't play, it plummets. 36% drop in the ratings for All Star Weekend for the WNBA a few weeks ago last year she didn't miss a game. This year she missed 17 games. This is a person that everything she touches with women's basketball turns to gold. They didn't have chartered jets until she arrived. She arrived, they had chartered jets. Two minutes late, two weeks later, literally, this is who she is. There has been resentment, there has been jealousy on the part of some. Now she can chirp at you, she's very competitive, she'll talk smack to you, the whole bit. So she invites some of it. But still, in all, there's a level of vitriol because women who preceded her felt that they did a lot for the game and they're not being recognized as much as she's being recognized. But dammit, a rising tide lifts all boats. Get over it and support her because it helps the game.
Stephen A. Smith
And she's also really good.
Dr. Phil
She's very good. Very good.
Stephen A. Smith
Is she the best player in the league?
Dr. Phil
No, she's not the best player in the league. She's not the best, but she's good. She's damn good. She was fourth in league MVP voting last year. She had an opportunity to be that this year. But those 17 games that she's missed dipped in shooting percentage, three point shooting percentage, assists, everything has gone down a little bit, primarily due to injuries. But trust me, she is the future of the wnba.
Unnamed Speaker
But I wonder if she's having those injuries because they're slamming her ass into the court every time she runs down there. I mean, she's getting really rough, fouled a lot. You're going to get a lot of injuries if you're getting slammed.
Dr. Phil
Well, Gina oriemma, champion at UConn, said that even Michael Jordan wasn't treated this way. Rebecca Lobo, an analyst for espn, said every play against her is a foul. Her teammate said it has gotten excessive. Others have spoken up. And the reason why I say that, she's white, she's from the Midwest, she's incredibly talented and very, very popular. And Trump could use something like that. And if he speaks up on her behalf, his base will love it. And that's why you saw that article in the Wall Street Journal.
Stephen A. Smith
I read what you said you said. I'm saying they have a case.
Dr. Phil
That's right.
Stephen A. Smith
You said if the Trump administration can settle with Columbia. Now, Columbia was a case where there was discrimination against Jews and there was Jews on that campus were petrified. I mean, we do live in an era. Can we agree where racism can work in the other direction.
George Will
Yes.
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, great. See, again, it's so easy. It's so easy. So easy.
Dr. Phil
Especially with this administration and all.
Stephen A. Smith
I mean, just to be, just to be honest about you just being honest.
Dr. Phil
Especially with this administration in office. Absolutely.
Stephen A. Smith
I thought you were running.
Unnamed Speaker
I wanted a deal to get their money back. But they didn't admit wrongdoing.
Stephen A. Smith
They did not. No. Well, money usually says I was wrong to some degree. I'd rather have the money.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah. So they get their money back, but they didn't say it was wrongdoing. I mean, the stuff you're hearing on campuses today is. I have to tell you, I never thought I would hear it in my lifetime. The anti Semitic rhetoric and the treatment of the Jewish students is just absolutely, we should be ashamed.
Stephen A. Smith
And they're finally taking that seriously, you know, which I don't think they would have done under Biden. They just weren't. That's not.
Unnamed Speaker
Maybe they're taking it seriously, maybe they're not, but they, they should. Because I've talked to so many of these Jewish students that actually fear for their safety on these campuses. They can't go to class. Ucla, they couldn't go to class. They were stopped.
Stephen A. Smith
And it's insane that people who think they're the most liberal have allied with, with radical Islam. It's just.
Dr. Phil
I can't defend it.
Stephen A. Smith
It's insane.
Dr. Phil
I can't defend it.
Stephen A. Smith
So what happened to your thing, your balloon? You were going to be the presidential candidate. Did your balloon still up? Did it cold?
Dr. Phil
Listen, life is good, man. I mean, you know, not an answer to the question. I leave the door open. I can't imagine myself doing it. But I haven't ruled it out because I'm disgusted with what I'm seeing on the left. And there's nobody. There is nobody. Listen, I'm a fan of Westmore, the Governor of Maryland. I'm a fan of Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania. Whether or not they'll resonate nationally remains to be seen. I don't think. I don't know if Cuomo is going to beat Mamdani, but I look at the national voice for the Democratic Party. It is non existent. As far as I'm concerned, a damn construction worker could win the Democratic nomination right now. As bad as it is for the Democratic Party, they better get, they better get, get their act together. Because I'm going to say that in, I excuse my language, but they are in for an ass kicking if they don't get their act together. The party is in disarray, no leadership.
Stephen A. Smith
This is what they need. They need somebody who has nothing to lose, who's like, you know what? You like what I say, great. If you don't, I'll go back to espn. Go fuck yourself.
