Who’d have thought that the most pointed disagreement between Bill Maher and Matt Gaetz on Maher’s Club Random podcast would not be over Donald Trump or January 6 or allegations about Gaetz having sex with a minor, but about television?
To be sure, the duo did cover Trump, Russiagate, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the accusations against Gaetz, which the former Representative from Florida denied. What did cause fireworks was Gaetz’s evaluation of Maher’s work.
It began with Gaetz praising Maher’s former ABC show, Politically Incorrect, calling it “one of the best shows on TV,” before adding, “It’s way better than you show now.”
A surprised Maher interrupted with “that’s so insulting.”
“It’s not,” replied for former Rep.
“You’re saying that a show I did 25 years ago is better than what I did the last 20 years,” Maher shot back. “I’m not going to be mad at you for the rest of the interview, but I’m just going to tell you, that’s just a f*cking stupid way to start a conversation: ‘You peaked 20 years ago, Bill. Let’s be friends.’ “
“No, I just said I think it’s a better artistic representation of your work,” offered Gaetz.
“First of all, you’re wrong,” said Maher. “You could say to me, ‘I liked that show, too.’ But it’s certainly not better than Real Time.”
Gaetz then made another comparison that didn’t actually endear him to the rough-edged Maher.
“Taylor Swift’s new stuff, I don’t think, is better than her initial album,” he said.
“Don’t compare me to Taylor Swift. I’m not a big fan,” the host shot back. “Real Time, we have on actual intellectual people and people who are experts about the subjects we are talking about. Politically Incorrect, we had Carrot Top and Pauly Shore on.”
Gaetz then pointed out that Maher also had subject experts like filmmakers and authors on his old show.
Maher replied that Real Time is a much more “adult show,” before adding of his own efforts over the years since he left ABC, “The game went up. It did not go down.”
Eventually, the conversation turned less combative, with Maher telling the former Florida Rep. that he “looks different in person” from his TV persona of how they portray him on Saturday Night Live.
In fact, at the end of the conversation Gaetz, who just so happens to have a new podcast of his own to promote, offered, “We should do Real Time.”
Maher agreed.
“I would love to,” he said.
“Would you do it? Would you do a panel?” Maher then asked.
“I got no fear of your panel,” replied Gaetz, before getting to what may have been his aim all along. “You should do my podcast, too.”
Maher assented as the duo shook hands.
English (US) ·