Real Time with Bill Maher – Episode #722

Guests: Gov. Josh Shapiro, Anthony Scaramucci, Lloyd Blankfein
Date: March 14, 2026
Podcast Host: Bill Maher

Episode Overview

This episode of Real Time with Bill Maher centers on the ongoing war involving Iran, domestic and global leadership challenges, the state of American governance, and critical questions about income inequality. Bill Maher welcomes Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to discuss practical governance, antisemitism, and American strategy in the Middle East, followed by a panel with Anthony Scaramucci and Lloyd Blankfein on wealth, tax policy, and the challenges facing democracy at home and abroad.

Main Segments & Discussion Points

I. Opening Monologue: War, Trump, and Current Affairs

[00:58 – 08:14]

• Bill riffs on the third week of the war with Iran, poking fun at the threat of Iranian drones targeting California, the price of oil, and what it means for Trump and everyday Americans.
• He jests about the Pentagon’s new “macho, non-woke” military image, Trump’s bizarre habit of guessing shoe sizes for male cabinet members, and the new Ayatollah’s rumored health issues.
• Sets the tone for the show: irreverent, funny, topical—hitting hard at both sides.

Notable Quotes:

• Bill Maher [03:30]: “When oil prices go up, we make a lot of money. Who’s ‘we’? ExxonMobil makes a lot of money. We dig for change in the cup holder!”
• Bill Maher [07:10]: “They hate the infidel West until their dick doesn’t work. Then it’s ‘get me on the 2pm to Heathrow!’”

II. Interview: Gov. Josh Shapiro (Democrat, Pennsylvania)

[08:14 – 21:04]

A. On Governance, Cynicism, and Getting Things Done

• Shapiro discusses his book Where We Keep the Light, focused on inspirational stories from Pennsylvania.
• Both Bill and Shapiro note the disconnect between the “goodness of the people” and the cynicism/brokenness in politics.
• Shapiro touts his approach as a "Get Shit Done Democrat," highlighting rapid infrastructure recovery (e.g., reopening I-95 in 12 days) and permit reform in Pennsylvania.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh Shapiro [09:50]: “Be a GSD Democrat, get shit done Democrat... people are frustrated, rightly so, but we can turn that around.”
• Bill Maher [11:27]: “We see it all the time. We couldn’t build a railroad here in California ... too much bureaucracy, too much red tape. I feel like this is something your party really needs to take on. Maybe you’re the guy to do that.”

B. On Homelessness, Urban Issues, and Crime

• Bill presses Shapiro on why cities—often Democratic-run—struggle with homelessness and public order.
• Shapiro responds with examples from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh: increased shelters, humane treatment, and a focus on both compassion and business-friendly, safe communities.
• He touts measurable progress: hiring police, investing in violence prevention, with violent crime and gun violence stats dropping.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh Shapiro [13:10]: “We built a shelter in Pittsburgh... crime is down 13% in Pennsylvania, fatal gun violence down 43%.”

C. On Antisemitism and American Politics

• Bill asks if antisemitism in the Democratic Party (and youth culture) would be a barrier for a Jewish presidential candidate.
• Shapiro affirms pride in his Jewish identity, relates positive interfaith encounters, but also speaks bluntly about rising extremism and the need for moral clarity.

Notable Quotes:

• Josh Shapiro [17:16]: “One of the things that has united the extremes of both parties is a pervasive sense of antisemitism and bigotry toward Jews ... all leaders, Democrat and Republican, have a responsibility to call it out.”

D. On Iran and U.S. War Aims

• Bill invokes fellow Pennsylvanian John Fetterman's support for action against Iran, questioning confusion in Democratic ranks.
• Shapiro argues that the administration has failed to explain the mission’s objectives and exit strategy from the war: “If you don’t have clarity on why you’re going in, you have no way of knowing how the hell to get out.”
  [19:31]
• Criticizes the lack of leadership from the President.

III. Panel Discussion: Wealth, Inequality, and American Capitalism

Guests: Anthony Scaramucci (ex-White House Communications Director), Lloyd Blankfein (ex-Goldman Sachs CEO)
[21:04 – 31:00]

A. Wealth Concentration and Tax Policy

• Bill frames the question about billionaires: America is approaching its first trillionaire; what, if anything, should we do about extreme inequality?
• Scaramucci points to campaign finance (Citizens United) and political influence as barriers to reform.
• Blankfein argues for a “more progressive tax system” and greater investment in social goods.

Notable Quotes:

• Blankfein [25:15]: “The answer has to be a more progressive tax system ... and to give more people for free the necessities of life like childcare, healthcare, other things that cost, that rich people can afford, that poor people have to scrimp to.”
• Scaramucci [24:39]: “We have to break up some of these big businesses and have some kind of tax to equalize the situation.”

B. On the Culture and Morality of Great Wealth

• Discussion about how today’s mega-rich (Musk, Bezos, etc.) continue to compete and innovate, in contrast with earlier tycoons.
• Bill and panel debate the idea of ostentatious living versus responsibility; Scaramucci argues the problem is less the creation of wealth, more the lack of opportunity below.
• The issue of populist anger due to a lack of mobility is repeatedly invoked.

Notable Quotes:

• Scaramucci [29:52]: “The reason why we have so much populism, Bill, is people don’t feel they can make it anymore ... they feel left out of the system and they’re angry.”
• Blankfein [28:43]: “The political sector has to do it ... distribution is not the burden of the generators, it’s the political sector.”