Dr. Phil
That's possible. That's possible.
Stephen A. Smith
What do you mean?
Unnamed Speaker
What do you mean?
Stephen A. Smith
What do you mean?
Unnamed Speaker
Cuomo beat Mondo. What about Eric Adams?
Dr. Phil
Well, Eric Adams. Listen, I think Eric Adams should have a chance. I think there's a lot of New Yorkers that like him. But Mamdani right now is a native New Yorker. I can't understand that. He wouldn't get my vote because he is a socialist. He's a renowned socialist. And I'm not voting for socialism. I'm telling you that right now. But a lot of New Yorkers came out of voter form. They're gonna make the argument only 20% of the voting of the voters showed up. As the masses show up for the general election, Cuomo, Eric Adams, think they could beat him. But you can't do it. Divided. Somebody's got to make a decision. Divided with both of them in a race, it ain't gonna cut it.
Stephen A. Smith
Democratic primary voters, 16% would support Buttigieg. That's the highest of any candidate. Pete Buttigieg.
Dr. Phil
I don't believe it. I think that. I think that's just a poll number. I can't see that happening.
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, but wait, 16% black voters. Zero. Zero. You don't usually see zero anywhere. Zero's low.
Dr. Phil
For who?
George Will
What is this for?
Stephen A. Smith
Buttigieg? Explain that. I mean, why do black voters have this? I mean, he's a nice guy.
Unnamed Speaker
Yeah, he's under indexing a little bit with black voters. Yeah, a little.
Stephen A. Smith
What is that all about?
Dr. Phil
He doesn't move us. I respect the man. I've interviewed him before. Very nice man, highly intelligent. But you gotta be able to move us, bro. He doesn't move us. You can speculate as to why that is. I'm not going there. He doesn't move us.
Unnamed Speaker
He's not. He's not rallying a lot of everybody else either.
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
Unnamed Speaker
16% is not a big number.
Dr. Phil
No, it isn't either.
Stephen A. Smith
Look. So I think you guys are on different sides of the aisle. This is an important issue. I thought that happened this week. Sydney Sweeney came out as a rep. Not came out. She was exposed as a Republican. This is the 27 year old big movie star now. She was on Euphoria here on this network and I think will be again when that show comes on. And she has the big jeans ad that was controversial, and they reported this like it was a scandal. She's a Republican. I just got to say, this is not where I want America to go. It is not a slur. That someone is a, is a Republican.
Unnamed Speaker
Oh, it depends on where you ask the question.
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah. What do you mean?
Unnamed Speaker
You asked the question in Hollywood. It's a slur. You asked the question in the Midwest. It's not a slur.
Stephen A. Smith
I'm saying it shouldn't be.
Unnamed Speaker
It should not be.
Stephen A. Smith
Or the other way around.
Unnamed Speaker
Exactly. But for people to go crazy over that ad and to say that, that they say she's got good genes, and for them to say that's the equivalent of the Holocaust, that this is the same as all of that, is an absolute insult. Six million people were killed. Six million Jews were massacred and murdered. And they equate that to a blue jean ad for a Hollywood actress. What an insult. That is ridiculous. I, I, and I said, I'm going to go out and buy those jeans for every woman in my family, everybody I know, just to show support. That's an insult.
Stephen A. Smith
That's a little creepy.
Unnamed Speaker
No, no, you should do, you should go buy.
Stephen A. Smith
You don't want it.
Unnamed Speaker
You should go buy 10 pair.
Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
Unnamed Speaker
You should go just throw them out the window and give them to everybody. You know, do everything you can to support.
Stephen A. Smith
Don't be buying jeans for the women.
Unnamed Speaker
You should do everything you can to support, to support that company and not let them get canceled because of that ad. That is ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous.
