NPR Newsmakers podcast host Steve Inskeep welcomed HBO’s Bill Maher to Thursday show his Mark Twain Prize and the wider world of politics. At one point in the interview, Maher confessed that he was surprised Inskeep invited him on because NPR is now “on the far extreme of the left.” Inskeep tried to defend NPR by saying reality is different than what its critics allege, but the numbers don’t back him up.
Maher was lamenting what he considered to be the way in which people determine whose opinions are worth taking seriously when he cited, “the weird, sort of, no rules for how we meet out punishment in this country for offenders is pretty weird. I mean, Garrison Keillor had to go away. But people will be there, ‘Globalize the Intifada.’ Yeah, Garrison Keillor gone, but like, let's cheer for the Hamas rapists, who did October 7th.”
Realzing he was on NPR, Maher continued, “Your audience is going to love this, by the way.”
Bill Maher tells NPR's Steve Inskeep, "I'm surprised you even had me on. Because I just think of this place is so different than what it used to be."
Inskeep tries to defend the network, "Yeah, maybe there's a little more variety in who we talk to than—you might have been… pic.twitter.com/R5d2ohUNXV— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) July 16, 2026
Inskeep insisted, “The audience is a little more diverse than you might think” as Maher confessed, “I mean, I'm surprised you even had me on.”
As Inskeep laughed, Maher rolled on, “Because I just think of this place is so different than what it used to be. And like, what I always want people to do, but it's so hard to get people to do these days, is just engage with the argument. You can hate me, whatever, for whatever, your reasons, you know, I'm too old, I'm whatever I am. Are you engaging with the argument. Tell me if I'm wrong about something. And then we're going to be cool. But that's not what either extreme does in this country anymore.”
Maher then gave his verdict of NPR in 2026, “Maybe I’m wrong, but I think of this place as, like, on the far extreme of the left, but I could be wrong.”
Inskeep maintained, “Yeah, maybe there's a little more variety in who we talk to than—you might have been told.”
A two-month study from July-September 2025 from NewsBusters found NPR’s All Things Considered had a 53-3 liberal-to-conservative guest ratio.
Even if Inskeep was correct, Maher still pointed out there would be problems, “Who you talk to is different than, like, what people believe, you know, are there beliefs that the audience can be, you know, examined? ‘Oh, you know I think that's a good point.’ Maybe, or is it just like, ‘No, that's not conformed to the one true opinion.’ So, you know I mean, it's—“
Inskeep continued to present himself as someone who agrees with Maher, “Well, I'm with you. We want to hear all kinds of people, and we go out of our way to do it.”
Newsmakers is a relatively new show. Since it began on March 27, it has hosted Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, former First Lady Jill Biden, and then-Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. It has interviewed zero Republicans. It has interviewed UFC President and CEO Dana White and Pastor Doug Wilson even if Wilson’s views on women and slavery are not exactly representative of conservatives on the whole, but that is it.
Here is a transcript for the July 15 show:
NPR Newsmakers
7/15/2026
BILL MAHER: You know, I mean, the weird, sort of, no rules for how we mete out punishment in this country for offenders is pretty weird. I mean, Garrison Keillor had to go away. But people will be there, “Globalize the Intifada.” Yeah, Garrison Keillor’s gone, but like, let's cheer for the Hamas rapists, who did October 7th.
STEVE INSKEEP: I hear you. I hear you.
MAHER: Your audience is going to love this, by the way.
INSKEEP: The audience is a little more diverse than you might think.
MAHER: Really?
INSKEEP: Sure. Some people—
MAHER: I mean, I'm surprised you even had me on. Because I just think of this place is so different than what it used to be. And like, what I always want people to do, but it's so hard to get people to do these days, is just engage with the argument. You can hate me, whatever, for whatever, your reasons, you know, I'm too old, I'm whatever I am. Are you engaging with the argument?
Tell me if I'm wrong about something. And then we're going to be cool. But that's not what either extreme does in this country anymore. And I—maybe I’m wrong, but I think of this place as, like, on the far extreme of the left, but I could be wrong.
INSKEEP: Yeah, maybe there's a little more variety in who we talk to than—you might have been told.
MAHER: Who you talk to is different than, like, what people believe, you know, are there beliefs that the audience can be, you know, examined? “Oh, you know I think that's a good point.” Maybe, or is it just like, “No, that's not conformed to the one true opinion.” So, you know I mean, it's—
INSKEEP: Well, I'm with you. We want to hear all kinds of people, and we go out of our way to do it.
MAHER: Great!
