Viewers boycott Real Time with Bill Maher: “Unwatchable”
By Sam Linden
Real Time with Bill Maher has been canceled. Not by HBO, but by the audience themselves. It seems that fans and viewers of the show have lost interest in Maher over the years and now with the announcement of Real Time starting back up again it is more obvious than ever.
The reasons behind Maher’s downfall
Bill Maher, the host of the well-known HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher, has seen a decline in popularity in recent years. This decline can be attributed to several factors, including his controversial statements and actions, the shift in the political climate, his fixation on certain topics, and his grumpy old-man attitude.
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Maher has drifted from his once somewhat open opinion and varied political output. More recently the late-night host has given viewers the impression that “…now he’s just an angry old man who insists his view on any situation is the ONLY view. He has become unwatchable.” one user on Facebook commented.
It is arguably true, as evident in heated discussions about COVID with Neil deGrasse Tyson, that Bill is more angry and emotional rather than staying completely rational. Maher has also come under scrutiny for his controversial view on COVID-19 and his exhausted, repetitive attacks on woke culture.
Another reason for Maher’s decline in popularity is his tendency to make offensive and divisive statements. Thoughts fueled by smoking weed have led to questionable statements being broadcast. In 2017, he used a racial slur during a live broadcast of his show, which led to widespread condemnation and calls for his firing. He later apologized for the remark, but the damage had been done.
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The numbers don’t lie
Statistics taken from Parrot analytics show that on a rolling 30-day average basis the demand for Bill Maher has fallen (-)15.9%
Under Bill Maher’s Twitter post announcing the return of his show in 2023, one user replied, “Unfortunately. Honestly, it’s time the show is cancelled.”
Whilst the show may be canceled in one sense, Real time with Bill Maher has been renewed for up until the end of 2024 and so there will be more content from Maher for a little while longer.
Do you think Bill Maher will retire from his HBO show and focus on his Club Random podcast full time? Let us know in the comments section below.