Real Time with Bill Maher – Episode #713

Guests: Kenny Chesney, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Bill O'Reilly
Date: November 8, 2025
Podcast: Real Time with Bill Maher

Episode Overview

This episode of Real Time features a rich blend of pop culture and sharply critical political discussion. Bill Maher welcomes distinguished country star Kenny Chesney for a candid talk about the evolution of country music and the crossover between genres. The political panel—Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and veteran commentator Bill O’Reilly—look back at recent off-year election results, debate the fractured state of America’s parties, delve into the economy’s strange dualities, and tackle current controversies, from anti-Semitism to the influence of figures like Nick Fuentes and the changing Supreme Court. The episode closes with Maher’s signature “New Rules,” skewering American political and social hypocrisy with signature wit.

1. Kenny Chesney Interview: Music, Identity, Evolution

[06:58–18:12]

Early Struggles and Humble Beginnings

• Chesney recounts his early days:

  “There was a lot of years where we would go play a club and they would have the wrong name...I would pull up in the bus and they would either have Kenny Chestnut or Mark Chesney. And it used to drive me crazy.” ([08:30])

• Both Maher and Chesney reminisce about their modest first apartments:

  “My coffee table was a cooler and I had a secondhand couch and a secondhand bed... That was probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.” (Chesney, [09:20])

Family Choices and Personal Drive

• Maher and Chesney relate over not having children:

  “I've never woken up and thought that I was missing something.” (Chesney, [10:46])

• Chesney reflects on friends judging his path:

  “When I left...they were talking about me. You know what I mean? When’s Kenny going to grow up?” ([11:12])

Crossover of Country and Pop

• Maher notes country’s sound is more mainstream now:

  “A lot of these [country] songs could be...done by pop artists, and I feel like we kind of met halfway.” (Maher, [12:20])

• Chesney credits his diverse musical upbringing (“Van Halen, Tom Petty, AC/DC...”), emphasizing that adult artistry draws on childhood influences ([12:28–13:20]).

Breaking Out of Boxes—Musical and Social

• Chesney on finding artistic identity after spending time in the Virgin Islands:

  “I realized that I can make music for them too...I wasn’t comfortable in my skin at all, but after that it all changed.” ([13:23–14:22])

Modern Music and Streaming

• Discussion of how the internet and streaming replaced geographic and cultural radio divides:

  “Today we can listen to anybody we want, whenever we want it, on all the streaming services.” (Chesney, [15:00])

Distinctiveness and Stereotypes in Country Music

• Maher teases the prevalence of “Jesus references” and country iconography:

  “These are things...my kind of thing...there is very often...Jesus references—which...doesn’t bother me.” (Maher, [15:23])

• Chesney, tongue-in-cheek:

  “I'm sure over 30 years, [Jesus’s] name got dropped.” ([16:45])

Genre Collaboration and Storytelling

• Chesney open to collaborations: “I’m open to just about anything.” ([17:02])
• He highlights the kinship between reggae and country:

  “Reggae and country music tell it like it is, and they tell it uncut. And I've always agreed with that.” (Chesney, [17:54])

• Lyric quality discussed:

  “You can't be shitty lyrics in country or rap.” (Maher, [17:58])

2. Election Results and Political Takeaways

[18:31–30:15]

Off-Year Election Recap

• Maher's takeaway:

  “They [voters] just keep asking for normal and nobody ever gives it to us...Biden went too far left. Now Trump, too far the other way...” ([19:07])

• O’Reilly’s view:

  “The reason that the Democrats won is because people were angry...when you have to pay these high prices...the incumbency loses every time.” ([20:27])

The Economic Reality and Party Messaging

• Moskowitz notes irony:

  “Democrats tried what Trump is now doing. We told everybody for a year the economy was great...and people went to the store...that was bullshit...Trump comes in...he’s running our playbook.” ([21:38])

Economic Contradictions—Who’s Doing Well?

• Maher muses on the economics of concert tickets (“Taylor Swift’s average ticket price is over $4,000”).

“How can capitalism be working so well for so many people?...other people, it’s not working for at all. When you’re 30 years old and you still have roommates, yes, capitalism has failed you.” (Maher, [26:12])

• The challenge: how to make socialism unattractive to young people who don’t know its failures

  “They refuse to crack a book and learn that we’ve tried it many, many times. It never works.” (Maher, [26:38])

• Moskowitz blames social media and foreign interference for radicalizing the left:

  “It’s TikTok, it’s Instagram...foreign powers working on these...platforms, trying to sell this stuff to our kids on all sorts of topics.” ([26:56])

Socialism, Party Identity, and the Future

• Discussion about new Democratic socialist wins, e.g., Zohran Mamdani:

  “He’s not a socialist. He’s a communist...in order to seize something, you have to use force. And that’s what the communists do.” (O’Reilly, [25:22])

