William "Bill" Maher (born January 20, 1956) is an American entertainer and public commentator whose career spans stand-up comedy, television hosting, acting and writing. He first became widely known as a sharp-tongued stand-up comedian and later expanded into broadcast and cable television as an interviewer and cultural critic. Over the years he has also worked as an actor and published work as an author, blending comedy with political and social commentary.

Maher established a television profile in the 1990s as the host of the late-night talk show Politically Incorrect, which began on Comedy Central and later moved to ABC. The program paired comedic monologues with panel discussions featuring guests from politics, media and entertainment, and helped set the stage for Maher’s signature approach: a mixture of satire, provocation and cross-ideological questioning.

Since 2003 he has hosted Real Time with Bill Maher on premium cable, a weekly program combining interviews, monologues and a regular satirical segment called "New Rules." Real Time has been recognized with multiple Emmy nominations and remains one of the highest-profile venues for Maher’s freewheeling exchanges with politicians, pundits and cultural figures.

Maher’s public persona has often generated controversy: he is known for outspoken criticism of religion, political correctness, and certain public-health narratives, and for a willingness to debate guests across the political spectrum. Supporters view him as a defender of free expression and secularism; critics accuse him of insensitivity or contrarianism on some subjects. These tensions are a persistent feature of his public reception.

Other projects and roles

  • In the mid-2000s he experimented with digital formats, launching an Internet-exclusive talk program on June 1 of 2006, an early move into web-distributed shows.
  • He has served as a producer on documentary and nonfiction ventures, including involvement with the series Vice, which broadened his work behind the camera.
  • Beyond television, Maher has performed stand-up tours, authored books and contributed essays and commentary to public debates on politics, media and culture.

Maher’s combination of comedy and polemic has made him an influential — and polarizing — figure in American media. Whether regarded as a satirist, interviewer, or provocateur, his long-running shows and public interventions continue to shape conversations about politics, civil liberties and the role of satire in public life.