Comedian and HBO host Bill Maher said he was genuinely surprised that NPR invited him for an interview, arguing that the network’s audience has become so far to the left that he expected listeners would object to hearing from someone with his views.
Maher made the comments during Wednesday’s episode of the Newsmakers podcast while speaking with NPR host Steve Inskeep. The longtime Real Time host suggested that NPR’s audience has shifted significantly over the years and questioned whether his appearance would be well received.
“Your audience is going to love this, by the way,” Maher joked after criticizing what he described as misplaced priorities among many liberals. He argued that some on the left are quick to condemn people over relatively minor #MeToo-related offenses while also supporting slogans such as “globalize the intifada” and cheering for Hamas in its conflict with Israel.
Inskeep pushed back on Maher’s characterization of NPR’s audience, saying it is “a little more diverse than you might think.”
Maher responded by expressing surprise that he had even been invited onto the program.
“Really? I’m surprised you even had me on!” Maher replied, prompting laughter from Inskeep.
The exchange led Maher to elaborate on what he sees as a broader change within NPR.
“I think NPR is so different than it used to be,” Maher said before explaining that he believes meaningful political discussion has become increasingly difficult in today’s climate.
Maher said he wants people to engage directly with ideas instead of dismissing individuals based on personal characteristics or preconceived opinions.
“What I always want people to do but it’s so hard to get people to do these days is just engage with argument,” Maher said. He added that people are free to dislike him for any reason, but argued they should focus on whether his arguments are right or wrong rather than simply rejecting him outright.
According to Maher, that willingness to debate opposing viewpoints has largely disappeared on both political extremes.
“But that’s not what either extreme does in this country anymore,” he said. “And maybe I’m wrong, but I think of this place as the far extreme of the left.”
Inskeep responded that NPR may feature a wider range of voices than Maher realizes.
“Maybe there’s a little more variety in who we talk to than you might’ve been told,” Inskeep said.
Maher acknowledged that the guests appearing on NPR may be varied but argued that the network’s audience likely holds different views than the range of people it interviews.
The comments are the latest in a series of criticisms Maher has directed at Democrats and the political left in recent years.
In 2024, Maher told CNN that he does not believe his own liberal views have changed significantly since he first began discussing politics on television during the 1990s. Instead, he argued that “the left has changed,” saying the movement has shifted in a direction he does not support.
More recently, Maher pointed to recent Democratic primary victories by socialist candidates as evidence that he believes the party is putting itself on a path toward losing the 2028 presidential election.
During his NPR appearance, Maher argued that many modern leftists are interested only in hearing what he called the “one true opinion” they have collectively embraced, rather than engaging with people who hold different viewpoints.