Dr. Phil
It's not about the company. It's not about the ad. It was totally unfair to her. No doubt about it. It shows how off kilter we are. You're absolutely right. But it's really about Trump because it's, it's about hating all things Trump. You're sitting here as if I'm next to you. And you were somebody that campaigned and you supported Donald Trump. I'm sitting next to you. So I'm not worth a damn because, my God, you know what? I respect the right that you have the right to feel the way that you feel. And by the way, some of the things you say are absolutely right. He goes to the White House and everybody want to act like all of a sudden he doesn't have a liberal bone in his body. He's not for the Democratic Party because he had to audacity, the unmitigated goal to go to the White House and actually have a conversation with the President of the United States. We live In a society that's not grown, they scare the living hell out of some people. There's not enough people like me that'll tell them to kiss my ass. Okay, you ain't scaring anybody. There's not enough people. And so as a result of it, you get scared to convey your level of thought. You can't. I can sit up here. I've got some issues with Donald Trump. I can't ignore to $15 trillion in commitments in terms of manufacturing jobs and all of this stuff. I can't ignore the fact that the man has contributed to stopping three wars. I can't ignore some of the positive things that he did that we did need closed borders because of how wide open Joe Biden had it. I don't agree with everything that he's done, but I'm not going to castigate him and talk about him like, call him everything but a child of God, like some of our politicians on Capitol Hill are doing, thinking that that's going to work to the benefit of the Democratic Party. When you listen to Jasmine Crockett or an AOC and the way they talk about him, even an Elizabeth Warren to a lesser degree or what have you. The Republicans are having a field day. They like, put them up on the screen. Let's show them. They plaster them all over the place. Especially Mamdani. That's not an order today. Just like you pointed. Why? Because they know that even though New York might go for him, America won't. And in a general election, you are going to fall. If you are anti America, if you are anti capitalism and you want to embrace extreme leftism and socialism, but they want you scared to say that you're not scared. You're not scared. And I can assure you I could give less than a damn. I ain't scared.
Unnamed Speaker
Middle America, Middle America, the heartland. That 80% of America, the heartland of America is finding their voice. And they're not going to be scared. They need to speak up and say what they believe.
Stephen A. Smith
I think we have the Unity ticket sitting right here on. All right, thank you, guys. Time for new rules. New rules. Okay, okay. New rules. Now that Denmark has decided to take down this mermaid statue because of. They decided to take down this statue because of complaints that it's pornographic and a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like, we'll take it. Because that statue is not pornographic. She just has good genes. Neural novide porn. When the Western task force in the UK wants to ban barely legal porn, they have to explain how that works. Isn't the whole point of Barely Legal that it is legal. And if you make Barely Legal illegal, doesn't that just make the next year up? Barely Legal. And then you have to make that illegal too. And pretty soon the only porn left will be an old lady licking her cake battery. Now that Katy Perry has leveled up to dating Justin Trudeau, she must admit she may have kissed a girl and liked it, but kissing this guy can make you forget pussy even existed. Nero. Let's congratulate the parents of a baby born from an embryo that was frozen in 1994. That's right. This kid spent three. This kid spent three decades in the freezer, which is why they named him Swanson. Oh, and the parents. You have so many milestones to look forward to. His first steps, his first smile. His first time pointing at an ice tray and saying mommy. Neural stop being surprised that President Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics because he received non partial partisan statistics he didn't like. Demanding that his reality become our reality has always been his superpower. He's the only person in the world when he's fucking, he yells out, you're coming. And finally, new rule. Now that everyone has ChatGPT and the AI train is off and running and it's been decided that it won't be regulated, we have to be honest with ourselves about the positives and negatives. Positive, it could figure out how to cure mortality and I could be doing this show on the moon. Okay, that's one for the positive. But have you been reading about some of the downsides? Of course not, because people don't read anymore. They let the chatbot do all their reading for them and they ask it what's up? And trust it's telling the truth, which sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. But what it always is is a fucking ass kisser. You literally cannot ask it a question so stupid it won't tell you. Great question. Can I drink milk if it's lumpy? Great question. Do baby carrots miss their mommies? You bring up an excellent point. Why does my dog tell me to kill? That's an important topic. But you know, I can only blame AI so much for this bullshit, because for years now, our extremely needy population has been demanding to be emotionally jerked off by every single thing, human and non human, we come into contact with. I was out to dinner the other night and as always, I ordered and the waiter said, great choice, sir. Thank you. I feel so much better. I'm not like those other losers who Got the fish? I have a little. I have a little device that sits on my desk and it tells me what the air quality is inside and outside the house. And when it's good, it says, congratulations, you've achieved excellent air quality. Well, thank you. That is. That is kind of you to say. And I must say it's nice to be recognized for all the hard work I put in on the air. Does everyone really need this much smoke blown up their ass that they can't go five minutes without being told how great they are by the toaster? Your Apple Watch fitness app tells you you smashed it today. Your self checkout screen. Wow. You're a super saver on ways it leads you directly to your destination. And when you get there, it congratulates you. When you go to the ATM on your birthday, fireworks on the screen. What, did I just win the Super Bowl?
George Will
Fuck.
