On Friday's Real Time on HBO, far left comedian Bill Maher hyperbolically likened Syrian dictator Bashar Assad gassing people to death with chemical weapons to the United States "gassing them" "slower with CO2" as he fretted over global warming.
He also mocked Republicans as "stupid" for not believing in global warming, and, as he interviewed author Hanna Rosin, he lambasted men as "whiny little bitches."
About 11 minutes into the show, as Rosin recalled the societal trend toward more women getting college degrees and making higher salaries than men, noting that men "don't like to work in health care, and they definitely don't like to work for the government," the liberal HBO host snarked: "Of course, right, because they're whiny little bitches. You know, this is, I mean, I used to, all through the campaign, I called Trump that, the 'whiny little bitch,' and people loved it. It really caught on."
Moments later, he engaged in more apparent self-hating sentiments as he added: "Men, you think 'macho,' 'We're so strong and sturdy.' But really they are whiny little bitches. I mean, who is more of a little bitch than Donald Trump? "
At 10:17 p.m. ET, at the beginning of the panel segment, he then took aim at the intelligence of Republicans as he recalled the "March for Science." Maher:
There's a "March for Science" in Washington and 400 cities tomorrow. I hope you join that. The Republicans have a competing "March for Ignorance" that's going on. Sorry, S.E., but, you know what, it is the party of climate denial, and they have an awful lot to answer for.
Maher then compared carbon dioxide emissions to a chemical weapon attack by the United States as he soon added:
The Syrian problem started with climate change. It did -- 75 percent of Syrian farms failed. A million and a half people migrated to the cities. That's where it began.
And, by the way, these people who are starving, which is, you know, whether you're bombed or you're sarin gassed or you're starving, death is death. But, I mean, we talk about Assad gassing people, we're gassing them, too. We're just doing it slower with CO2.
Moments later, he made his first crack about Republicans being "stupid," although he initially dismissed his comment as just joking around: "Let's get back to the main topic: Why are Republicans so stupid? That, I think, was our main -- no, I kid of course."
After right-leaning CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp warned him that calling Republicans "dumb" is a "bad strategy," Maher remarked that "I half agree with that" as he added "because I want the Democrats to win."
But, moments later, he was back to characterizing Republicans as "stupid" again. As Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton argued that people "aren't just stupid," Maher injected: "They're stupid, too." The HBO host then exclaimed:
But that's the problem! You can't deny that global warming is happening, but then say, "But don't call us stupid." That's the little dilemma I'm in. It's like, "Don't call me stupid!" Well, then, don't be stupid!
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Friday, April 21, Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO:
10:11 p.m. ET
HANNA ROSIN, AUTHOR: American men don't like to work in health care, and they definitely don't like to work for the government.
BILL MAHER: Of course, right, because they're whiny little bitches. You know, this is, I mean, I used to, all through the campaign, I called Trump that, the "whiny little bitch," and people loved it. It really caught on.
(...)
10:13 p.m. ET
MAHER: Men, you think "macho," "We're so strong and sturdy." But really they are whiny little bitches. I mean, who is more of a little bitch than Donald Trump?(...)
10:17 p.m. ET
MAHER: There's a "March for Science" in Washington and 400 cities tomorrow. I hope you join that. The Republicans have a competing "March for Ignorance" that's going on. Sorry, S.E., but, you know what, it is the party of climate denial, and they have an awful lot to answer for.And I think they're going to have a lot to answer for in front of their own people because it's starting to involve the one thing I know they care about: money. You know, when Miami is half underwater, it's going to cost like half a trillion dollars.
(...)
10:21 p.m. ET
MAHER: The Syrian problem started with climate change. It did -- 75 percent of Syrian farms failed. A million and a half people migrated to the cities. That's where it began.And, by the way, these people who are starving, which is, you know, whether you're bombed or you're sarin gassed or you're starving, death is death. But, I mean, we talk about Assad gassing people, we're gassing them, too. We're just doing it slower with CO2.
(...)
MAHER: Let's get back to the main topic: Why are Republicans so stupid? That, I think, was our main -- no, I kid of course.
(...)
10:26 p.m. ET
S.E. CUPP, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Mocking conservative voters as "dumb" seems like a very bad strategy to win elections again.MAHER: I half agree with that and yet --
CUPP: You don't agree with that -- I know you don't -- and that's okay.
MAHER: I do because I want the Democrats to win.
(...)
MAHER: I'm always in the South. I'm always around this country. That's why I knew Trump could win. I wasn't sanguine like the rest of the liberals because I see this country, and I drive from the airport into town, and I go, "Wow, this town looks like s***."
(...)
10:28 p.m. ET
REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA): But the point is, people aren't just stupid. People are hurting, and I think that's why Democrats have to have a real plan.MAHER: They're stupid, too.
MOULTON: We can't just go out there and hate Trump.
MAHER: But that's the problem! You can't deny that global warming is happening, but then say, "But don't call us stupid." That's the little dilemma I'm in. It's like, "Don't call me stupid!" Well, then, don't be stupid!
