Overtime – Episode #698: Stephanie Ruhle & Jonah Goldberg

Summary

Real Time with Bill Maher: Episode #698 Summary Featuring Stephanie Ruhle & Jonah Goldberg
Release Date: June 10, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode #698 of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," host Bill Maher engages in a lively discussion with guests Jonah Goldberg, co-founder of The Dispatch and host of the Remnant podcast, and Stephanie Ruhle, senior business analyst and host of MSNBC's "The 11th Hour." The conversation spans a variety of contemporary political and social issues, offering insightful perspectives and sharp commentary.

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Key Topics Discussed

1. Removal of Harvey Milk's Name from a Navy Ship

The episode opens with the panel addressing the controversial decision to erase Harvey Milk's name from a Navy ship at the onset of Pride Month.

• Jonah Goldberg expresses skepticism:
  "What was the point panel of Pete Hegseth's move to erase LGBTQ? [...] they thought this made the Navy too gay." [01:05]

• Stephanie Ruhle criticizes the move as trolling:
  "I would not have named a ship after Harvey Milk. I would not have taken the name off of it at the beginning of Pride Month either. It's trolling." [02:26]

• Bill Maher questions the utility of the decision:
  "How about why waste the time? [...] you have one of the most important jobs in the entire country [...] Do better." [02:50]

2. Surge in Marijuana Use Among Seniors

The conversation shifts to a study highlighting a nearly 50% increase in marijuana use among Americans aged 65 and older over two years.

• Jonah Goldberg humorously remarks on the trend:
  "A big jump. I mean, no jump for me. I jumped when I was 19, and I have not jumped back, so I don't know what that means." [03:06]

• Stephanie Ruhle attributes the rise to generational shifts:
  "The age cohort are the people who grew up smoking pot. [...] Joe Biden's generation didn't grow up smoking pot." [04:03]

• Jonah Goldberg shares a personal anecdote about his mother:
  "When my mother was a widow, I was always trying to get her to smoke pot because everything she complained about would have been solved with pot." [04:23]

3. Generational Differences in Pop Culture Consumption

The panel discusses the fragmentation of media consumption across generations and its cultural implications.

• Jonah Goldberg highlights the niche segmentation:
  "If something gets a million viewers, it's a giant hit. Because we are just all in our own little niche ghettos." [07:35]

• Stephanie Ruhle reminisces about shared pop culture experiences:
  "I grew up watching a lot of pop culture [...] there's a shared sort of sense where we all watch the same stuff." [07:08]

• Bill Maher comments on the timeless nature of generational divides:
  "What was young, what was cool to the youngs, was always cool to the youngs. And the old people never knew who it was." [06:43]

4. Trump's Call with Chinese President Xi and Trade Policies

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the recent reported call between former President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, focusing on the U.S.'s trade policies and the role of Treasury Secretary Scott Besant.

• Bill Maher critiques Treasury Secretary Besant's handling of trade policy:
  "Scott [Besant] is trying to push this over to the President because [...] a trade war. No one wins." [08:09]

• Stephanie Ruhle provides an analysis of Besant and Commerce Secretary Lutnick:
  "Besant is a smart guy who knows some things [...] Lutnick is like just a total sycophant and completely economically illiterate." [09:22]

• Jonah Goldberg reflects on the generational misunderstandings of trade deficits:
  "Trump does not understand trade deficits. [...] he thinks the government has a trade deficit with Elon Musk." [09:50]

• Bill Maher emphasizes the importance of international alliances:
  "Other countries are now working together to create alliances and potentially trade with China. If we wanted to actually exert our power, we would work with our alliances instead of make an enemy out of Canada." [08:59]

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Notable Quotes

• Bill Maher on government priorities:
  "You have one of the most important jobs in the entire country [...] Do better." [02:50]

• Jonah Goldberg on cultural segmentation:
  "Mr. Beast is someone who has become so extraordinarily popular and did it without any traditional channels. That's what's amazing about him." [06:51]

• Stephanie Ruhle on trade policy misunderstandings:
  "Trump just doesn't understand how trade actually works." [09:22]

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Concluding Remarks

As the episode wraps up, Bill Maher emphasizes the importance of meaningful dialogue and strategic policy-making, urging political leaders to focus on substantive issues rather than symbolic gestures. The panel leaves listeners with a nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding trade policies and generational shifts in cultural consumption.

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Final Thoughts

Episode #698 of "Real Time with Bill Maher" offers a compelling blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and critical analysis of pressing political and social issues. Stephanie Ruhle and Jonah Goldberg provide valuable insights, making the discussion both informative and engaging for listeners seeking a deeper understanding of current events.

