Sorry, can’t find any better sources for this.
The animator then asked Maher what the “downside” of “getting a vaccine” was, which caused the comedian to go on an anti-vax tirade.
“The fact that you the fact that you don’t even have a clue what’s the cost of getting a vaccine that you don’t know the answer to that. You completely want to shut your eyes to the fact that there are repercussions to all medical interventions, including a vaccine, all vaccines,” he ranted. “They come, they say side effects, just like every medication does. You can see it in the literature. They can’t write it on their back on the vaccine. So you have to dig them. And of course, there is a vaccine court because so many people have been injured.”
Okaaaay new rule. Maher is a great example for how politics has changed in the US the last 20 years, because he definitely hasn’t changed (okay maybe in some ways), yet he’s almost universally despised by progressives now.
Other comedians are going after him now too, Heidecker and Armisen produced a whole half hour satire of the odd chemistry he has on his “Club Random” podcast. Tim doesn’t do the voice impression but it’s almost funnier for some reason because of that. This is an absolutely hilarious example of it. “Hey you want some dope?” “Oh yeah sure… lets smoke this joint” “It’s not weed stupid it’s a CLOVE CIGARETTE.” I dunno how Jeff Ross holds it together here, the roastmaster that he is.
Norm was one of the first to really go after him as “one of these comedians who try and be smart instead of funny.” His appearances on Maher’s show in that video are great, totally ruins what Maher is trying to do and makes the audience and guests crack up.
Having watched him decades ago and really liking him I can say he most definitely changed. He leans far more conservative and does not ride the fence like he used to. Granted times have changed and his schtick has gotten old. Playing a good devil’s advocate can be entertaining even if I personally am over it.
Yeah he always had the antivax views, but the “I believe in science” crowd was content to brush it off because he was big with the New Atheism thing, and it didn’t have the significance at the time. He was also a cannabis advocate, in favor of gay marriage, and had many other liberal libertarian opinions that were popular at the time from the Democrat base. I remember seeing his book on the shelf of my educated well-read lesbian friend in late 00s, and I don’t know why I remember this because it wasn’t remarkable at all, maybe because it was my first exposure to a friend’s political opinions rather than it being Maher specifically.
The Jeff Ross episode, holy cow that’s bad. I’ve never seen his personal shows. He’s like the world’s strangest narcissist.
Yeah I dunno how he can look at this and think it’s good to release it. He’s basically rich and set for life at this point so maybe it’s a “because I can” thing.
Jeff saying he doesn’t own a gun and Maher just berating him and telling him what the only reasonable opinion is comes off as completely insane.
There is 0 chance he reviewed this edit. Thats the only reason this is probably out. He’s doing volume and trusting his people—and this is also probably the “best” cut (which tells you how bad it really is in real-time)—because as bad as he is, there’s just no way he knowingly released a cut like that with an actual peer like Jeff Ross.
Now that it’s been seen, he will obviously defend it because it’s weak to pull it. But Bill isn’t so out of touch that he’d proactively release material that makes him look like Ross is embarrassed to be there.
Yeah that’s true and I doubt it costs him much for the production, he’s probably just wanting to have a podcast because he enjoys some podcasts and knows they’re cool right now. He probably wouldn’t even respond to criticism of it beyond, “well you know what if you don’t like it don’t watch it okaaay, and maybe when you grow up you can enjoy hearing how adults talk and have fun.”
Eh, it happens fairly frequently that people are in a weird bubble and are so convinced they’re right they’ll willingly put out an insane rant thinking that once everyone sees it they’ll change how they think.
Maher is a Hollywood guy which means he’s in a big bubble to begin with. And then he’s probably got an entourage that tells him he’s right about everything. They audience at his shows are a self selected group of people that agree with him.
Sure it’s possible his team released it because they don’t give a shit about him looking bad because he’s an asshole. But it’s equally likely he ok’ed it simply because he thinks he’s right and no one he’s surrounded by day to day tells him otherwise.
Damn, Jeff is like “please get me out of here…”
You can see Jeff’s enthusiasm melting in his face with every response from Maher. I didn’t know he had this level of personal restraint before because I only know him from his roasts. It was soul crushing to see him like this lol
Norm was playing for an audience onstage with him. The folks down in the folding seats were just along for the ride.