Late-night TV and Donald Trump have formed a sort of co-dependence over the past eight years. Comedians use Trump for punchlines, and the president uses them to take out his anger. But one late-night TV host has had enough.
President Trump has lashed out against just about every late-night TV host. He's labeled Stephen Colbert an "enemy," questioned Seth Meyers' intelligence, and called for Jimmy Kimmel to be fired. Still, that hasn't kept those hosts or the rest of late-night TV from attacking Trump every night.
But Bill Maher may have reached his breaking point. The Real Time host claimed that he'll considering quitting his HBO show rather than discussing Trump on a weekly basis.
“I mean I may quit,” Maher said on his Club Random podcast. “I don’t want to do another … I did Trump. I did all the Trump stuff before anybody. I called him a con man before anybody. I did, ‘He’s a mafia boss.’ I was the one who said he wasn’t going to concede the election. I’ve done it."
Maher acknowledged that his coverage has caught Trump's attention. The president-elect hasn't been too friendly toward Real Time.
"He’s very hostile to me," Maher said. "He tweets about me every week. Every week he accidentally watches my show and goes, ‘Low ratings loser!’ I’m bored with it,” Maher answered. “The show is the politics. There is no other thing. And he’s going to dominate the news like he always does.”
Will Bill Maher actually quit Real Time?
Bill Maher isn't the only late-night TV host tired of talking about Donald Trump, no matter how many monologues are dedicated to the president. In the aftermath of Trump's victory, Stephen Colbert said he wished Trump would go away. Seth Meyers admitted he was disappointed that Trump would remain in the spotlight.
But would Bill Maher actually walk away from Real Time? That seems highly unlikely since Maher is currently in season 22. The weekly show seems like a relatively cushy gig for Maher, leaving him free to perform standup and host his podcast. The reported $10 million salary probably doesn't hurt either.
Then there is his contract. HBO resigned Maher to a new two-year deal in March 2024. The election was far off at that point, but Maher didn't sound like someone who would walk away if staying meant talking Trump for four more years.
The reality is that Maher will continue to cover the Trump administration every week. His guests and panel will all have something to contribute to the conversation. And in the end, Maher will walk out onto the Real Time stage for at least another two years.