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Ep. #707: WH Border Czar Tom Homan, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Alex Wagner - Real Time with Bill Maher | Wave AI Podcast Notes

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Ep. #707: WH Border Czar Tom Homan, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Alex Wagner

Real Time with Bill Maher

Sat Sep 20 2025

Real Time with Bill Maher, News, Jokes, Politics, Overtime

Summary

Real Time with Bill Maher – Episode #707

Guests: Tom Homan, Sen. Joe Manchin, Alex Wagner

Date: September 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the escalating political and cultural polarization in America, focusing on free speech, media “cancel culture,” and immigration policy. Bill Maher and his guests—former ICE director Tom Homan, Senator Joe Manchin, and commentator Alex Wagner—debate recent high-profile controversies, including the firing of Jimmy Kimmel, government threats against media, and border policy under recent presidents. Maher’s signature "New Rules" segment closes with a reflection on the futility of politicizing mass shootings.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Monologue: Media Cancellations & Free Speech (01:40–10:14)

Bill Maher opens with sharp commentary on the firing of Jimmy Kimmel after controversial remarks and the right’s increasing pressure on media outlets, invoking his own history with ABC (“White House keeps heat on ABC’s More”).
Maher criticizes both political sides for stoking fear and attacks the hypocrisy of “cancel culture,” arguing it’s wielded by whoever holds power.
Notable quote:
- “It was 24 years to the day that I made comments on ABC that got me canceled from that network. And Jimmy Kimmel took my slot... I got canceled before cancel even had a culture.” — Bill Maher (03:45)
He frames the broader stakes: erosion of tolerance for opposing views, and government threats to free speech.

2. Border Debate with Tom Homan (10:14–21:03)

Republican Engagement vs. Democratic Absence

Maher notes that Republicans regularly accept his invitations for debate, while major Democratic figures often decline.
Raises concerns about hypocrisy around free speech, as both right and left weaponize the issue.

Border Security: Policy & Numbers

Tom Homan claims the U.S. currently has “the most secure border in the nation’s history” but blames Biden for a massive surge at the border—over 10 million crossings.
- “If Joe Biden became president, we’d lose the border... When you make this type of offer, the whole world’s going to come...” — Tom Homan (10:53)
Maher challenges the numbers and questions Democratic motives for permissive policies; Homan speculates about political advantages (congressional seats, future voters).
- “No one did it better than President Trump... Joe Biden, the first president... that came into office and unsecured a border on purpose.” — Tom Homan (13:04)
Sanctuary cities are debated—Homan calls them “sanctuaries for criminals,” arguing they block ICE from detaining known threats.
- “They’d rather release the criminal... back into public. There’s no justification for sanctuary city other than just its politics.” — Tom Homan (14:30)
Maher advocates some level of immigration and suggests an amnesty for those already here, citing their economic contributions.

Enforcement & Human Costs

Homan defends prioritizing dangerous criminals but insists “If you’re in the country illegally, you’re not off the table,” emphasizing the need to uphold laws.
- Vivid stories illustrate smuggling’s brutality: “I’ve talked... to nine-year-old little girls who were raped by multiple members of a cartel just for passing her across the river.” — Tom Homan (17:08)
Maher presses on alleged heavy-handedness of enforcement; Homan counters that it preserves opportunities for lawful immigrants.

3. Panel Discussion: Cancel Culture, Political Violence & Division (23:26–45:39)

The Jimmy Kimmel Firing & Free Speech Hypocrisy

The firing of Kimmel exemplifies cancel culture, says Maher, who sees it as about power, not principles.
Joe Manchin urges regulation of online free speech, suggesting curbing Section 230 to hold platforms accountable.
- “We do nothing to reel in the Internet. We do nothing on social media...” — Sen. Joe Manchin (24:12)
Maher and Alex Wagner highlight government overreach, with Maher calling out Mike Pence’s misunderstanding of the First Amendment.
- “The First Amendment... does not protect entertainers who say Crass or thoughtless things. The fuck yeah, it does.” — Bill Maher (26:59)
Wagner notes administration officials' open threats toward media.

Who Gets Canceled?

