Extended Interview: Bill Maher, 2026 Mark Twain Prize Recipient

Summary

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Extended Interview: Bill Maher, 2026 Mark Twain Prize Recipient

Podcast: This Week with George Stephanopoulos (ABC News)
Date: July 20, 2026
Host: John Heilemann (for this segment)
Guest: Bill Maher

Episode Overview

This special extended interview features comedian, commentator, and Real Time host Bill Maher reflecting candidly on receiving the 2026 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. In conversation with ABC’s John Heilemann, Maher discusses the importance and rarity of recognition in comedy, his long-standing career in political satire, navigating the complexities of today’s politics, and his personal relationship with audiences—and with controversial political figures, especially Donald Trump. The tone is characteristically irreverent, sharp, and self-deprecating, with Maher speaking bluntly about the art and pitfalls of comedy and politics in America.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Mark Twain Prize and Recognition in Comedy

• On winning the award:
  • Maher emphasizes how rare and meaningful the Mark Twain Prize is for comedians, calling it “the award, I think, to get” for his field ([00:46]).
  • He notes that comedy is often overlooked by Hollywood: "Comedy sometimes doesn't even have a message... So, you know, it’s just funny. And who wants that?" ([00:54])
• On being a 'big loser':
  • Acknowledging his 41 Emmy nominations without a win, Maher self-mocks: “I'm a big loser.” ([01:30])
  • “I lost a million. I didn’t lose a million, but I did lose 41.” ([01:39])

Navigating the Politicized Kennedy Center and Trump’s Involvement

• White House’s denial of award:
  • Heilemann reads the Trump White House’s faux-official response labeling Maher's win as “fake news” ([01:59]).
• On Trump-era culture wars at the Kennedy Center:
  • Maher criticizes performers boycotting the venue due to Trump’s involvement, calling the move “so stupid. First of all, you’re just giving him the victory. He doesn’t own the Kennedy Center. He doesn’t own comedy. Life goes on.” ([02:57])
• Notable moment—Trump’s symbolic gesture:
  • Maher describes the tarp covering Trump’s name at the Kennedy Center as “the last move and it's like, checkmate... Like he does in certain ways, like the tarp. I'm over the name. I wouldn't have even thought to go there. And yet you, unique man that you are, thought of it.” ([03:35])

Trump, Comedy, and Unintentional Humor

• Could Trump have been a comedian?
  • Maher: "No, because he doesn't know he's being funny." ([04:31])
  • “He’s a lot more self aware in that setting than he presents to the world, but he’s still kind of crazy.” ([04:35])
• Dinner with Trump and its aftermath:
  • On expectations of allegiance: “He’ll treat you incredibly graciously and then he expects that that means you’re going to be all in... Did he think you were going to suddenly turn MAGA because you had a nice dinner at the White House?” ([05:45])
  • “There was never a deal. It was only set up as, instead of shouting at each other, talk to each other.” ([15:36])

The State of American Politics:

• On polarization:
  • Maher laments tribalism: “It's all about my team or your team. But yeah, there's some crazy stuff, you know, when we're cheering for the intifada. I got a gut. I'm out.” ([08:29])
• Critique of both parties:
  • Republicans: "Here's my deal breaker for your side... Under Trump, you guys have two outcomes that an election can be. Either we win or they cheated. This stuff... this has to stop.” ([07:37])
  • Democrats: "Democrats are cowardly... Their party is being taken over now by, you know, every day I hear about a new, very radical... I can't sit and just not notice stuff." ([08:29])

Maher and Political Guests

• Getting guests from both sides:
  • Maher notes how Republicans accept his show invitations despite tough questioning, while Democrats increasingly avoid them: “The Democrats don't come and yet they got my vote. It's just odd, isn’t it?... Democrats are cowardly.” ([08:11], [08:29])

Relationship with Audience

• Fans as family:
  • “My relationship with the audience is the relationship of my life... my fans are everything to me. Yes.” ([09:10], [11:13])
  • On inviting a fan to the Kennedy Center: “One of the box seats I wanted to be just to represent the fan. ... It was one of the more moving parts of the night for me.” ([09:39])

