Bill Maher shared his thoughts on the Freedom 250 Concert debacle one more. But this time, the Real Time host struck a different tone and turned the blame around on Democrats for undercutting what was billed as a celebration of the United States.
After previously mocking President Donald Trump over the event's growing list of performer withdrawals, the Real Time host now says the exits could ultimately hurt Democrats more than Republicans. "This is a question about what looks best for the Democrats, because I don't think that looks good," Maher said. "It looks like you are just what people say about you, you don't really love America. It looks [as if] you think Trump is more important than the country itself."
"Wouldn't it have been better to play this gig?" Maher asked. "Can't we all just celebrate America itself and leave Trump out of it?"
Maher's new argument stands in sharp contrast to the way he framed the story during a recent monologue, when he used the concert's troubles as a punchline aimed directly at President Trump. At the time, Maher joked that Trump's original lineup, including names such as Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Morris Day, and Bret Michaels, looked like a gathering of unemployed performers. He then mocked the fact that several acts quickly announced they were no longer participating, quipping that it was embarrassing for Trump when "you can't close the deal with Milli Vanilli."
Those jokes treated the withdrawals as evidence of a failed Trump-backed event. His latest comments instead frame the decision to withdraw as a political mistake by artists and, by extension, by Democrats who support those decisions.
However, Maher's argument doesn't completely acknowledge one of the key reasons many performers have given for backing out. The event was not presented to them simply as a neutral celebration of America. Several artists have said they were unaware of President Trump's involvement when they initially agreed to participate.
The White House and Trump allies have promoted the concert as part of the president's broader patriotic celebration. But clearly, it has been difficult for some performers to separate the event from the political figure attached to it.
The timing of Maher's comments is also noteworthy because his Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony is scheduled for June 28. President Trump remains the chair of the Kennedy Center, and therefore the president could theoretically intervene or attempt to revoke the honor.
That possibility could raise the question of whether Maher is dialing down his criticism of President Trump ahead of the ceremony. The shift from mocking the concert as a Trump embarrassment to arguing that Democrats should have embraced the event is certainly a notable change in emphasis.
Whether you think Maher is genuinely reconsidering the political impact of the concert boycotts or simply emphasizing a different aspect of the story likely depends on how you view the late-night host. But the contrast between his mocking monologue and his later defense of participating in the event is hard to miss.
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