Last Night On
Fansided

Real Time with Bill Maher is coming back to TV with a new format

By Matt Moore

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Comedian Bill Maher speaks onstage at the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Barbra Streisand held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 11, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 11: Comedian Bill Maher speaks onstage at the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute to Barbra Streisand held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 11, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Something big is happening in the world of late-night TV. And perhaps to no surprise, it revolves around Real Time with Bill Maher.

Late-night TV has been dark since the beginning of May. That’s when the Writers Guild of America went on strike, bringing to a halt countless television shows and movie productions across the country. Top shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! all went off the air, with hosts taking measures to support their writers and staff.

But after more than four months, Real Time with Bill Maher is preparing to go back on the air. On Twitter, Bill Maher announced that his HBO show would return “sans writers or writing.” He plans to retool Real Time to essentially just the panel discussion. That means no monologue, no desk pieces, and no “New Rule” segments.

“The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only people with issues, problems, and concerns,” Maher wrote. “Despite some assistance from me, much of the staff is struggling mightily. We all were hopeful this would come to an end after Labor Day, but that day has come and gone, and there still seems to be nothing happening. I love my writers, I am one of them, but I’m not prepared to lose an entire year and see so many below-the-line people suffer so much.”

Maher’s sympathy for writers appears to soften his recent position that Hollywood writers “aren’t owed a living.” But the comedian does note that more people than just writers are affected by the strike.

What to expect from Real Time with Bill Maher’s return

As far as what to expect from the “new” Real Time, Maher attempted to temper expectations. “And I’ll say it upfront to the audience: the show I will be doing without my writers will not be as good as our normal show, full stop,” Maher said. “But the heart of the show is an off-the-cuff panel discussion that aims to cut through the bulls*** and predictable partisanship, and that will continue. The show will not disappoint.”

Unsurprisingly, Maher’s announcement received strong criticism online from those claiming he abandoned his writers and the Writers Guild of America. It comes not long after Drew Barrymore restarted her daytime talk show and faced immediate backlash.

On Instagram, the Writers Guild of America, West responded to Maher:

"Bill Maher’s decision to go back on the air while his Guild is on strike is disappointing. If he goes forward with his plan, he needs to honor more than ‘the spirit of the strike.’ Bill Maher is obligated as a WGA member to follow the strike rules and not perform any writing services. It is difficult to imagine how Real Time With Bill Maher can go forward without a violation of WGA strike rules taking place. WGA will be picketing this show."

HBO did not issue a comment regarding Maher’s announcement. For now, no start date has been made for when Real Time with Bill Maher will be back on the air.

Home/Real Time