The Nature of Comedy and the Changing Political Climate

• Is it hard to be funny in unfunny times?
  • On “not funny times”: “You’re just describing great comedy premises.” ([12:25])
  • “Everything's funny except things that truly aren't that you shouldn't, you know, make fun of. ... Comedians should be allowed to get over the line. You need somebody to do that, know where the line is.” ([12:31])
• On retiring from standup:
  • “You know, I'm 70, dude... I got tired of the travel. Tired of working my ass off all week on Real Time and then dragging my ass out of bed on Saturday morning... But, you know, back to the fans thing. That makes me miss it a lot.” ([13:18])

Trump, Loyalty, and Political Machinations

• On Trump attacking him more after the dinner:
  • “Yes. Because now he feels betrayed, which is silly, because there was never a deal. ... A lot of people had said, I think you’ll like this guy in person. They're not wrong. ... I just said it out loud.” ([15:36], [15:52])
  • “He’s Such a bar fighter. If he has any peak with you, he will just pick up whatever there is to get you.” ([14:24])
• Observation about Lindsey Graham and political purism:
  • “Then he got elected. Yes. One policy, when you're outside the tent. Another policy when you're inside the tent, pissing out and you know, to me, the easiest thing in the world to be is a purist. It's easy. It just doesn't work.” ([17:08], [17:13])

Democracy, Elections, and the Future

• On refusal to acknowledge 2020 election results:
  • Maher on GOP denial: “They can’t because they know [Trump’s] watching. They know where their bread is buttered...” ([19:19])
  • “Of course, that’s been my big issue from the beginning, before he was elected. Even the first time...” ([20:06])
• His own potential swing vote:
  • “My vote is in play because it can't be Trump running. ... I’ve read the quotes from the DSA platform... That’s communism. ... Trump’s doing that, too.” ([20:17], [20:51])
• On the Democratic Party’s leftward tilt:
  • Maher predicts a Democratic midterm win, but warns about radical shifts: “It’s not just a few people anymore. I read every day... not defund the police, abolish the police, no prisons, no police. Like, what world do they think we could possibly live in under these conditions?” ([21:11])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Awards: “I'm a big loser.” (Bill Maher, [01:30])
• On Kennedy Center protests: “He doesn’t own the Kennedy Center. He doesn’t own comedy. Life goes on.” (Bill Maher, [02:57])
• On Trump’s unpredictability: “Like he does in certain ways, like the tarp. I'm over the name. ... Unique man that you are, thought of it.” (Bill Maher, [03:35])
• On comedy’s enduring power: “No, everything's funny except things that truly aren't that you shouldn't, you know, make fun of. And we don't have to go into specifics. We all kind of, if you're a decent person, instinctively feel what they are.” (Bill Maher, [12:31])
• On tribalism: “It's all about my team or your team. ... But, you know, when we're cheering for the intifada, I got a gut. I'm out.” (Bill Maher, [08:29])
• On loyalty in politics: “To me, the easiest thing in the world to be is a purist. It's easy. It just doesn't work.” (Bill Maher, [17:13])
• On misconceptions:
  • “The biggest misconception is that I smoke too much pot.”
  • “[Fairest criticism:] I don’t smoke enough.” (Bill Maher, [22:56])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:46] On the Mark Twain Prize and rarity of comedy awards
• [01:30] Emmy nominations and Maher’s self-deprecating humor
• [01:59] Trump White House “fake news” response
• [03:29] Entering the Kennedy Center under a tarp
• [04:31] Could Trump have been a comedian?
• [07:37] Election denialism under Trump
• [08:11] Republicans appear on Maher's show; Democrats avoid
• [09:10] Maher's bond with his audience
• [12:31] Comedy in “unfunny” times
• [13:18] Retiring from standup and missing the fans
• [15:36] Post-dinner Trump attacks intensify
• [17:13] The difficulty and unreality of political purism
• [19:19] Republican fear of Trump; refusal to answer about 2020 election
• [20:17] Maher’s open vote, critique of Democratic Socialists and GOP
• [21:11] Democratic shifts, warning about future elections
• [22:56] Biggest misconception and fairest criticism

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Conclusion

This episode offers a frank, insightful, and very Maher blend of introspection, cultural critique, and zingers—plus a rare inside look at his interactions with Trump, his perspective on comedy, and the shifting political landscape. Throughout, Maher underscores the value of dialogue, the pitfalls of tribal politics, and the irreplaceable, sustaining power of genuine connection with audiences. Those who value honesty and irreverence—on politics, comedy, or both—will find this interview deeply engaging.