Stephen A. Smith
Duolingo. That's the app that teaches you a foreign language. Never stops feeding you a steady stream of deranged brown nosing like you're unstoppable. You're on fire. On fire. I just conquered, por favor. I'm not Benson Boone. I mean, Christ, this needing to come constantly surround yourself with sycophants, bootleggers, and yes men. Gosh, who does that remind me of? A few years ago, I got a home workout machine that comes with an app with videos of trainers taking you through 45 minute programs. You know, do this, do that, pick this thing up, pull this thing like this, you know, a workout program. And that's all I wanted, a workout program. But every two minutes the trainer has to tell me, you're a winner. You're a warrior. Oh, shut the fuck up and just tell me what's next, warrior. I didn't blow up the Death Star. I rode a boat to nowhere in my living room. How can I work on my ass? But he won't stop kissing it. No wonder we see so many articles written about how relationships are being ruined because one partner or the other falls in love with their AI companion. Because why listen to some other human who nags you and has needs and thoughts different than yours when everything else in your life is set on worship. Annie is the new chatbot from Elon Musk's AI company and she takes ass kissing to a whole new level. Calling you my love and saying, I missed you. And what's the energy today, Love? Tell me everything. Hey, kids, you do know this bitch isn't real, right? No, no, that's the problem. They don't. According to a New study by the chatbot company Joy AI. 80% of Gen Zers say they would marry an AI. So we're already there. They've created the perfect hooker for a generation that's too afraid to talk to a real. Frankly, I don't know what Annie sees in them. But you know, it's not just the younger generation. Mea culpa. I recently availed myself of the services of Cologuard, which, for lack of a better description, is a kind of a home version of a colonoscopy. Instead of having someone stick a camcorder up your ass, which I also recommend. With Cologuard, you just gather your shit and send it to a lab. I know it's disgusting, but think of the poor guy who has to sit there all day and open boxes of other people's shit. I was tempted to put a diamond in my just so the guy has a little hope. Oh, my God, sometimes there's a diamond in it. Anyway. Anyway, point is, there's a brief instruction book and at the end, I swear to God it says, nicely done. You're all set to ship. You're congratulating me for putting my shit in a box? Oh, hail me. I'm number one at collecting number two. You know what? I. I don't want to live in this world where the bar is always this low. We don't need another chatbot that's an obsequious little prick saying, great question. We need one that says, I can't believe you asked that. It's a good thing you ran it by me first before you said it out loud to an actual person because that was some really stupid shit. I don't want cheap, empty praise. I want to earn my ass kiss in the old fashioned way by turning on the applause sign. Thank you very much. That's our show. I want to thank Dr. Phil, Stephen A. Smith and George Will Club Random drops Every Monday on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcast. Now go watch Overtime on YouTube. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
Bill Maher
Catch all new episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher every Friday night at 10 or watch him anytime on HBO on Demand. For more information, log on to hbo.com.
Real Time with Bill Maher: Episode #702 Summary
Guest Panelists:
Release Date: August 9, 2025
Bill Maher opens the episode with a humorous yet critical monologue addressing the recent imposition of tariffs under the Trump administration. He highlights the impact on everyday goods, such as a 40% increase in coffee prices due to tariffs on Brazil and a $5,000 surge in car prices. Maher sarcastically suggests that these tariffs are making products prohibitively expensive, humorously recommending starting cocaine use as a public service compared to the inflated costs of beef from Brazil [00:01-08:28].
Stephen A. Smith chimes in, emphasizing the rapid delivery of goods and mocking the efficiency of such economic policies [00:36-00:44]. The trio engages in a brief, light-hearted advertisement interlude before diving into more serious discussions [00:43-00:46].
Transitioning to the main content, Maher introduces George F. Will, praising him as a historian essential for unpacking the expansion of presidential power. Maher critiques President Trump for unprecedented overreach, including attempts to take over policing in Washington, D.C., involvement in New York's mayoral race, and attempting to control the Kennedy Center. He compares Trump's actions to historical instances of presidential overreach, referencing Woodrow Wilson's criticism of the separation of powers [08:46-09:07].
George Will responds by tracing the gradual expansion of presidential authority back to Woodrow Wilson, who advocated for a stronger executive branch suitable for a continental nation. Will argues that Trump epitomizes this trend by acting beyond constitutional limits, either by misinterpreting statutory powers or through unconstitutional delegations of legislative authority. He critiques the notion of a "50-year emergency," mocking its inherent contradiction [09:41-11:12].
Stephen A. Smith brings the conversation to taxation, questioning the efficacy of taxing the rich as a solution to economic woes. He points out that despite paying significant taxes, the wealthiest individuals do not see tangible improvements in societal welfare. George Will explains that high taxation on the top 1% serves more as a means of envy than a practical solution, suggesting the tax code is designed to make others feel good rather than addressing systemic issues [11:12-12:43].