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For more episodes and insightful discussions, visit HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher.

Transcript

[Bill Maher]

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

[Jonah Goldberg]

All right. He is the co founder of the Dispatch and host of the Remnant podcast, Jonah Goldberg. And she's the senior business analyst and host of MSNBC's the 11th Hour, Stephanie Rule. Okay, okay. These are the questions from the people. What was the point panel of Pete Hegseth's move to. To erase lgbtq? Oh, yes. Icon Harvey Milk's name from a Navy ship at the start of Pride Month. I guess that happened. I saw it in the paper myself. Yes. So there was a ship named for Harvey Milk, who Sean Penn played, remember? Won an Oscar for, I think in the movie. He was a mayor of San Francisco.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yes.

[Jonah Goldberg]

And was assassinated. Yep. Right. What was this, the late 80s? Maybe. Okay. Anyway, earlier than that. But yeah, something like that. Anyway, this is more over nothing ever. Like I said, pendulum never stops in the middle. You always have to go too far with everything. And I guess they thought this made the Navy too gay.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah.

[Jonah Goldberg]

How could you make the Navy too gay? I mean.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

There'S a sodomy in the last joke in there somewhere.

[Jonah Goldberg]

There's a deck full of semen joke. There's a poop deck joke. I'm sure there's a lot of jokes. Anyway.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

I would not have named a ship after Hervey Milk. I would not have taken the name off of it at the beginning of Pride Month either. It's trolling.

[Jonah Goldberg]

That's a good point.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah.

[Jonah Goldberg]

It's an odd choice to name for a ship. I mean, we can honor Harvey Milk. I'm not sure why. A ship. Yes.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah.

[Jonah Goldberg]

But then I agree. Why take it off? It just draws it.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Certainly not the beginning of Pride.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Month.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Right? I mean, like.

[Jonah Goldberg]

That's right. It was. It's trolling.

[Bill Maher]

Okay. Or how about ever? How about why waste the time? Why waste the paint? You have one of the most important jobs in the entire country with how many people in your head count? 3 million. And this is what your devote. This is what you devote your time doing. Do better.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Okay. So a new study shows that marijuana use among Americans 65 and older jumped near jump, nearly 50% in just two years. What's behind the rise? Well, I mean, what a. What a good time to plug my pot store in West Hollywood. The woods. It's. It's right on Santa Monica Boulevard. It's. It's the best pot store that you. I'm telling you, Woody Harrelson and my pla. Okay. Anyway, a big jump. I mean, no jump for me. I jumped when I was 19, and I have not jumped back, so I don't know what that means.

[Bill Maher]

Seniors are older and wiser.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Yeah. And also they. Exactly, Stephanie. Beautiful. I don't know.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

They're also from. I mean, the people who are in that. I don't know why it jumped that much in two months, but like. Or two years. But like, that age cohort are the people who grew up smoking pot. Right. So there are going to be more people in that generation. Joe Biden's generation didn't grow up smoking pot. They grew up, you know, pushing Rick Jaws or something.

[Jonah Goldberg]

That's true. It's what you did in your youth. I mean, when my mother was a widow, I was always trying to get her to smoke pot because everything she complained about would have been solved with potential. I don't. She was too skinny. You know, it would help her put on weight, give her the munchies. What? That's the thing she said. She said, I don't laugh enough. I mean, every. Every.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

And it would have made her cool.

[Jonah Goldberg]

She needed new friends. I mean, I'm telling you, everything would have been solved. And she just. She was World War II generation. Right? And it just, you know, it just wasn't part of their thing, you know?

[Kaley Cuoco]

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[Bill Maher]

Go to your happy price.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Priceline. Speaking of which, D Day. Today is D Day, the anniversary of D Day. I can't believe it's over 80 years. I mean, to kids, this is like, you know, ancient history, which they don't know either. But I mean, you know, but it's really not that far back. I mean, my father was not in it, but he was in that right after they landed. Went up, you know, he was World War II. That's my father. I've said this before. When my mother was born, women could not vote. She was born in 1919. Women got the vote in 1920. It is amazing how far things come in short amount of time. Which brings me back to the robot. No, okay. I'm telling you, it's always. It's gonna be about the robots. Mr. Beast just hit a historic 400 million subscribers on YouTube. But he rem remains virtually unknown to most people over 40. Well, I know him, okay? Not us pot smokers. We're 65. What does that say about how segmented our culture has become across generations?

[Bill Maher]

That's nothing new. Right? What was young, what was cool to the youngs, was always cool to the youngs. And the old people never knew who it was. I know Mr. Beast because I have teenagers.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Right.

