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Bill Maher's apology:

Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I'm up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn't have said on my live show. Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry.

HBO's response:

Bill Maher's comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless. We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.

Ben Sasse's response:

I'm a 1st Amendment absolutist. Comedians get latitude to cross hard lines. But free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn't good enough. The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It's therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don't use it.

I am glad Bill Maher apologized for saying the word. He knows he shouldn't have said it, and I believe he felt horrible about it after the show. HBO commenting on it was surprising as well, but they also did the right thing.

I've read online comments that Ben Sasse could have made a positive name for himself if he immediately called out Bill Maher for the word, but he seemed flabbergasted by the casualness of it in the moment. I think he was shocked and caught off guard.

Overall Bill fucked up. He did the most he could do to rectify the situation. He knows he can't say that word, nor can any other person other than black people. I like watching Bill Maher, but he needs to be more careful going forward.

*edit* P.S. Only black people get to say the N-word. Only black people get to determine how and when it gets to be used. Don't try to argue against this. The other thread went to shit.

 

[BossDarkseid]

but apart from an apology and it being omitted from future versions of the show...nothing is happening? like a Fox News style holiday?

 

[ColdPizza]

Great. Let's move on.

 

[Socivol]

Glad he apologized? That "apology" was so half ass he should have kept it.

 

[Wanda/Wander]

White dude says the N-Word on national TV and he gets to keep his job?

 

[curiouscharles]

for those of us who didn't see it, more context please?

like, why'd he say it?

edit: okay, did some googling, saw the clip, holy fuck what the shit was that?!?

 

[Slime]

Aww, the rich white man was sleepy and got carried away in the heat of the moment? It's OK, don't worrry about it!

 

[akira28]

but apart from an apology and it being omitted from future versions of the show...nothing is happening? like a Fox News style holiday?

well he said he was sorry. HBO said they disavow his actions.


What else do you expect? He's not in decline, he's popular and on his game in politically exciting time.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

No one should apologize as it's just because of backlash.

 

[phanphare]

Aww, the rich white man was sleepy and got carried away in the heat of the moment? It's OK, don't worrry about it!

you have the timeline mixed up, the being sleepy came after the comment. he was sleepless because of the apparent remorse he felt for saying what he said.

 

[Sibersk Esto]

for those of us who didn't see it, more context please?

like, why'd he say it?

Shortly after 10 p.m. on Friday, Mr. Maher, the comedian and host of HBO’s “Real Time,” was talking to Mr. Sasse on his program about the boundaries between adolescence and maturity, and how adults in California still dress up for Halloween.

When Mr. Sasse said this did not happen in his state, Mr. Maher said, “I’ve got to get to Nebraska more.”

Mr. Sasse replied: “You’re welcome. We’d love to have you work in the fields with us.”

Mr. Maher said: “Work in the fields? Senator, I’m a house nigger. No, it’s a joke.”

.

 

[Kyzer]

Understandable, some people just get very racist when they're tired.

 

[Frozenprince]

Mhm, maybe uh, here's a wild thought.

Don't say it in the first place if it keeps you from sleeping.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

No one should apologize as it's just because of backlash.

Ah, you're one of those.

 

[Yado]

lol, whatever. He clearly uses it in his day to day life, fuck him & his apology.

 

[DJ88]

Understandable, some people just get very racist when they're tired.

Where does he say it happened because he was tired?

 

[victreeb3l]

Poor Maher couldnt sleep well



Fuck this dude and his half ass "apology"

 

[Ivan 3414]

but apart from an apology and it being omitted from future versions of the show...nothing is happening? like a Fox News style holiday?

He's not losing his job for this. It helps that he's a liberal "ally"

Edit - A Fox News anchor couldn't get away with saying the n-word even if they said it on Maher's show

 

[Grizzlyjin]

I mean...it's HBO, not like people can lean on sponsors and put pressure on the network. And you know damn well you ain't cancelling that HBO Now with Game of Thrones Season 7 coming lol

That apology is hilariously bad. But it fits Bill Maher pretty well.

 

[SpaceWolf]

"I'm glad he offered an incredibly short, meek apology when most likely pressured to".

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Ah, you're one of those.

One of what???
The point is they say sorry because they got caught, not because they genuinely are.

 

[Darryl M R]

You won't have to apologize if you just don't say it.

LOL at people who are actually offended by this.

This was just a (bad) joke he did.

I don't recall people freaking out at his disgusting comments and view points on Muslims, such as comparing Palestinians to battered wives who keep clinging on to their abusive husbands..

You heard fellas, Nuu said us colored folks should not be offended that a white man thinks it is okay to say nigger casually in a joke. Let's go home.

Now serious. People should not dwell on Bill Maher or try to cancel his show, his popularity is at an all time high and nothing will come from it, but it is idiotic to say that no one should find offense in his words. The best likely outcome was an apology with all stakeholders speaking up. That's what they did. This adds another reason why I think Maher is a shit head.

 

[Nuu]

LOL at people who are actually offended by this.

This was just a (bad) joke he did.

I don't recall people freaking out at his disgusting comments and view points on Muslims, such as comparing Palestinians to battered wives who keep clinging on to their abusive husbands..

 

[phanphare]

and it's a meh as fuck apology but it was more than I expected of him

I figured he'd just go on a rant about how the backlash is the reason the democrats can't win anything

 

[nasax]

He's not losing his job for this. It helps that he's a liberal "ally"

Old white men on Fox News would had been canned already.

 

[Zonar]

Great. Let's move on.

This. I'm black and sometimes I think we lose focus of what's important. Yes what he said was a dumbass thing to say and now that he apologized let's all focus on even worse shit going on in the country.