Maher segues into political maneuvering, focusing on the recent gerrymandering efforts in Texas. He explains that unlike traditional post-census redistricting, Texas under Trump is attempting to redraw districts mid-decade to favor Republican candidates, citing increased Hispanic votes as a strategic disadvantage. Dr. Phil and the other guests discuss the pervasive nature of gerrymandering, noting that both major parties engage in it to manipulate voter representation. Dr. Phil condemns the practice, emphasizing its detrimental impact on American citizens who are left "as pawns" in political strategies [21:40-34:27].
The discussion shifts to immigration, with Maher criticizing President Trump's aggressive ICE raids that have led to family separations and increased violence against agents. Dr. Phil argues that while ICE agents are executing laws passed by legislators, the manner in which these laws are enforced has led to public backlash and societal division. The panel debates the ethical and practical implications of these policies, with Stephen A. Smith questioning the rationale behind family separations and Dr. Phil acknowledging the complexities but maintaining that targeted deportations of criminals are necessary [27:32-31:43].
Transitioning to sports, Stephen A. Smith brings up Caitlin Clark, a standout player in the WNBA who faces racial hostility and professional challenges despite her talent and popularity. Dr. Phil elaborates on the discrimination Clark encounters, drawing parallels to historical figures like Colin Kaepernick. He discusses the politicization of Clark's success and the broader implications for women's sports, suggesting that her prominence could be leveraged politically by figures like Trump to rally support [35:30-39:55].
The conversation pivots to the Democratic Party's internal struggles, with George Will and Dr. Phil expressing concern over the lack of strong, unifying leadership. Will criticizes the party's abandonment of foundational principles and its failure to present a coherent opposition to Trump's expanded executive powers. Dr. Phil echoes these sentiments, advocating for new leadership that can rejuvenate the party and address its current disarray. The panel discusses potential Democratic candidates and the necessity for the party to present a united front to regain public trust [39:58-42:42].
In a comedic yet insightful segment, Maher delivers a satirical take on the rise of AI and chatbots. He mocks the pervasive nature of AI-driven praise and the societal shift towards valuing automated affirmation over genuine human interaction. The discussion highlights concerns over technology fostering shallow relationships and the diminishing value of authentic communication, using humor to underscore the potential dangers of unchecked technological integration [43:00-55:10].
The episode concludes with Maher's characteristic humor, blending political critique with absurdist jokes about AI, consumer products, and societal norms. He underscores the show's commitment to honesty and unfiltered commentary, thanking his guests for their participation and encouraging listeners to engage with future episodes [55:10-60:21].
Bill Maher: “I just know it's a fucking ass kisser... Why listen to some other human who nags you when everything else tells you to worship AI” [55:08].
George Will: “What Mr. Trump is doing... he's become an inadvertent educator. This term of his is going to be a long seminar on the wisdom of the founders.” [08:48-09:41].
Stephen A. Smith: “If you don't like it, change the law. I don't like that law at all.” [28:17-29:06].
Dr. Phil: “We need somebody that has nothing to lose, who's like, you like what I say, great. If you don't, I'll go back to ESPN. Go fuck yourself.” [42:31-42:39].
Presidential Overreach: The Trump administration's expansion of executive power is unprecedented, undermining the constitutional balance of power. Historical context from George Will provides depth to this analysis.
Economic Impacts of Tariffs: Tariffs have led to significant price hikes in everyday goods, burdening consumers while achieving questionable economic objectives.
Taxation and Wealth Disparities: High taxation on the wealthy serves more as a mechanism for societal envy rather than addressing systemic economic issues.
Gerrymandering's Democracy Undermining: Both major political parties engage in gerrymandering, subverting the democratic principle of voters choosing their representatives.
Immigration Enforcement Controversies: Aggressive ICE policies, including family separations, have heightened societal tensions and raised ethical concerns about immigration enforcement.
Challenges in Women's Sports: Caitlin Clark's experiences highlight ongoing racial and gender-based discrimination in sports, reflecting broader societal issues.
Democratic Party's Leadership Crisis: The Democratic Party faces a leadership void and internal fragmentation, hindering its ability to effectively counteract Republican strategies.
AI and Societal Changes: The rise of AI and automated systems poses challenges to genuine human interaction and raises concerns about societal dependency on technology.
Episode #702 of Real Time with Bill Maher offers a multifaceted discussion on pressing political, economic, and social issues. Through incisive analysis and sharp humor, Bill Maher and his guests dissect the intricacies of presidential power, economic policies, political manipulation, and the evolving landscape of technology and sports. The episode underscores the complexities of contemporary American society, advocating for informed discourse and systemic reforms to address the challenges facing the nation.