[Bill Maher]

But. And so I don't think that's unique. I mean, Mr. Beast is just someone who has become so extraordinarily popular and did it without any traditional channels. That's what's amazing about him.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah. I take the point at the same time, like, I'm a Gen Xer, Right? The best forgotten generation.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Yes.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

And I grew up in a world that had, you know, five, six channels. And so I grew up watching a lot of pop culture that, you know, Gilligan's island, which did not air, you know, in first syndication, first run, when I was a kid, it was all on reruns, Odd Couple, mash, all that kind of stuff. So I grew up in a comic where there's a shared sort of sense where we all watch the same stuff that's over and there's good things about it and there are bad things about it.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Yeah. I do think it's a little different in the sense that in the old days, I mean, the real old days, you know, a show would get a 40 share, which mean, like, 40% of the country. Yeah, 40% of the country was watching. Now, if something gets.

[Bill Maher]

That's a great point.

[Jonah Goldberg]

If something gets a Million viewers. It's a giant hit.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Because we are just all in our own little niche ghettos. Okay, what are your thoughts? What are your thoughts on Trump and President Chinese President Xi reported call yesterday. I don't know. Do we know what was said in that important call?

[Bill Maher]

We don't know what was said, but what I think is extraordinary is his Treasury Secretary, Scott Besant. So when you see Scott on tv, he always looks nervous. And it's not that he's not great on tv. He's nervous because he's being forced to defend a tariff policy, an economic policy that he knows is not rooted in truth. And so Scott just this week kept saying, yes, we've stalled out on these talks with China, but the President, he's about to have a call with Xi because Scott Bessen is trying to push this over to the President because again, this goes back to Donald Trump having a pair of deuces in a trade war. No one wins. And President Xi is prepared for his country to be in pain and he doesn't need to get reelected. And Donald Trump is in a much more precarious position, I think.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Yeah. Because he also doesn't have friends anymore. I mean, Putin is on the rocks with him. He's on the rocks with Elon, you.

[Bill Maher]

Know, but even countries that are our allies, in the last six weeks, during the 90 day pause, these other countries are now working together to create alliances and potentially trade with China. Right. If we wanted to actually exert our power, we would work with our alliances instead of make an enemy out of Canada.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

I agree with that. One of my biggest problems with the beginning of this conversation is that he didn't get to point out something. Howard Lutnick's name came up a few times. Howard Lutnick is what social science, it's a technical term, but what social scientists call a moron. And he has a thumbless grasp of international trade. Scott Besant understands these things deeply. And the problem is, okay, Besant is the Treasury Secretary. Treasury Secretary Nick is Commerce.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Secretary of Commerce. Right. He's the one they call Nutlik.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah. When they're being kind and.

[Bill Maher]

But when they're not.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

So the problem with Bessant is he's actually a smart guy who knows some things, but he's like one of the last, like Trump first administration gatekeeper types that try to keep Trump on the street and narrow. Howard Lutnick is like just a total sycophant and completely economically illiterate. And so Besant, he gets stuck in these situations where he is trying to polish turds day after day. And it's really, really hard. You bring up Canada. The only reason why we have a trade deficit with Canada is that Canada, through a long standing relationship, sells US Oil at below market prices, straight through pipelines down to the Gulf Coast. So we get a deal on it. It's lower than the global price. Great deal. Right? That's the kind of deal you think Trump would like, but Trump does not understand trade deficits. If you got rid of the oil, we would have a trade surplus with Canada. But Trump just doesn't understand how trade actually works. And I thought it was hilarious where Trump started talking about yanking stuff from Musk, you know, these contracts and stuff. The basic upshot of it was that he thinks the government has a trade deficit with Elon Musk. Right. Like, we don't get rockets or anything from him. It's just any money that goes out, he thinks the government loses.

[Jonah Goldberg]

And also, we just sort of, because we're so used to this kind of stuff, we just kind of glide over the fact that a president has a personal feud with the guy and then threatens him and his government contracts.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Right.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Which I would just.

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Which would be a scandal in the normal times.

[Jonah Goldberg]

Well, I would just say to my Republican friends, that would be okay if the Democrats did it, right?

[Stephanie Ruhle]

Yeah, no, absolutely.

[Jonah Goldberg]

All right. You guys are a lot of fun, but it's Pride Month. I got to get to the Abbey. Thank you very much, everybody.

[Kaley Cuoco]

Catch all new episodes of Real Time.

[Bill Maher]

With Bill Maher every Friday night at 10 or watch him anytime on HBO on Demand. For more information, log on to hbo.com.