Bill Maher is a multifaceted American entertainer who has made a name for himself as a comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host.
He is best known for his sharp and satirical views on religion, politics, culture, and current events, which he expresses on his popular HBO talk show Real Time with Bill Maher and his former show Politically Incorrect.
Quick Facts
- Full name: William Maher Jr.
- Nickname: Bill Maher
- Date of birth: January 20, 1956
- Age: 70 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, television host
- Height: 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
- Parents: William Maher Jr. (father), Julie Maher (née Berman) (mother)
- Siblings: Kathy Maher (sister)
- Spouse: N/A
- Children: N/A
- Relationship status: Single
- Net worth: $140 million
Early Life and Education
Bill Maher, now 70, was born in New York City on January 20, 1956, to a network news editor, radio announcer father, and nurse mother.
He has one older sister, Kathy. He grew up in River Vale, New Jersey, where he attended Pascack Hills High School.
He was raised in his Irish-American father’s Roman Catholic faith but later became an outspoken atheist after his father stopped attending church in protest of the Vatican’s stance on birth control.
He graduated from Cornell University in 1978 with a double major in English and history.
Personal Life
Bill Maher has never been married but has dated several women, including model Coco Johnsen, actress Karrine Steffans, neuroscientist Cara Santa Maria, and singer Anjulie Persaud.
He has no children but is a supporter of animal rights and serves on the board of PETA. He also enjoys the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Lakers. He lives in Beverly Hills, California.
Career
Bill Maher started his career as a stand-up comedian in the late 1970s, performing at various clubs and venues.
He also appeared on television shows such as Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show and David Letterman’s Late Night.
In 1983, he made his film debut in D.C. Cab, followed by roles in Ratboy, Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death, and Pizza Man. He also wrote and starred in the 1994 comedy film The Night We Never Met.
In 1993, he created and hosted Politically Incorrect, a late-night talk show featuring a panel of guests from different backgrounds and opinions discussing topical issues. The show aired on Comedy Central and later on ABC and earned Maher several Emmy nominations.
However, the show was canceled in 2002 after Maher implied that the terrorists responsible for the September 11 attacks were braver than the U.S. forces fighting in Afghanistan, which sparked controversy and backlash.
In 2003, he launched Real Time with Bill Maher, a similar talk show that airs on HBO and features guests from politics, media, entertainment, and academia.
The show is known for its humorous and often controversial monologues, interviews, and roundtable discussions. The show has won several awards, including an Emmy, a Peabody, and a GLAAD Media Award.
In addition to his talk shows, Maher has also produced and starred in several documentaries, such as Religulous, which criticizes organized religion, and Vice, which covers global issues and conflicts.
He has also written several books, such as When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden, New Rules, and The New New Rules.
Awards
Some of the awards that Bill Maher has won or been nominated for throughout his career are:
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series for Politically Incorrect (nominated in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001).
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music, or Comedy Program for Politically Incorrect (nominated in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001).
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series for Real Time with Bill Maher (nominated in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020).
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program for Real Time with Bill Maher (nominated in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020).
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series or Special for Vice (won in 2014 and 2016, nominated in 2015 and 2017).
- Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming for Religulous (nominated in 2009).
- Peabody Award for Real Time with Bill Maher (won in 2014).
- GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Talk Show Episode for Real Time with Bill Maher (won in 2017).
- Writers Guild of America Award for Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) – Series for Real Time with Bill Maher (won in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, nominated in 2007 and 2020).
Net Worth
According to sources, Bill Maher has a net worth of $140 million.
He reportedly earns $10 million annually from his HBO contract for Real Time with Bill Maher.
Controversy
Bill Maher has been involved in several controversies throughout his career, mainly due to his provocative and sometimes offensive remarks on various topics. Some of the most notable ones are:
- In 2002, he implied that the terrorists responsible for the September 11 attacks were braver than the U.S. forces fighting in Afghanistan, which led to the cancellation of his show Politically Incorrect.
- In 2007, he was sued by his ex-girlfriend, Coco Johnsen, for $9 million, alleging that he promised to marry her and support her financially but failed to do so. A judge dismissed the lawsuit.
- In 2017, he used the N-word on his show Real Time, which sparked outrage and criticism from many people, including civil rights activists and celebrities. He later apologized and invited several guests to discuss the issue on his show.
- In 2018, he mocked comic book fans and Stan Lee after his death, saying that comic books are not literature and that adults who read them need to grow up. He faced backlash from many comic book fans and celebrities, including Stan Lee’s company and Kevin Smith.
- In 2019, he made fun of overweight people, saying that fat shaming needs to make a comeback and that obesity is a major health problem in America. He was challenged by James Corden, who defended overweight people and said that fat shaming does not work and only makes them feel worse.
Social Media
- Instagram: @billmaher
- Twitter: @billmaher
Filmography
Some of the films and television shows that Bill Maher has appeared in or produced are:
- D.C. Cab
- Ratboy
- Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death
- Pizza Man
- The Night We Never Met
- Politically Incorrect
- EDtv
- Tomcats
- Real Time with Bill Maher
- Religulous
- Vice
- Iron Man 3
- The Interview
- Ted 2
- A Futile and Stupid Gesture