The worst thing about Maher as a performer is that he berates his audience when they don’t like his joke. I did professional stand-up for a few years and that’s like breaking unspoken rule #1. Even if the room is a shit room, you don’t act like they’re a shit room.
I never noticed how insidious this was. I thought it was really funny at first. Like oh, I groaned and he’s reminding me to have fun. But he has taken it to mean his audience needs to be exposed to grifters and harmful talking points disguised as “challenging ideas”
I mean I really kept watching Bill after he dropped the N-word, I am a die hard comedy fan and it’s effectively impossible to cross the line with me. But Bill Maher is completely full of shit.
Stewart Lee does a bit where he breaks this rule deliberately, but it works explicitly because part of the joke is the audience realising what he’s doing, and also because it’s planned in advance so he can make sure he’s got it right
The worst thing about Maher as a performer is that he berates his audience when they don’t like his joke. I did professional stand-up for a few years and that’s like breaking unspoken rule #1. Even if the room is a shit room, you don’t act like they’re a shit room.
I mean that’s pretty much an unspoken rule for all touring performers. The guy really is shit.
I never noticed how insidious this was. I thought it was really funny at first. Like oh, I groaned and he’s reminding me to have fun. But he has taken it to mean his audience needs to be exposed to grifters and harmful talking points disguised as “challenging ideas”
I mean I really kept watching Bill after he dropped the N-word, I am a die hard comedy fan and it’s effectively impossible to cross the line with me. But Bill Maher is completely full of shit.
Stewart Lee does a bit where he breaks this rule deliberately, but it works explicitly because part of the joke is the audience realising what he’s doing, and also because it’s planned in advance so he can make sure he’s got it right