 

[Phased]

Aww, the rich white man was sleepy and got carried away in the heat of the moment? It's OK, don't worrry about it!

He realized he fucked up the moment he said it. He apologized, the network apologized and admonished him, what else should happen here?

It isn't like he has a history of being racist. People are allowed to fuck up every now and then.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Why is Ben talking about the 1st amendment? HBO isn't a government agency.

 

[El Topo]

Hold on, Bill Maher actually apologized for something he said? Wow.

 

[WiiredShawn]

He should have just said he was quoting Gone with the Wind.

 

[Frozenprince]

LOL at people who are actually offended by this.

This was just a (bad) joke he did.

I don't recall people freaking out at his disgusting comments and view points on Muslims, such as comparing Palestinians to battered wives who keep clinging on to their abusive husbands..

A) then you remember wrong.

B) One can be offended by something and not think it the "WORST THING EVAR" there are levels of offense. "It's just a joke bruh" is not a defense.

 

[Frozenprince]

This. I'm black and sometimes I think we lose focus of what's important. Yes what he said was a dumbass thing to say and now that he apologized let's all focus on even worse shit going on in the country.

This will BLOW YOUR MIND.

We can both be angry at Maher for saying fuck shit AND focus on other things too.

 

[reKon]

lol, whatever. He clearly uses it in his day to day life, fuck him & his apology.

I don't watch Bill ever, but I've never heard anything like this come up? Gonna wait on your receipts for this one

 

[Toxi]

That's actually surprising considering who it is.

 

[L Thammy]

He knows he shouldn't have said it, and I believe he felt horrible about it after the show.

He knows he can't say that word, nor can any other person other than black people.

Does he? I mean, I'm sure he now knows that he can't say it and expect to get away with it, but he know he shouldn't say it?

 

[BocoDragon]

Good. Thankfully he's not doubling down on it.

It's problematic that he said it at all, but the fact that he retracted it means that it serves as a warning to others. Just don't say it. Easy.

 

[excelsiorlef]

LOL at people who are actually offended by this.

This was just a (bad) joke he did.

I don't recall people freaking out at his disgusting comments and view points on Muslims, such as comparing Palestinians to battered wives who keep clinging on to their abusive husbands..

?

You'll find the ones who are angry at Maher for this are generally the same who are mad at Maher for that.

 

[Gaz_RB]

Those who aren't accepting his apology, what else do you want him to do?

 

[unpopularblargh]

LOL at people who are actually offended by this.

This was just a (bad) joke he did.

I don't recall people freaking out at his disgusting comments and view points on Muslims, such as comparing Palestinians to battered wives who keep clinging on to their abusive husbands..

Actually people did and still do give him (rightfully so) shit for those comments too.

 

[L Thammy]

I don't watch Bill ever, but I've never heard anything like this come up? Gonna wait on your receipts for this one

People have been saying this because

1. he doesn't hesitate when he says it; he doesn't appear to be reaching for a word that's outside of his normal vocabulary

2. hearing the word "field" and then immediately jumping to slavery makes it seem like he's got slavery on the mind already​

 

[Nuu]

This. I'm black and sometimes I think we lose focus of what's important. Yes what he said was a dumbass thing to say and now that he apologized let's all focus on even worse shit going on in the country.

People literally think as if you get people to stop saying words on TV or in public, then racism will be curtail. It's ridiculous that this gets attention, meanwhile school segregation, job discrimination, and mass incarceration are turned a blind eye to. Which reminds me about Bill's New Rule, as this is actually the real reason why liberals can never win, but instead of addressing that Maher focused on "we need to be tough guys too!"

Actually people did and still do give him shut for those comments too.

Not to the point where he and even HBO has to apologize.

 

[Ivan 3414]

Old white men on Fox News would had been canned already.

Yeah definitely, but part of it, I think, also has to do with Maher's comedian status. Doubt a white CNN or MSNBC anchor could get away with saying the n-word anywhere either

 

[Socivol]

LOL at people who are actually offended by this.

This was just a (bad) joke he did.

I don't recall people freaking out at his disgusting comments and view points on Muslims, such as comparing Palestinians to battered wives who keep clinging on to their abusive husbands..

Hmmm...I just don't see the humor in making fun of a group of marginalized people while using an extremely offensive term. The only reason the backlash isn't worse is because he is a liberal.

 

[celljean89]

Uh apology not accepted, there no way Bill in my eyes could be redeem for saying this.

 

[Zonar]

This will BLOW YOUR MIND.

We can both be angry at Maher for saying fuck shit AND focus on other things too.

We CAN do a lot of things. What I am suggesting is that we don't take the energy to be angry at this for any significant period of time. He has apologize. HBO has commented. We have a lot of shit to do and a lot of shit to be angry at. This is very low on the list in my opinion.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

Those who aren't accepting his apology, what else do you want him to do?

Not say it at all for starters and to never say it again.

 

[Verelios]

The defense force arrived early I see. This is just a case of your casual everyday conduct flowing into your speech, but yeah, 'its just a joke, lol'. Thanks for telling me how to react guys.

 

[Velcro Fly]

Love it when people say and do obviously terrible things that they should know not to do and then in the apology try to excuse it.

Just own it. You thought it would be funny and didn't care about the consequences. I might respect you more if you had done that.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Those who aren't accepting his apology, what else do you want him to do?

Why would people accept a forced apology???

 

[Darryl M R]

Those who aren't accepting his apology, what else do you want him to do?

I'm not accepting his apology but I'm not dwelling on his actions when I have already wrote him off. Accepting a half baked apology, I have no reason to believe it was sincere, doesn't make much sense.

Now if he wanted to do an action that would make me believe that he is sincere and genuine then he would have to donate money to a cause like Campaign Zero or BLM. I don't even care the amount.