Maher mocks selective outrage, referencing Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade joking about “just kill” the homeless—ignored by the right.
- “Brian says, or just kill them. And this apparently not controversial.” — Bill Maher (33:48)
All lament the loss of civility and willingness to openly debate:
- “The only crusade we really need is a crusade for civility.” — Sen. Joe Manchin (34:15)

Division & Calls for “National Divorce”

The panel discusses figures—from Marjorie Taylor Greene to Ben Shapiro—openly floating a national separation. Maher jokes about which side would inherit American cultural touchstones.
Ted Cruz earns rare bipartisan praise for defending free speech despite disliking Kimmel’s comments:
- “If the government gets in the business of saying we don’t like what... we’re going to ban from the airwaves—it will end badly for conservatives.” — Bill Maher quoting Ted Cruz (37:41)

Reaching Across the Divide

Manchin stresses empathy and bipartisanship, telling a story about fostering cross-party relationships on his houseboat (“a little boat on the river”)—showing that personal contact can overcome division.
- “Before the night was over, the two were talking, became friends, and did an amendment the next day.” — Sen. Joe Manchin (38:10)
Maher and Wagner agree both major parties have failings, but Wagner insists current GOP leadership deliberately foments division.

4. Reflecting on Assassination, Partisanship, and Shared Humanity (44:01–45:39)

The panel reflects somberly on the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, warning against inhumanity toward political enemies.
- “Charlie Kirk’s assassination is as bad for Democrats as it is for Republicans... you do not have to agree with what he said or what he believed in, but you have to mourn what his death represents.” — Alex Wagner (44:29)
Wagner and Manchin spar over whether division is equally fueled by both sides; Maher suggests left-wing “cancel culture” was less state-driven than current right-wing efforts.
Manchin demurs on running for president but signals continued political involvement.

5. The Future of Parties: Democrats and Independents (46:06–48:26)

Manchin, promoting his new book “Dead Center,” calls for a centrist “American party,” warning that Democrats risk alienating working people.
- “When you quit worrying about the working person... There’s something wrong. And they lost ’em.” — Sen. Joe Manchin (48:09)
Wagner defends the Democratic “big tent” and insists rumors of the party's demise are premature.

6. New Rules – Political Satire & Commentary (48:27–end)

Maher's “New Rules” targets absurd headlines, playground safety, password fatigue, helicopter safety, and, most pointedly, mass shootings.
- He ridicules attempts to paint “the other side” as uniquely responsible for political violence, chronicling recent high-profile attackers whose motivations defy easy partisan categorization.
- “What this is really about is a hole in the soul and broken families and gun glorification and getting brain raped by the Internet.” — Bill Maher (54:32)

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-------------------|-------| | 03:45 | Bill Maher | “I got canceled before cancel even had a culture.” | | 10:53 | Tom Homan | “If Joe Biden became president, we’d lose the border... When you make this type of offer, the whole world’s going to come...” | | 13:04 | Tom Homan | “Joe Biden... came into office and unsecured a border on purpose.” | | 17:08 | Tom Homan | “I’ve talked... to nine-year-old little girls who were raped by multiple members of a cartel just for passing her across the river.” | | 24:12 | Sen. Joe Manchin | “We do nothing to reel in the Internet. We do nothing on social media...” | | 26:59 | Bill Maher | “The First Amendment...does not protect entertainers who say Crass or thoughtless things. The fuck yeah, it does.” | | 34:15 | Sen. Joe Manchin | “The only crusade we really need is a crusade for civility.” | | 37:41 | Bill Maher quoting Ted Cruz | “If the government... we’re going to ban from the airwaves—it will end badly for conservatives.” | | 38:10 | Sen. Joe Manchin | “Before the night was over, [Tom Harkin and Ted Cruz] were talking, became friends, and did an amendment the next day.” | | 44:29 | Alex Wagner | “Charlie Kirk’s assassination is as bad for Democrats as it is for Republicans...you have to mourn what his death represents.” | | 54:32 | Bill Maher | “What this is really about is a hole in the soul and broken families and gun glorification and getting brain raped by the Internet.” |

Tone & Style

Maher’s tone is acerbic, satirical, and often biting, but the panel brings nuance, personal anecdote, and moments of humor and solidarity. There’s a shared seriousness as they confront the consequences of political hatred, balanced with Maher’s trademark irreverence in the “New Rules.”

Recommended Timestamps

Monologue and Kimmel Firing: 01:40–10:14
Border Security & Policy: 10:14–21:03
Free Speech & Cancel Culture: 23:26–29:39
Panel Division & Civility: 33:48–38:10
Assassination & Humanity: 44:01–45:39
New Rules (mass shootings & political violence): 48:27–end

For listeners:
This episode offers a critical, often darkly humorous take on America’s fractures—and asks whether shared humanity can persist amid so much division. The border, censorship, violence, and polarization are dissected from all angles, with sharp disagreement but also a rare, earnest call for empathy and connection.