Transcript

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[John Heilemann]

Well, congratulations on winning the Mark Twain Award. Thank you. It seems like it's like the Nobel Prize for comedy.

[Bill Maher]

There aren't a lot of awards for comedy and it's pretty overlooked. Like in movies, you know, when you think about the big Oscar winners, you think about heavy heavies like Meryl Streep and De Niro. Not that they can't do comedy and have, but it's, you know, Hollywood. It takes itself very seriously. So comedy sometimes doesn't even have a message. So, you know, it's just funny. And who wants that? But for what I do, it's. Yes, the award, I think to get. And again, there's not many for this particular brand of show business. So I was very grateful and.

[John Heilemann]

And you are. You're not a big awards guy. I mean, you've, you, you've.

[Bill Maher]

I'm a big loser.

[John Heilemann]

How many Emmys is it that you've been nominated?

[Bill Maher]

Yeah, I mentioned that in this piece because people think it's a gag number. Like I'm saying.

[John Heilemann]

No, it's real. You've been nominated 41 times.

[Bill Maher]

I lost a million. I didn't lose a million, but I did lose 41.

[John Heilemann]

Or you could say you were nominated 41 times, which sounds pretty impressive.

[Bill Maher]

It is. And unfortunately, I'm the one person in the world who can't defend myself as to why that is. I have to leave it to others and many have done it very effectively.

[John Heilemann]

Now, the White House reaction to the news that you were getting this award was really something. I mean, I want to read it. Exactly. Caroline Levitt, the press secretary. This is fake news. Bill Maher is not getting this award. Steve Chung, the comms director, Literally fake news. What was going on with that?

[Bill Maher]

I don't know, but it was lovely to see him at the awards. I mean, it's not the first time, actually. There were a lot of Trump people at, you know, people of the administration. Pam Bondi came, you know, and I'm glad. But it was not a conservative crowd. It was a mixed crowd. And they both liked me. So to me, that was like there, boom. That's what I've been doing.

[John Heilemann]

As I understand it, everybody that you asked to participate said yes.

[Bill Maher]

Yes.

[John Heilemann]

Because you've seen all these people that once he took over the Kennedy center, refused to be there, dropped out of performances.

[Bill Maher]

That's so stupid. First of all, you're just giving him the victory. He doesn't own the Kennedy Center. He doesn't own comedy. Life goes on. That's the message I would send. I've always watched the Kennedy center honors. This is kind of like that, but for one guy, it's the same thing. You're up in the box, you know, it's awesome, it's great, and it's rare and it's America. And he doesn't own that either, you know, so like the idea that you people who just let him ruin everything.

[John Heilemann]

Was it strange walking into that building and the tarp is up there covering up where his name was?

[Bill Maher]

Well, you know, like you just read. As soon as I was announced, I got the thing and he fired back with its fake news. I was like, game on. Good. I'd much rather. Cause this is after our dinner, our famous dinner, you know, so, you know, back to sniping and yelling. But better than no dialogue is my view, you know, so when he did that, when he, I was like, good move, dude. Okay, that's what I would expect. And then, you know, I'll try to get it back on and then you'll say, I'm a lightweight jerk. And then the tarp was like the last move and it's like, checkmate. You can't even think. Like he does in certain ways, like the tarp. I'm over the name. I wouldn't have even thought to go there. And yet you, unique man that you are, thought of it.

[John Heilemann]

I mean, it's actually funny.

[Bill Maher]

It's hysterical.