• Moskowitz: “Socialism in our party is not new...This is just a new face. He’s charismatic.” ([27:37])

• Maher asks:

  “Should this be the direction the party is going?” ([29:26])

• O'Reilly critiques both parties as having drifted from their founding values:

  “Both parties have just gone completely away from why they were founded.” ([33:00])

3. Anti-Semitism, Extremism, and Media Responsibility

[33:28–45:45]

Nick Fuentes, Media Platforms, and Troll Politics

• Maher introduces Nick Fuentes, a fringe-right hate provocateur, triggering talk about platforming extremists ([34:08–38:02])
• Moskowitz:

  “It’s like asking Jews, where would you rather go? Back to Germany or Egypt? Both places are bad.” ([38:02])

• Moskowitz on the spread of anti-Semitism:

  “It is everywhere. It is moving swiftly. Okay. And now it’s starting on the right.” ([41:25])

Is Anti-Semitism a Party Problem?

• Maher credits Republicans for denouncing Fuentes, but posits Democrats hesitate to do the same about left-wing anti-Semitism:

  “I’m not so sure the Democratic politicians are more afraid to challenge their left...than the Republicans are.” ([40:19])

• Moskowitz:

  “Our party has been consumed by it...” ([40:22])

O’Reilly: “Not That Big a Problem”

• O’Reilly downplays the prevalence of anti-Semitism in America:

  “It’s not that big a problem in America...If you go and travel the country, people aren’t going, I hate those Jews. They’re not.” ([43:52])

• Emphasizes hateful actors are fringe, motivated by clicks and not representative.

4. The Nature of Evil – Discussing Dick Cheney

[45:45–47:47]

• O’Reilly’s new book on evil discussed:

  “Would [Dick Cheney] make this book? Is Dick Cheney evil?” (Maher, [46:14])

• O’Reilly’s distinction:

  “Every human being does evil things... But that doesn’t make you evil. The people that I write about...their whole lives were dedicated to evil.” ([46:32])

• Moskowitz: "Our politics has moved since Dick Cheney. There are Democrats who would love George W. Bush to return...Dick Cheney actually [protected] his daughter from Trump.” ([47:17])

5. “New Rules” and Closing Monologue

[47:47–End]

The Supreme Court, Tariffs, and Constitutional Hypocrisy

• Maher’s final monologue targets the Supreme Court’s shifting stances on presidential powers:

  “Are you going to be democracy’s last line of defense? Or is the Constitution now really—let’s be honest—just like the Bible, just a sacred old text that everyone name drops with reverence, but no one actually reads or even feels bad about ignoring?” ([54:52])

Memorable quips:

• “Look, I’m so tiny. How long could it take? Now if you say you love this thing, but you don’t obey it...It’s not the law anymore. It’s just another Bible.” ([58:00])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Artistic Freedom:

  “The music that comes out of you is a direct reflection of the music that you soaked up as a child.” — Kenny Chesney ([13:08])

• On Political Disillusionment:

  “We just keep asking for normal and nobody ever gives it to us.” — Bill Maher ([19:07])

• On the Economy’s Contradictions:

  “How can capitalism be working so well for so many people?…other people, it’s not working for at all.” — Maher ([26:12])

• On Social Media’s Role:

  “There are foreign powers working on these…platforms, trying to sell this stuff to our kids…” — Rep. Moskowitz ([26:56])

• On Extremism:

  “You put people on, ok, who are responsible. If you’re irresponsible, why would you put them on?” — O’Reilly on not platforming Fuentes ([42:35])

• On Evil:

  “Every human does evil things…that doesn’t make you evil.” — O’Reilly ([46:32])

• On the Constitution:

  “Are you going to be democracy’s last line of defense? Or is the Constitution now really…just another Bible?” — Maher ([54:52])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Kenny Chesney Interview: [06:58–18:12]
• Election Recap / State of the Parties: [18:31–30:15]
• Socialism, Economy, and Identity Politics: [26:12–33:00]
• Anti-Semitism / Nick Fuentes / Media Responsibility: [33:28–45:45]
• "Evil" & Dick Cheney: [45:45–47:47]
• New Rules & Closing Monologue: [47:47–End]

Tone and Flow

The episode delivers classic Real Time energy: quick-witted, irreverent, sometimes acerbic banter leavened with moments of genuine reflection—especially between Maher and Chesney about fame, roots, and the meaning of success. The panel portion is more combative but remains thoughtful, with Maher playing moderator, needler, and the voice of "normalcy" in American discourse.

For New Listeners

This episode is a microcosm of the show’s best qualities: mixing pop culture with weighty political debate, not shying away from controversy, and finding humor in the absurdities of modern life. Whether you’re a country music fan, a political junkie, or just looking for sharp, timely commentary, this entry delivers insight, debate, and plenty of laughs.