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Transcript

A (0:00)

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B (0:57)

Terms apply.

C (1:00)

Welcome to an HBO podcast from the HBO late night series Real Time with Bill Maher.

A (1:40)

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Everybody still here. Great. Thank you very much. Thank you, people. Thank you so much. Please. Thank you so much. Okay, thank you very much. I. I know why you're happy tonight. I'm still on. That's pretty much. Oh, I tell you, man, talk show hosts are going down like blockbusters in the 90s. I mean, well, I guess you all heard Jimmy Kimmel, my friend, my compatriot, he's canned by ABC for comments he made about Charlie Kirk's assassin. The day right after the FCC guy came out ahead of the FCC, said he's going to revoke ABC's license. Let me just tell you something. I am not intimidated by the fcc. And if President Trump is watching, I have one thing to say to you. Have you lost weight? You look terrific. No, that's not me. And never will be. And we're gonna get to all of it. But I think here's Life is fucking weird. It was 24 years to the day that I made comments on ABC that got me canceled from that network. And Jimmy Kimmel took my slot. Did you know that at Politically Incorrect. Oh, yes. I got canceled before cancel even had a culture. So the headline, yeah, this is. This is on my wall from the Variety. White House keeps heat on ABC's More. This shit ain't new. It's worse. We'll get to that. But you know, abc, they are steady. ABC stands for Always Be caving. So, Jimmy, Jimmy Powell, I am with you. I support you. And on the bright side, you don't have to pretend anymore that you like Disneyland. That was, that was always a great part of it for me when I got my ass canned over there. But I mean, this intimidation on the right is just so hypocritical. I mean, everyone is scared now and they're all trying to kowtow. Good Morning America is now changing its name. Could do Good Morning America. Even the scum who didn't vote for Trump. I mean, listen to this. Next year, the Golden Bachelor is Rudy Giuliani. I mean, come on, you know, I'm telling you, everybody's good. Wolf Blitzer is broadcasting live from the capitulation room. That's. And the fcc, the FCC says they're going to go after maybe next the View. They got a new show lined up. It's going to be great. It's called Morning Wood with James Wood. But I gotta say, and I'm, I'm friendly with the ladies on the View, but they didn't say anything about this this week. Nothing, you know? Cause it's never been their thing to weigh in on the issues. It's just, you know, it's just, it's just an upbeat party show. That's why they hired people named Joy and Sonny and whoops. But no girls, let me tell you. Go out strong, okay? It won't kill you, I promise. It's happened to me and I may go out after this show. We don't know. We don't know. And you know, Jimmy, look, I don't think what he said was exactly right. I don't. We don't agree on that. He didn't lose his job for it. He said the MAGA crowd was trying to characterize the assassin as anything but one of them because the guy's the 22 year old kid in Jehovah's family was Maga. As if a 22 year old with a trans girlfriend never rebelled against their family. I mean, but, but was he on the left? I don't know that either. And I hate to do this. I'm tipping the end of the show, which I work so hard on, to keep a secret from the rest of the show. But it's too relevant. What I'm talking about at the end, I'm going to have to say now, which is that it is a fool's errand to try to say that these nuts who do these things are in a team. Jimmy's wrong, I think, to put him in one team. But you know, look at what this guy is doing. I mean, Jimmy has every right to be wrong, but look at this guy. He was doing porn, video games with furries. He was on a game called Furry shades of gay 3. This kid is in his basement with VR goggles on getting virtually ass fucked by a cartoon wombat. And you're gonna put politics into this? This kid doesn't belong in either party. He belongs in a straight jacket. He's an outpatient who should not be out. But you have the right to be wrong or to have any opinion you want. That's what the First Amendment is all about. I was defending it last week on the show against what they're doing in England against the left. Come on, guys, be fair. Now Trump is going after the New York Times. He sued them for $15 billion. He said they're a mouthpiece of the Democratic Party. You know what, Don? They are. You're right. And that's their right to be that. Like there's not a thousand people on the right who are your mouthpiece, okay? That's how we work this country. And he is mad at the New York Times today. He put a tariff on Wordle. But you know this. We can't go down this road, guys. We really can't. I mean, today Trump said he was designated antifa, a major terrorist organization. And they were shocked. They said we're organized. Why not? There is no organization. Antifa is a broad designation with no identifiable leader and no observable plan like the Democrats. So just so, Jimmy, let me just say, Powell, you did a great funny show for two decades. You should be proud of that. If this firing goes for you the way it did for me, you'll get 23 years on a better network. We've got a great show. Alex Wagner and Joe Manchin are here. But first up, he is the former ICE director under President Trump and known currently as the administration's borders are Tom Holman. Tom, look at that. How you doing? Pleasure to meet you, sir. Thank you for coming here. Yes, I mean that sincerely. The first thing I have to tell you is that Republicans come here. I was saying on my show a couple of weeks ago, and people I saw from the reactions on the Internet were shocked that I mentioned this. I should have said it before. They think I don't invite the Democrats. They think we never invited the Clintons. We invite them every week. They've never come. They think we didn't invite Kamala Harris. We invited her every week. She didn't come. AOC These people don't come. The Republicans they show up and they engage in the debate. And I know this is a little off your area and we're going to get to your area, but do you really think that they're not being a little hypocritical about the free speech issue now?