[John Heilemann]

I mean, do you think if Trump hadn't gone into politics, if he hadn't gone into development, I mean, could the guy have been a comedian?

[Bill Maher]

No, because he doesn't know he's being funny.

[John Heilemann]

It's unintentional.

[Bill Maher]

Well, I don't know. He's a lot. My report was he's a lot more self aware in that setting than he presents to the world, but he's still kind of Crazy. So, like the tarp thing, look, somewhere in the brain it thought it up. It's like, okay, but what do you

[John Heilemann]

think was going on? Because he control. He's the chairman of the Kennedy Center. It was the board that chose you.

[Bill Maher]

They were just mad at me because I went to with no guarantee that I would leave a guarantee. It was never in the cards that I was ever gonna come over to his side. But, you know, it was set up as. Rather than just screaming at each other all these insults. You know, the first thing I did that you saw on the special, the page that he signed with the 56 different things he's called me. I love stuff like that. You know, it's better to just talk and go through this. But, you know, I mean, those people, they really have no argument for not doing it.

[John Heilemann]

And that list of 56 or whatever is insults. It would have to be longer now.

[Bill Maher]

Exactly. There's an addendum. It's available for 9.99 billmar.com it's on my website.

[John Heilemann]

So you go over and have dinner with him. And I've seen this because I've seen it in my own personal experience with him. He'll treat you incredibly graciously and that he expects that that means you're going to be all in. So what did he think? You were going to suddenly turn MAGA because you had a nice dinner at the White House?

[Bill Maher]

You can't mean to explain his thinking because, you know, there are certain. I'm saying this also knowing that, you know, if he wasn't this kind of personality that he is, that makes people hate him so much. And I certainly understand why. Vulgar just to begin with. You know, it's not like there's no good things that happened. Like first administration, they got a vaccine pretty quick. The Abraham Accords. I think the economy was pretty good. And then this time. Yeah, of course. But also, you know, they could talk about Venezuela and I don't know. But when they hate him, when the hate is this intense, nobody can just see to like, okay, this is a clearer picture. It's what policies, not who he is the man that's not going to change. People still obsess about that. But can you affect the policy? Could the policy change? And on that score, you know, I feel more encouraged than I ever have because first of all, he's a lame duck. I don't think he's even. I know he talks about it, which is crazy. You can't, I don't think, run again.

[John Heilemann]

Stay in office.

[Bill Maher]

Yes, I Don't think, you know, mainstream Republicans even would put up with that because they have shown a little pushback lately.

[John Heilemann]

Mostly it's those that got defeated in primaries. But yes, there is some pushback, but it's some. Yes. Right.

[Bill Maher]

Not enough. Yeah, yeah.

[John Heilemann]

Maher recently had Vice President J.D. vance as a guest on his HBO show Real Time.

[Bill Maher]

Here's my deal breaker for your side.

[Progressive Insurance Announcer]

Okay.

[Bill Maher]

Okay. Under Trump, you guys have two outcomes that an election can be. Either we win or they cheated. This stuff that's going on now, as I said to the Vice President, this has to stop.

[John Heilemann]

Yeah, yeah. You were specifically talking about this like the sore loser syndrome. It's the election is only I won or you cheated, which is perfectly summarizes the way Trump is.

[Bill Maher]

Exactly. There's only two outcomes. I won, you cheated.

[John Heilemann]

And you pushed J.D. vance on this. He did not.

[Bill Maher]

That's what I love about those Republicans. The first thing I said to him was, it's so odd, isn't it, that I didn't vote for you and yet you guys come to the show and take your beating like a man. The Democrats don't come and yet they got my vote. It's just odd, isn't it?

[John Heilemann]

Yeah. Why is that? So what is that all about? You get some Democrats.

[Bill Maher]

Democrats are cowardly. Yeah, they're cowardly. Their party is being taken over now by, you know, every day I hear about a new, very radical. I feel very good about like 10, whenever years ago. Like, I did lose fans because, you know, I wasn't going to go along with some of this crazy stuff on the left, too. I didn't change really on what I thought about the right, but just I can't sit and just not notice stuff which people seem to want to do because it's all about my team or your team. But yeah, there's some crazy stuff, you know, when we're cheering for the intifada. I got a gut. I'm out.