IV. (Short Segment) Trump’s Executive Order on U.S. History and “Whitewashing”

[32:38 – 35:22]

• Bill reads and mocks Trump’s new executive order demanding that U.S. historic sites be “solemn and uplifting,” not negative.
• Maher lampoons revisionist history with satirical fake museum placards (e.g.: “Thomas Jefferson had sex with his slaves because when you’re a star, they let you do it”).

V. Panel: War in Iran—Objectives, Risks, and Regional Fallout

[35:22 – 47:30]

A. U.S. Strategic Aims and Shortcomings

• Bill and guests interrogate why, despite military superiority, the U.S. struggles to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
• Blankfein explains it’s a narrow chokepoint—"It doesn’t take much firepower to menace ships."
• Scaramucci faults U.S. war planning, including the premature redeployment of minesweepers.

B. Impact on China and Escalation Risks

• Discussion about the oil trade (Iranian oil mainly to China), risks of escalation or analogous “Pearl Harbor” scenarios.
• The panel agrees there’s significant uncertainty and volatility—nobody really knows how or when it ends.

Notable Quotes:

• Blankfein [38:15]: “I’m not running for governor or president … I would say I don’t know how long this will last.”
• Blankfein [41:05]: “We have done [is] weakened their capacity to do as much mischief as they were doing in the past.”
• Scaramucci [43:33]: “You’ve degraded the place and maybe you’ve pushed more people towards the regime as a result of the economic hardship.”

C. Civil War in Iran, U.S. Involvement, and “Regime Change”

• Bill shows photos representing competing factions in Iran: secular, pro-Western crowds versus regime supporters.
• Panel questions the wisdom of U.S. involvement in another nation’s civil strife.
• Blankfein: "I just don’t want them to have the capacity to blow us up ... put a low likelihood on a democratic George Washington figure."

D. Financial Guidance Amid War

• Bill asks what American investors should do amid such turmoil.
• Scaramucci: “Sit tight. There’s going to be a lot of volatility, but I think the mission is going to be successful. The strait will get open by mid-April.”
  [44:43]
• Discussion on crypto as a hedge—Blankfein and Bill both express skepticism, Scaramucci defends its proponents.

Notable Quotes:

• Blankfein [46:07]: “I can't figure out what it does. ... Its highest purpose is to pay ransoms and to extortionists.”
• Scaramucci [45:33]: "If you do the homework, 9 out of 10 people end up owning some of it."

VI. Maher’s “New Rules” Segment

[47:30 – End]

A. Academy Awards, Diversity, and the Culture Wars

• Bill riffs on the OscarsSoWhite anniversary, challenging the persistence of “progressive gaslighting” despite visible progress in Hollywood.
• He argues against “affirmative action movies” and production quotas, lampoons the Academy’s history of bias (and poor taste), and notes how frequently greatness is snubbed.

Notable Quotes:

• Bill Maher [50:11]: “Oscars are no longer a long, boring show full of white people. It’s a long, boring show full of all people.”
• Bill Maher [52:20]: “I mean, the whole thing is so Hollywood—a room full of know-nothings who call themselves the Academy, making everyone tremble before their judgment even though their judgment is often terrible.”

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• On U.S. military strategy:
  "We are looking a little nervous in our war room ... The most macho administration we’ve ever had. Also the gayest, I gotta say." — Bill Maher [06:00]

• On Pennsylvania efficiency in governance:
  "We did it in 12 days by getting rid of the sort of bureaucratic red tape ... and by getting out of their way." — Josh Shapiro [11:27]

• On calling out antisemitism:
  "There are seeds of antisemitism being planted all over this country ... you gotta call it out." — Josh Shapiro [17:16]

• On wealth and populist anger:
  "People that grew up like you and me, Lloyd, they feel left out of the system and they're angry." — Scaramucci [29:52]

• On crypto skepticism:
  "Its highest purpose is to pay ransoms and to extortionists." — Blankfein [46:07]

• On progress in Hollywood:
  "The Oscars are no longer a long, boring show full of white people. It’s a long, boring show full of all people." — Maher [50:11]

Key Takeaways

• Cynicism vs. Practical Governance: Shapiro articulates the challenge of moving politics away from “likes” and ideological extremes to tangible outcomes—arguing that people crave pragmatic, “get shit done” leadership.

• The Democratic Party, Identity, and Rising Hatred: Shapiro’s discussion on Jewish identity and antisemitism signals anxiety about the shifting sands in American cultural and political alliances, and the necessity for leadership to confront hate across the spectrum.

• Wealth and Social Cohesion: The panel exposes the tensions between admiration for innovation and the dangers of galloping inequality, with a rare Wall Street consensus that the system must become fairer to avoid backlash.

• Iran and the War: Throughout, the panel shows skepticism about the clarity and long-term wisdom of U.S. involvement, warning of the civil war’s complexities, unpredictable regional effects, and the importance of clear presidential leadership.

• Culture Wars in Hollywood: Maher, with characteristic provocativeness, calls out progressive excess and “victim mindset,” demanding recognition of progress made and greater realism—in both art and politics.

This summary covers the essential debates, wit, and insights from episode #722, providing a comprehensive overview for listeners who missed the show or seek a detailed recap.