D (17:08)

So here's what you don't know. First of all, Trump, President Trump has promised we're going to concentrate on public safety threats and national security threats. Right? And the data shows. Every morning I look at 22 pages of data. The last time I looked at the data was the day before yesterday. 70% of everybody arrested is a criminal. 70%. Who's the other 30%? Now they're in national security threats. We've arrested thousands of national security threats. Most of them don't have criminal histories because they're laying low to do their dirty deed down the road. And we arrest gang members, a lot of gang members don't have criminals. But let me get to the point though. If you want to send a message to the whole world, cross the border legally it's a crime, but it's okay. Have due process, get order removed by an immigration judge, don't leave, it's okay, just don't commit another crime, you're good to go. If that's the message we send to the whole world, people are going to keep coming. And let me tell you something, there's a whole illegal immigration is not a victim of crime. The reason I am who I am, I've talked and got on my knees and talked to nine year old little girls who were raped by multiple members of a cartel just for passing her across the river. I stood in the back of a tractor trailer with 19 dead people who baked to death. I ran out of Operation Ice Storm in Phoenix, Arizona, where smuggling organizations were ripping each other off because their smuggled people were worth more money then dope. So they go to the house and rip each other off. They call a relative up and say, I have your brother here. You owe us $25,000. They say, no, we agreed on 10. Well now it's 25,000. You pay it or I kill them. And they did. Bodies are piling up. They actually called relatives and tortured their son or their brother because they didn't pay the fees. What I'm saying is that's why you have to show there's consequences. Because if you send a message, there's no consequences and you want to reward illegal behavior that die cornerstone.

A (48:26)

