Is Real Time with Bill Maher new tonight, January 24?

Should fans expect to see a brand new episode of Real Time with Bill Maher tonight on HBO?

Debates over witnesses and evidence have been made. Opening statements have been delivered. The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump is underway and everyone in the country is talking about it. Will Real Time with Bill Maher join the discussion tonight?

All of late night television has been gearing up for President Trump’s impeachment trial. Now that it is finally here, shows like Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert have offered their signature deep dives into the proceedings. Others like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Conan have looked at the more silly side of things.

But a political event of this magnitude was made to be covered by one late night show in particular. Real Time with Bill Maher has been in the political commentary/humor business for 18 seasons now and shows no signs of slowing down.

Fans will be happy to know that Real Time with Bill Maher will deliver a brand new episode tonight on HBO. Keep reading for a breakdown of tonight’s guests.

Top-of-show interview

Things start off with Bill Maher’s interview of Megyn Kelly. The attorney, journalist, and television personality will be making her Real Time debut.

Kelly rose to prominence on Fox News where she was a contributor on several shows before hosting America Live beginning in 2010. From there, she hosted The Kelly File until she left Fox in 2017 and joined NBC. Her show Megyn Kelly Today was short-lived and marked by controversial comments. Kelly had her contract with NBC terminated in Jan. 2019.

Kelly recently spoke out about the blackface controversy that led to her cancellation. She expressed confusion over why other celebrities have managed to go unpunished for similar comments or even appearing in blackface.

Fans can expect Bill Maher to discuss this issue further with Kelly during their interview. Maher may also ask Kelly her thoughts Bombshell in which she was portrayed by Charlize Theron in a movie on the workplace environment at Fox News.

Mid-show interview

Ingrid Newkirk returns to Real Time with Bill Maher for the first time since 2007. The founder and president of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will be the mid-show interview guest.

Newkirk is out promoting her new book Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries About Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion. The book is described as showing “readers what they can do in their everyday lives to ensure that the animal world is protected from needless harm.”

Newkirk’s interview will be something of a palate cleanser for fans seeking a break from straightforward politics talk. PETA is a political organization and surely policies towards animal rights will be brought up. But Maher’s discussion with Newkirk will be a break from impeachment talk.

The panel

Politics will be back to being front and center once the panel is introduced. All three individuals have been guests on Real Time with Bill Maher in the past.

Alex Wagner is a journalist, author, and co-host of the documentary series The Circus. Season five of The Circus is set to debut on Showtime on Jan. 26. The first episode will examine President Trump’s impeachment trial and its affects on the 2020 campaign as candidates Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Amy Klobuchar are pulled off the campaign trail to serve as jurors.

Michael McFaul is an author, professor, and former U.S. ambassador to Russia. McFaul is credited as the policymaker on President Barack Obama’s attempts to reset U.S-Russian relations. McFaul will bring his expertise to the roundtable and offer insight on Russia’s approach to President Trump and the 2020 election.

Erick Erickson is a blogger, radio personality, and host of “The Erick Erickson Podcast.” Despite being an evangelical with strongly conservative viewpoints, Erickson is a harsh critic of President Trump. In fact, it was then candidate Trump’s comments about top-of-show guest Megyn Kelly that led Erickson to denounce Trump. Erickson has made it clear he won’t vote for President Trump but he could provide Bill Maher with information on how other conservatives or evangelicals perceive the 2020 election.

Real Time with Bill Maher airs tonight, Jan. 24, at 10:00 PM ET on HBO. Which guest are you most looking forward to hearing from? What topic do you want to hear Bill Maher’s take on the most? Let us know in the comment section!