Maher on Catholic hypocrisy

Bill Maher asks a question I asked some weeks ago in this blog (see the last paragraph of that blog).

If Obama should quit his church for the wrongdoings of its leaders, shouldn't the pews in every American Catholic church be empty?

Bill Maher asks what journalist won't

As long as he isn't being interrupted by hecklers, Bill Maher can bring a certain swagger to an interview, even one that is mysteriously interrupted when the interview grows uncomfortable.

BTW, fuck you Bill Maher

Political comedian Bill Maher has been inconvenienced twice by free-speech hecklers who are clever enough to use the live TV airwaves (airwaves which indeed belong to all of us as Americans), to try to make a point, and he doesn't like it.

His is a strange reaction for a man who spends his public life defending Constitutional freedoms and condemning the Bush administration. Free speech is okay as long is it doesn't offend him.

In a nod to Maher's own political construct, here's a "new rule."

New rule. Just because you have a TV show doesn't mean you, and your celebrity guests, are the only ones entitled to an opinion. And if you're daring enough to have a live TV show, don't be surprised when someone says something you don't expect. For example, on Jay Leno's show, you used the word "bullshit" twice, in disregard for FCC rules. That was supposed to be funny and brilliant, right? The folks in the audience were only to try some forum to let the American public know that NBC was denying a legitimate candidate (who's been a guest on your show), the right to speak, and the public the right to know. So when someone interrupts your "clever" planned comments with a spontaneous protest, maybe invite them onstage instead of calling them assholes.

Thanks to Michael Gill.

I've been thinking this for years; I just wish I'd thought to say it out loud first

Bill Maher should get a lot of crap for his recent definition of an asshole, but I couldn't agree with him more. This segment from his New Rules portion of his show is a beautiful dissection of the jingoistic, bellicose, hypocritical ravings from the chickenhawks on the right. Wear a flag pin, wear a yellow ribbon, wear a rubber bracelet, but for god's sake don't volunteer yourself or anyone in your family for difficult duty.