All right. Gotta leave it there. Thank you very much. Time for new rules, everybody. New rules. Thank you. Thank you. I think it's been a great last show. All right, new rule. Some of them are. We must tell the headline writers at InStyle magazine who wrote Priyanka Chopra goes topless under her plunging blazer, that it's not topless if we can't see your tits. As if all women aren't topless underneath their clothing. Not to start a scandal, but right now, now I'm bottomless underneath these pants. New rule. Just because penguins look like they're wearing tuxedos doesn't mean they want to get married. There's been a lot of romanticizing penguin love in popular culture. But what scientists recently learned is most penguins are monogamous only for the season. Then they find a new mate each year. Not to mention all the penguins who never marry because they get cold feet. Cute. Cute. No one's gonna get fired for that one, huh? All right, new rule. It's time we admit that one reason our kids test scores are going down is that we no longer make playgrounds designed to weed out the stupid ones. New rule. If ducking down when you get out of a helicopter is the only thing keeping the blade from chopping your head off, then maybe it's best just to wait till the fucking thing comes to a stop. Call me paranoid, but giant whirring blades scare me. I won't even masturbate under a ceiling fan. I mean, when you're on a plane, they don't even let you stand up until you're at a full stop at the gate. But helicopters? Yeah, you're good to go. Watch your head. Watch it roll off your neck. You know, new rules. Stop expecting me to remember which of my 27 passwords went with your particular website, which I haven't visited since 2017. It's like I'm on a 70s game show called Locked Out. Bill Maher from Rivervale, New Jersey. You get three guesses or you get lots of. Okay, is it my birthday? College graduation year? Exclamation point. Sorry. No. Okay, is it my pet's name? Favorite sports team 69? No, not that. Well, then fuck off. Stop making me prove I'm me. If the Russians stole my identity so they can pay my parking tickets, I give up. Their long game is much better than mine. And finally, new rule. We have to create a special five stages of grief just for mass shootings. The one we have anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. That's fine for personal grief, but if it's political at all, we should acknowledge our five stages really are. Someone on your side definitely did it. This theory I saw on the Internet proves I'm right. Fuck you. You're why everything is terrible. I know you are. What am I? And please don't be the same ethnic group as. What I'd like to do now is prove to you what a fool's errand it is to try and connect today's brand of nut who commits political murder to the other side. Take Ryan Ruth. He's the lying in the bushes weirdo who's on trial now for attempted assassination of President Trump. And he's representing himself. Always a great strategy. Right up there with doing your own dentistry. He's staring. He started his courtroom presentation by saying, why are we here? Is it not to care for one another and to hold one another? Because nothing says care for one another like pointing a gun at someone's head while they're golfing. Like all these killers, his politics was all over the map. He somehow supported both Bernie Sanders and Vivek Ramaswamy, two guys who you couldn't sit next to each other at a wedding. And his choice in 2016 was Trump. And then he tried to kill him. So I guess he's a swing voter. His politics are so in the weeds. He was literally in the weeds. Trump's other would be assassin, Thomas Crooks, aka McLovin, had donated money to Democrats. So Republicans said, well, there you go. A liberal who took it too far and wanted Trump dead. Except investigators believe Crooks left hundreds of social media comments that were anti immigrant. Then why shoot the most anti immigrant president we ever had? And Crooks, a registered Republican, had also been researching Biden's travel schedule. So it looks like he would have been just as happy to shoot him or Princess Kate, who it seems he'd been casing as a potential target. So he was the worst kind of lone gunman, a slut. On his voter registration, he checked. It's complicated. That's why this is such a tedious game. Always hunting for evidence that whatever killer it is had. Whatever politics are the opposite of yours. Trying to prove that. Because this week's chinless incel voted for Dr. Oz. It means something. It doesn't. What this is really about is a hole in the soul and broken families and gun glorification and getting brain raped by the Internet. David DePape was, according to the Chronicle, a hemp jewelry maker and pro nudity activist from San Francisco. Would you peg that guy as likely to break into Nancy Pelosi's house and try to kill her husband with a hammer? Well, he did, because he also believed in QAnon and Pizzagate and the Jews bankrolled Hitler because he's not antifa or Maga. He's gaga. So was Cody Ballmer who set fire to the house of the governor of Pennsylvania, as one does when you're fed up with politics. Cody sure was. He once shared a meme that said both Democrats and Republicans would rather argue with each other than work to solve the problems we are facing. Exactly, Cody. A pox on both their houses, which I'll now start burning down. This is not about politics. Have you people really never had a bipolar girlfriend? Last month brought us the Minnesota Church Killer, Robin Westman, born Robert Westman. So naturally the conservatives were like, see? Trans. That's some of that out there liberal shit. See, this is what you get. Well, no, that's not why we got what we got. Trans was not the cause of this. Now maybe Robin really was trans. Or maybe trans was one in a series of solutions that she tried on to fix her chronic unhappiness. The joke is on you if you think you can decipher someone's manifesto that made about as much sense as Britney Spears Instagram. She displayed a Defend Equality sticker with the LGBT flag, which is very woke, but then also spoke of her hatred for filthy Zionist Jews. But then again, so did everyone at the Emmys. And now Tyler Robinson. And again we have to play the game where we each day find a tidbit about another confused knowledge free. I want you to hurt like I do, asshole. Searching for a reason to do something insane so he can LOL over watching the supposedly sane people try to make sense of it. A kid brought up conservative in Utah who looks like every white kid who holds a rifle on a Republican's Christmas card shoots a conservative. Was he rebelling against his family? Very possibly. Confused feelings about his trans relationship? Not unlikely. Plus violence in movies and getting used to murdering things from hunting and putting kids on Prozac when they're 12 and seed oils and whatever. Politics. I wish this was about politics. It's actually so much worse. It's about nihilism, about not believing anything about living in an online world. That's one big inside joke about how stupid and useless is the America that conventional people of both parties are still living in. This kid cared about furries, not foreign policy. Because in America, life isn't black and white. It's 50 shades of cray. All right, that's it. I want to thank my guests this week and every week over the last 23 years. Maybe Joe Manchin, Alex Wagner, Tom Holman, Plebe Random drops Every Monday on YouTube. Or listen whenever you get your podcast. Now go watch Overtime on YouTube. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.