HBO

Former "Daily Show" comedian John Oliver launched his new program on HBO last night and hilariously eviscerated a commercial that once touted Cover Oregon, the state's now-defunct health insurance exchange. The ad was such insipid treacle that many people seeing it for the first time are certain to wonder if it's a parody. (Video after the jump, vulgarity alert)

Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, HBO Real Sports host and former Today show co-host Bryant Gumbel argued that alleged racist comments by NBA Clippers owner Donald Sterling were an indication of broader racism in America: "We historically, whether it's Donald Sterling or Cliven Bundy or Trayvon Martin, we look at a tip of the iceberg and we ignore the mass underneath it. And really,…

Rolling Stone's latest issue is designed to start a buzz again. It's Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (at age 53) in the nude, with an image of the Constitution on her back to promote her HBO series "Veep." We know it's unlikely most Veeps would jump at the chance to pose naked for Rolling Stone. Maybe Joe Biden. Anyway, the nudity hasn't been as scandalous as the cheeky decision to have John Hancock's…

Comedian Bill Maher is no stranger to making outrageous and offensive comments, usually directed at conservatives. His weekly HBO program “Real Time with Bill Maher” is an opportunity for the devout atheist and liberal to spew his anti-conservative hate, yet when a major television network profiles his comedy routine, his controversial style is ignored. NBC’s Harry Smith sat down with Maher…

Introducing a gushing interview with HBO Girls star Lena Dunham aired on Friday's NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie eagerly proclaimed: "You know, to call her the voice of her generation might actually be underselling her abilities. At just 27 years old, she isn't just starring in the hit HBO show Girls, she created it, writes it, produces it, and she also directs it. And now she can add…

Acting like the White House press office, Tuesday's CBS This Morning devoted a 3-minute report to President Obama's habit of binge watching his favorite TV shows, with correspondent Bill Plante gushing: "He may be the leader of the free world, but when it comes to unwinding, President Obama – well, he's a lot like us....The President tunes in to tune out. And when he needs his television, step…

TheWrap.com reports HBO’s new drama “Looking” had a "limp debut," with “not many people ‘looking’ at it on their TV screen. The new HBO comedy-drama had a paltry 338,000 viewers at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday.” Meanwhile, the Matthew McConnaughey-Woody Harrelson drama “True Detective” (Sundays at 9 pm) averaged 1.7 million viewers in its second week.

Here’s something you don’t see every day: Bill Maher poking fun at Barack Obama. On his first Real Time show of the year, the HBO host said of the scandal currently embattling Governor Chris Christie (R-N.J.), “They basically turned the bridge into the ObamaCare website” (video follows with transcript and commentary):

It appears that no matter what disgusting things Bill Maher says about conservatives - especially conservative women! - HBO is going to continue to reward him. On Wednesday, the cable network announced that it was renewing Real Time with Bill Maher for a 13th season (press release via TV By The Numbers):

The Newsroom, HBO’s low-rated series about a fictional television news channel will end after its third season, the premium cable channel announced Monday. Besides struggling to get viewers, the Aaron Sorkin drama was widely criticized as being unrealistic and pompous. The show also was notable for its very liberal political slant and incredible lack of self-awareness about that slant.…

Lena Dunham, the actress who made herself infamous by comparing voting for Barack Obama to losing one's virginity, has come out with another brilliant statement: People who aren't really interested in seeing her naked need to seek help from a psychiatrist. Replying to a television critic who asked her at a press conference why her character in the HBO series Girls frequently appears naked for…

At first, Washington Post TV critic Hank Stuever traveled with the critical mass on the trashy, ugly-sex-and-nudity show “Girls” on HBO, and its twentysomething creator, Lena Dunham (you know, the one who urged girls to pop their voting cherry with Obama). Just a month ago, Stuever found the show’s second season “left me feeling underserved.” But wow, has he decided he hates the show now. A…

Sarah Silverman celebrated Christmas in her usual mode: mocking Christians, and religion in general. On Twitter, she wrote “Happy Birthday, Jesus! I'm sorry [you] were murdered by people afraid of new ideas!” Her last HBO special in 2002 was even mockingly titled “Jesus Is Magic.” Her new special was called “We Are Miracles.” Once again in the new show, she made fun of the death of Jesus, as…

Since the left-wing nonsense coming out of Hollywood can be just as obnoxious as anything you’d find on MSNBC, the MRC’s “Best Notable Quotables of 2013” once again includes our annual Barbra Streisand Political IQ Award for Celebrity Vapidity. Past winners of this prestigious prize include: actress Jessica Lange in 2002 (“I despise him [George W. Bush]. I despise his administration and…