As far-left HBO comedian Bill Maher concluded the regular "New Rules" segment of his Real Time show on Friday, he cited statistics on heroin and prescription drug abuse in states that voted for Donald Trump to portray his supporters as "f***king drug addicts," and ended up mockingly advising them to learn a lesson from liberals and switch to marijuana because of all the painkiller overdose deaths in these states.
At about 10:50 p.m ET, with the word "PILLBILLIES" at the bottom of the screen, the HBO host began his commentary:
Finally, "New Rule," here on Inauguration Day, in the interests of new beginnings, liberals have to stop calling Trump voters "rubes" and "simpletons," and, instead, reach out and feel their pain -- the pain they insist we didn't see. And there is ample evidence for that pain. Did you know, of the 14 states with the highest painkiller prescriptions per person, they all went for Trump? Trump won 80 percent of the states that have the biggest heroin problem.
He added:
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And the counties that he won in Ohio and Pennsylvania that went for Obama last time are the ones that are racked by opiate abuse. So let's stop calling Trump voters "idiots" and "fools" and call them what they are: "f***ing drug addicts."
After recalling more statistics claiming that states won by Trump were among the highest in prescription pain killer and heroin abuse, he suggested that conservatives have been hypocritical for chastising liberals for embracing marijuana use: "And the thing that sticks in my craw about this is that, for decades, it was us liberals who were accused of destroying the fabric of society with our drug use."
He soon added:
Somewhere along the line, things changed for the real Americans in the heartland who were always chastising us for undermining patriotism by being stoned all the time. Well, who's stoned all the time now? Not us. We've moved on to kale smoothies and occasional craft beer.
After mockingly making suggestions about how conservatives can abuse drugs more safely, he concluded by recommending that they start using marijuana instead:
Also very important, you're doing the wrong drugs. Stick to the stuff that comes out of the ground. Jesus. Ninety-percent of you are farmers. You grow, fertilize, harvest, eat, and, for all I know, f*** your own crops. You never thought to smoke them? And, most important, ignore the a**hole across the bar who keeps staring at you. That's a mirror.
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Friday, January 20, Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO:
Finally, "New Rule," here on Inauguration Day, in the interests of new beginnings, liberals have to stop calling Trump voters "rubes" and "simpletons," and, instead, reach out and feel their pain -- the pain they insist we didn't see. And there is ample evidence for that pain. Did you know, of the 14 states with the highest painkiller prescriptions per person, they all went for Trump? Trump won 80 percent of the states that have the biggest heroin problem.
And the counties that he won in Ohio and Pennsylvania that went for Obama last time are the ones that are racked by opiate abuse. So let's stop calling Trump voters "idiots" and "fools" and call them what they are: "f***ing drug addicts."
(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)
Now, if that sounds like I'm not actually reaching out, I promise I will. But first, I have to get something off my chest about this phenomenon of white conservatives on drugs. And the numbers are phenomenal. West Virginia was Trump's best state. And in the last six years, folks there have downed 780 million hydro- and oxycodone pills. That's 433 pain pills for every person in the state. West Virginia's mascot is a dilated pupil.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
In Wisconsin, another key Trump state, between '08 and 2014, heroin deaths nearly quadrupled. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but, kids, don't do heroin. It's a gateway to being a Republican.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
And the thing that sticks in my craw about this is that, for decades, it was us liberals who were accused of destroying the fabric of society with our drug use.
(...)
Somewhere along the line, things changed for the real Americans in the heartland who were always chastising us for undermining patriotism by being stoned all the time. Well, who's stoned all the time now? Not us. We've moved on to kale smoothies and occasional craft beer.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
Meanwhile, you've go meth mouth and are taking your dog's arthritis pills.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
Live free or die? More like: press down and twist.
(...)
Also very important, you're doing the wrong drugs. Stick to the stuff that comes out of the ground. Jesus. Ninety-percent of you are farmers. You grow, fertilize, harvest, eat, and, for all I know, f*** your own crops. You never thought to smoke them? And, most important, ignore the a**hole across the bar who keeps staring at you. That's a mirror.