[John Heilemann]

You said something interesting about your fans in your last book. You said, my relationship with the audience is the relationship of my life. You said you treat your viewers, your audience as your friends, like your real friends. And I thought it was interesting. At the Kennedy center, at the award, you get to put eight people in your box. I mean, that's a big deal. Those are your really close friends. And you chose one person you didn't even know.

[Bill Maher]

Right? Good question. You picked good questions. You must be your own producer. All right, so, yes, I think the theme of my speech was, I mean, at the end I said Also want to thank the haters. Because of you, I never lost my edge because of you. I never believed my own press because there wasn't any. There's a thing that goes along with kind of calling out your own side, so. But I always had the fans, you know, that's. I feel like they got me way more than the media. And so, yeah, one of the box seats I wanted to be just to represent the fan. Fans and they, you know, just a randomly selected. Well, not randomly. I thought first, well, let's do a contest. No, I don't want to. That's crazy. So they just. The audience. People know who. Or, you know, some people who seen over a hundred standup shows. Something like that. So anyway, it was one of the more moving parts of the night for me, and I think the crowd is what I seem to hear from them. They like that, and they should, because it's so genuine. That's what I mean it like. But not for the fans. They never left, you know, after 9, 11, all that stuff. But, you know, they've always been there. There's a certain group of people who get me, a lot of people, of course, who don't. And maybe it's me, but, you know, my fans are everything to me. Yes.

[John Heilemann]

You've been doing not just comedy, but political comedy for a long, long time. Is it. Is it harder now? I mean, do you get sick of politics?

[Bill Maher]

Oh, no.

[John Heilemann]

You hear a lot of people are like, oh, my God, I just check out.

[Bill Maher]

Well, a lot of people do. And that's sort of what my show is for, because it's. I always think of it as for people who, you know, they don't want to be completely out of the loop on what's going on in the world. There's plenty of Americans who are like that. They don't know and they don't want to know. And it's just not my life. You know, they kind of take for granted why your life is so cushy. But, okay, that's good. That's the success of civilization. You get to be this successful as a civilization. And people do grow up thinking, oh, it's just natural that I feel safe and have a relatively, you know, stable income. And lots of people in the world don't have these kind of things.

[John Heilemann]

But you're. I mean, you've got to make. I mean, you have to be funny. And some people look at. These are not funny times. I mean, you've got the, you know, the stuff that's been going on with Ice, you've got, you know, what's happening in the world. Some people look at Trump and you know, how they talk about Trump. I mean, you know, threatening Greenland, you

[Bill Maher]

know, you're just describing great comedy premises.

[John Heilemann]

Yes, Well, I mean, a lot of it is. Yeah.

[Bill Maher]

The idea that it's not good for comedy. I, I've had this question my whole career. It's like, I always think comedy is going to end because something changes. Like. No, it's a. It's a human constant. It's like saying, we're going to stop listening to music. No, everything's funny except things that truly aren't that you shouldn't, you know, make fun of. And we don't have to go into specifics. We all kind of, if you're a decent person, instinctively feel what they are. We don't know exactly where the line is always. And comedians should be allowed to get over the line. You need somebody to do that, know where the line is. But, you know, in general, look, I stopped doing stand up like a year and a half ago.

[John Heilemann]

Why?

[Bill Maher]

You know, I'm 70, dude. You know.

[John Heilemann]

You're 70?

[Bill Maher]

Yeah. I mean, really? I got tired of the travel. Tired of working my ass off all week on Real Time and then dragging my ass out of bed on Saturday morning to go and fly to Cincinnati or wherever. And I love Cincinnati. I don't know why. Just say your name because it's a pleasant sounding name and I just wanted. And you know, it still hurts that I don't do it because I did it for 40 years and I love it. I love. That's where the real fans are, the people who buy a hard money ticket to see your show when you come to their town. So, you know, back to the fans thing. That makes me miss it a lot.

