Is Real Time with Bill Maher new tonight, June 7?

With President Trump’s European tour continuing, can fans back home expect a new Real Time with Bill Maher?

The first week of June is in the books. There is typically no better place to get a recap of the week’s news than Real Time with Bill Maher. But we also know that June is a time for trips and vacations.

President Donald Trump is trying to make the most of his European vacation. His time in the UK was spent dodging protests, maintaining royal protocol, and of course, tweeting. He has since moved on to Ireland and France before heading off to Asia.

Late night has been doing its best to keep up with Trump and the rest of the headlines coming from Washington, D.C. But that doesn’t mean the shows have also been taking time away. Real Time recently took a week off during Memorial Day and shows like Late Night with Seth Meyers remain on vacation.

Thankfully, Real Time is back at it tonight with another new episode. Here is a breakdown of tonight’s guests:

Top-of-show interview

Making his first visit to Bill Maher’s show will be Andrew Yang. The entrepreneur and 2020 presidential candidate is the top guest tonight.

In 2011 Yang founded Venture for America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to training young professionals to work for startups in emerging cities like Baltimore, Detroit, and San Antonio. The efforts of Yang and Venture for America were recognized by President Barack Obama.

As a Democratic candidate for president, Yang’s primary focus is on a form of universal basic income called a “Freedom Dividend.” This would provide $1000 per month to all U.S. citizens over the age of 18.

Expect Maher to ask Yang to further explain how this plan would work. Yang’s thoughts on unemployment, income inequality, and political corruption may also come up in discussion.

Mid-show interview

The mid-show interview will also feature a first time guest. Author Bret Easton Ellis will make his Real Time with Bill Maher debut.

Ellis is best known for his 1991 novel American Psycho. Other works include Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, and The Informers, all of which have been adapted into motion pictures.

His most recent publication is White, his first nonfiction release. According to the book’s description, Ellis comments on the “relentless anti-Trump fixation, coastal elites, corporate censorship, Hollywood, identity politics” and more.

There is some overlap between Ellis’s views on these issues and how Bill Maher views things. But fans shouldn’t expect the two to see eye to eye on everything that the Real Time host will want to bring up for debate.

The panel

Real Time fans looking for some familiar faces will find them on the panel. It will feature two returning guests and one newcomer to the show.

Charles Blow is a journalist and columnist who was last on the show in August 2018. His writing is featured in The New York Times.

He has frequently written about social conditions and identity politics in the U.S. during President Trump’s time in office. Blow has also commented on the Democratic political strategy and how it could affect the 2020 election. Expect to hear more about that from Blow tonight.

Congresswoman Katie Porter makes her Real Time debut on the panel. The law professor and attorney represents California’s 45th district.

Porter is a Democrat who serves on the Committee on Financial Services. She was recently in the news for questioning Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson that led to Carson’s viral “Oreo” moment:

You can be sure Maher will ask Porter about that moment. She may also discuss environmental policies and banking regulations, two topics that will be important factors in the 2020 election.

The final member of the panel will be Clint Watts who was last on the show in May 2018. Watts serves as a senior fellow at George Washington University’s Center for Cyber and Homeland Security. In addition to being a U.S. Army officer, Watts was a member of the joint terrorism task force for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

There are a number of topics that could come up where Watts’s expertise would be on display. The 75th anniversary of D-Day and the threat of electoral interference are both possible points of conversation on tonight’s show.

Real Time with Bill Maher airs live tonight, Friday June 7, at 10:00 PM ET on HBO. You can follow the show on Twitter (@RealTimers) and submit a question for the panel. Let us know which guest you’re most excited to see on tonight’s show!