Posted in: HBO, Max, streaming, TV | Tagged: Bill Maher, HBO, Real Time, wga, writers' strike

Bill Maher Reverses Course, Will Delay Return of HBO's "Real Time"

"Real Time" host & WGA member Bill Maher took to social media to explain why he's decided to delay the return of his HBO series.

After actress/talk show host Drew Barrymore announced that The Drew Barrymore Show would not return with new episodes until after the AMPTP works out a deal with the writers' union (with The Talk and The Jennifer Hudson Show following suit), we made the case for why the WGA needs to go even harder at HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher host (and WGA member) Bill Maher for announcing last week that his show would be returning "sans writers or writing" despite the ongoing WGA strike. Well, it looks like that going to be a moot point. Earlier today, Maher announced that he was going to delay the return of "Real Time," citing a reported return to the negotiating table by the AMPTP and WGA this week as the reason. "My decision to return to work was made when it seemed nothing was happening, and there was no end in sight to this strike. Now that both sides have agreed to go back to the negotiating table I'm going to delay the return of "Real Time," for now, and hope they can finally get this done."

Here's a look at Maher's post from this afternoon confirming that he's delaying the return of "Real Time":

Bill Maher Talks WGA Strikes on "Club Random"

With actor/comedian Jim Gaffigan checking in for Maher's Club Random podcast, Maher has some choice cuts to lob into the conversation – coming from a perspective so front-of-Snowpiercer that you would swear he was playing a character. "They're asking for a lot of things that are, like, kooky," Maher claimed – and at that moment? You know, when "kooky" came out of his mouth? I couldn't help but laugh because that was the response of someone who's been relying on his social circle for intel and not on what's actually been posted. But just in case any of you know Maher? Have him check out our previous post – and let him know that I would be more than happy to interview him about the list of "kooky" things he was able to pull together.

"What I find objectionable about the philosophy of the strike [is] it seems to be, they have really morphed a long way from the 2007 strike where they kind of believe that you're owed a living as a writer, and you're not," was another adorable hairball that Maher coughed up – and hopefully a red flag for his writers. Because what this dude is saying is that if you're a writer in 2023 then you should still expect to have to work three jobs – even if you write for a mega-popular series that goes on to reap millions upon millions for the streamers. The same dude who claims he's being "canceled" all of the time even as he continues stockpiling new contracts, comedy specials, and live gigs. In large part because of the hard work that the writers on Real Time put in – the same hard work that Maher benefits from adopting even as he adopts a "Let them eat cake!" attitude towards the very same writers he claims to "feel for"… "love"… and is "one of."

In fact, a little life lesson – free of charge? Anytime anyone starts out something by telling you how much they feel for you, love you, and are one of you? It's usually they can't, they don't, and they aren't. It also – nearly 99.98476% of the time – will be followed by a "But…" that waste no time wiping away any fake "goodwill" that was attempted. "I feel for my writers. I love my writers. I'm one of my writers [Ed. Note: Uh-oh…]. But [Ed. Note: Didn't we just tell you…?] there's a big other side to it. And a lot of people are being hurt besides them — a lot of people who don't make as much money as them in this bipartisan world we have where you're just in one camp or the other, there's no in-between," Maher added. Holding the writers – and not the streaming services, studios & media companies who wasted millions upon millions over the past few years trying to be like Netflix and failing miserably – responsible for being out of work is everything you need to know about "McRebel" Bill Maher. Blames the oppressed – not the oppressor. I'm sure that position will serve him well during the next contract negotiation he has with HBO.

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