[John Heilemann]

Well, you can always do it the hoodoo and just have a farewell tour every few years, you know, so, you know, it's never really over.

[Bill Maher]

You can't. Because it's the kind of thing you have to be in practice. You can't just walk up on stage. You have to build an act.

[John Heilemann]

You talked to Trump several times after the dinner, right? Talked and texted or.

[Bill Maher]

A few. Couple of talk, I think. Definitely a few more texts, yeah.

[John Heilemann]

Did he call you or did you call him? He's a little sensitive about this, but who called who?

[Bill Maher]

Sometimes, whatever it is, he'll tell his version. I mean, he's already lied about it so much. The whole thing about. I immediately wanted a drink again. The way his mind works is just like he's Such a bar fighter. If he has any peak with you, he will just pick up whatever there is to get you.

[John Heilemann]

So.

[Bill Maher]

And it doesn't matter if it's true or not, but I did have a drink before dinner, as people do, but he was. But, yeah, they got me a margarita, like, you know, and then I was very nervous. It's so counter to why I took all the. I took. If I was very nervous and I had said that, then the left would love me. Right. I reported honestly that, no, it wasn't a terrible experience at all from a guy who has done some terrible things. Right, right.

[John Heilemann]

And you kept on doing what you do on your show. You didn't change. You didn't become mad at him.

[Bill Maher]

Thank you for noticing, John, because that's what the haters pretend didn't happen.

[John Heilemann]

I mean, it did. And then he starts. I think that some of his attacks on you after the dinner are harsher than the ones that were before the dinner.

[Bill Maher]

Yes. Because now he feels betrayed, which is silly, because there was never a deal. It was only set up as, instead of shouting at each other, talk to each other. A lot of people had said, I think you'll like this guy in person. They're not wrong.

[John Heilemann]

Everybody has the.

[Bill Maher]

By the way, I'm like the millionth person who has the same report. I just said it out loud. And, you know, I just read Lindsey Graham apparently talked him into not leaving NATO. Well, there's a good reason. You know, Lindsey Graham, he used to say he was terrible, and then he was. Yeah, because he got close to him, and he understands that this is a guy who lives by what people are saying. You know, he's not reading the briefing books. People are saying to him. And so Lindsay was like, I'd like to be one of those people saying, and maybe I'll have some influence. And maybe he did.

[John Heilemann]

And, you know, it's interesting with a lot of those guys, these Republicans, who really like Lindsey Graham, saw Trump as a threat. I mean, you go through the quotes from Lindsey Graham in 2016. I mean, there was nobody, with maybe the possible exception of JD Vance, who was harsher in criticizing Donald Trump and warning him about the dangers that would happen if he were president and Trump gets elected and Lindsey becomes his, like, best buddy. But he pushed him on those issues. Now, some people call him a hypocrite, and some people like you would say he might have stopped him from leaving NATO.

[Bill Maher]

I feel like the key phrase in that whole thing was, then he got elected.

[John Heilemann]

Yeah.

[Bill Maher]

Yes. One policy, when you're outside the tent. Another policy when you're inside the tent, pissing out and you know, to me, the easiest thing in the world to be is a purist. It's easy. It just doesn't work.

[John Heilemann]

But a lot of these guys went from being purists in criticizing Trump to being purists in everything he does is wonderful.

[Bill Maher]

Well, that's just crazy. I mean, people. He demands people around him act crazy, which is a reflection of his, his craziness, you know, that he needs to be flattered to this degree in public. The cabinet meetings were just sire you shine the light of, I mean, a thousand suns. You could read some of these quotes. And it is a book of comedy. And somebody should put it out as a book of comedy. The praise of Donald Trump. It's very much Chairman Mao. It's crazy. But again, what are the policies? What happened? I mean, 10 years ago, I was much more like, I think freaked out because he hadn't been president, been on the scene. Now it's 10 years later. Well, the world didn't come to an end. It just didn't. I have to live in the present. Many people don't. I think this is what's now, you know, apropos of Lindsey saying, oh, okay, well, he's president now, so I'm going to talk to him now instead of what's the point now that he's in the White House of hurling the same insults a zillion people are hurling every day.

