Yes, but with limited success. He just can't put up the facade for very long. He usually defaults to his "I'll blow you off the face of the Earth if you don't comply" schtick.
Maher has been on this kick for a while. He's such a hypocrite. He's spent years screaming at the left for being intolerant of others' views, but here he is telling us that any criticism of Israel equals antisemitism.
The term "smugnorant" was coined for people like Bill Maher, but I think he'd take it as a compliment. Just recently, he did a segment where he talked about how he was proud of his ignorance when it comes to not knowing what the overton window is. Then again, maybe he knows what it means and he realizes his Zionist views are far outside of it.Well, he was right about the first part.
But the mainstream media in the States, by decree, only permits criticism of Israel's policies (and its seven wars) to be labeled "antisemitism." And to hear Maher's endless "I'm-cuttin-through-the-bullsh!t!" attitude applied to the genocide (he pretends isn't happening) drives me into a distraction.
Last night, I was surprised to hear parts of his usual, clapping seal audience fall silent at his speech. So perhaps some of the public may be waking up. Maybe their warranted fear of Data Centers is shaking them into consciousness.
It doesn't help that he always interviews himself (much like Piers Morgan). I was watching Bill Maher's Club Random podcast (he has many good guests, but I can't usually sit through his doing all the talking -- which is reflected in the comments section, but is a point clearly ignored) a few months ago, and Henry Winkler, a laid back guy who's nothing like The Fonz, sat there for an hour with Bill doing all the talking, as per normal. At one point, Winkler had the temerity to attempt to start and finish a single sentence, and Bill sat forward and said, "Don't interrupt me...!" like a child... Crickets ... Winkler returned to not saying anything, and Bill went on interviewing himself for the remaining hour of the show.
The guests are just props.
But then Bill Maher is just another tool of the establishment, winning over conservatives and unindoctrinated liberals who appreciate his "candor" about Woke absurdities and the fact the Biden was demonstrably demented when the DNC was pretending otherwise -- only for Maher to justify all the wars, ignore the control of our government by a power-mad foreign entity, and everything else the establishment wants. Maher pretending he's being a 'rebel' while he does so.
Bill doesn't listen. And never has a Real Time guest back on the show when they turn out to be smarter (and more honest) than he is.
He's contemptible. For numerous reasons. I wish he'd get graped by an IDF soldier, on video, and then have all the western media act like it never even happened.
That's a distinction that is being argued endlessly in Australia, too. An official definition of antisemitism seems to remain elusive.
It's amazing that people fall for it too. It would be like saying criticizing the American government or the American President meant you were prejudiced against all Americans.
That's basically what I've heard as well. It can still get you censored on some sites in the US, but at least there are no legality issues (yet.)
It hasn't stopped me using my social media platforms to criticise the apartheid state of Israel for carrying out a genocide in Gaza. None of my posts are censored or deleted.
The only Jewish leader of a major political party in the UK is Zack Polanski of the Green Party and he is a vocal critic of Israel's genocide of the Palestinians. He is regularly criticised by non-Jews of being antisemitic. It's a age old tactic of apologists of the Israeli government to shut down any criticism of their support for war crimes.
Bernie Sanders gets the same treatment in the US whenever he speaks out against the genocide or votes against war funding for Israel.
Inconsistently. He voted for the Afghanistan and Ukraine wars, but he voted against foreign aid packages in 2023 and 2024 that included military funding for Israel.