[John Heilemann]

Well, I don't know if you saw Jay Clayton is nominee to be the head Director of National Intelligence. Had a hearing, just had a hearing, and he was asked who won the 2020 election. Did Joe Biden win the 2020 election? And he cannot answer. Now, Jay Clayton is a very serious guy with serious credentials, serious lawyer, former prosecutor, and he can't say who won the 2020 election either.

[Bill Maher]

Could Vice President Vance on my show.

[John Heilemann]

On your show?

[Bill Maher]

Yeah. They can't because they know he's watching. They know where their bread is buttered, what's important to J.D. vance, who, by the way, we had a good time. I had a good time with him, too. You know, these are people, I always say it, you know, everybody's a monster till you talk to them. You can disagree with them a lot, but, you know, he has to do that. Trump is watching. And there's a kind of a winking thing with those kind of guys. You know, it's like, you know, he's crazy. I know he's crazy. I know you're saying this because you have to. Because he's watching, you know? I know. And let's just not, like, pretend this is the end of the world, because this is just what the world is. Now let's move on to something substantive.

[John Heilemann]

But it is a problem if you have an entire political party, an entire political movement that doesn't recognize the legitimacy of elections.

[Bill Maher]

Of course, that's been my big issue from the beginning, before he was elected. Even the first time you told J.D.

[John Heilemann]

vance, you're open, your vote is up for grabs.

[Bill Maher]

Yes, my vote is in play because it can't be Trump running. So I'm not living in communist America. I mean, I know the talking point is that it's not communism, it's socialism. Okay. I've read the quotes from the DSA platform from their own mouths. Don't tell me I'm not seeing what I am seeing. And dsa, again, they say things like, you know, takeover of key industries, government. That's communism. You know, there is a definition, by

[John Heilemann]

the way, Trump's doing that, too.

[Bill Maher]

Of course. Yes.

[John Heilemann]

And to a degree that we haven't seen any other president do, about a Republican doing.

[Bill Maher]

No, that's crazy, too.

[John Heilemann]

He's got a piece of intel and he's got a piece of the AI companies.

[Bill Maher]

He treats everything like it's a real estate deal or. I don't know if he's an agent or something. He always wants 10 or 15%.

[John Heilemann]

So you want to see Democrats win in the midterms?

[Bill Maher]

Absolutely. And they will, because it will still be a referendum on Trump. But. So I think the Democrats will do very well in the midterms. 2028 is a different story, because by then, this wing of the party, this new wing with all the energy, and it's not just a few people anymore. I read every day, I read about a new person in some Colorado and Wisconsin, somebody who is saying some variation of not defund the police, abolish the police, no prisons, no police. Like, what world do they think we could possibly live in under these conditions? It's just a level of nutty that I'm so glad that whenever it was, I was like, no, I'm not going along, because this is where it ends.

[John Heilemann]

Could you see yourself voting for J.D. vance?

[Bill Maher]

Yes. If this is the. The Democratic side, yes. That's what I was saying to him. Yeah. What does my votes in play mean?

[John Heilemann]

Now, you have interviewed several of the possible Democratic candidates for 2028. How do you assess? Who do you like?

[Bill Maher]

I'm not gonna ruin future guests by telling you that, John. How ridiculous. They're all great,

[John Heilemann]

especially the ones you haven't talked to yet. See, they gotta come on the show.

[Bill Maher]

I hope we can have a eight person presidency next time because I can't pick between this crop of geniuses. No, there's some very talented people. And my problem is, like I told you, a lot of people on the left won't come. Everybody on the right comes.

[John Heilemann]

Yeah. All right, last question. It's actually two. What is the biggest misconception about you and what is the fairest criticism of you?

[Bill Maher]

The biggest misconception is that I smoke too much pot. What was the second question?

[John Heilemann]

Fairest criticism. Is that the fairest criticism, too?

[Bill Maher]

I don't smoke enough. Thank you.

[John Heilemann]

I really appreciate it.