There are many reasons why I don’t watch late night television. Firstly, I fade in the evening. I am an ‘early to bed, early to rise’ person and need huge incentives to do anything but prepare for and go to sleep after 9:30. Secondly, profanity makes me wince, not laugh. For some reason, for many years now entertainers assume that inserting curse words makes their repartee more compelling and hysterically funny. It does not. Thirdly, I find the general Leftist tilt of many shows annoying, and the last thing I need to add to my life is increased irritation.
However, not infrequently over the past few months, my news feeds have included links to clips from Bill Maher’s show. Yes, they included profanity and yes, my eyes rolled at some of his words, but he directed his humor at what it’s fair to consider as “his side,” and I found them intriguing.
This week, one such offering went even farther. In a monologue (you can search for it; the link we had was removed) he sounded, well, seriously disturbed at the rise in Jew hatred taking place in the United States. While he did attempt to play the “both sides” card, mentioning Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, and Candace Owens, it seemed to me that these names were inserted almost formulaically and that he well knows that there is no comparison between the Right and the Left on this issue.
Bill Maher is an experienced and professional performer. His presentation did not get many laughs—and I suggest that he knew it would not. To my (admittedly subjective) view the chosen individuals sitting next to him even seemed uncomfortable. Maher spoke anyway.
In today’s world, that is courageous.
Perhaps Mr. Maher, who made a career from sarcasm, biting humor, and mockery, is getting seriously concerned as to whether the country in which he built his fame and fortune is imploding. As I wrote in last week’s Musing, many smart and influential people did not see where the road they were building led.
It is getting uncomfortably real to ask if there is a hopeful future for the United States. I think that Bill Maher provided a public and widely seen example that needs to be followed by anyone who loves this country. Silence when venomous hatred is being spewed, whether about Jews, males, whites, the wealthy, or any other scapegoat, is dangerous. Refusing to speak about the dangers of socialism, transgenderism, Islam, and Leftism in the name of ‘sensitivity’ and ‘multiculturalism’ is equally dangerous. Do those two sentences sound contradictory? Then you need to educate yourself and understand why they are not.
Courage looks different for each of us. I doubt anyone reading this has the kind of platform that Bill Maher has. But we all need to react, no matter how uncomfortable that is if we are present when the opportunity to speak up arises. We also must actively seek out places to take a stand. Is there time to turn things around? I pray so, but prayer without action is a weak and insufficient step.
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Hello from another former Bensonhurst-er.
Bill always needs to throw in a shot at President Trump, Conservatives, and others, who would be in full agreement with his take on the current behavior of the Left. Is he trying to not loose too many followers on the left? I first watched Bill 30 years ago or so on Politically Incorrect show. It was not, so I turned it off a few minutes into the show. Over the years a feed would pop up now and then and Bill would be speaking out on the most idiotic ideas of the Left. For a few years now everything from the left is Idiotic so Bill sounds as conservative as many who claim the title.
Bill unfortunately is not alone with the profanity. There are many making very good points I would like my children to hear, but profanity is in nearly everything. Even listening to a scientist discussing a serious topic -BANG!
Joe,
Laramie WY
PS
A number of years ago when Rabbi was on a SF radio show the topic of Matthew Shepard came up. I called in from Laramie and was put on the air. He mentioned where you grew up.
Susan wrote in reply:
Thanks for saying how you knew where I grew up – I was scratching my head on that one. I agree so strongly about the profanity. Unless we want ourselves, and our children, to become accustomed to it, we sadly end up not being able to listen to much that would be worthwhile.
Hi Susan,
I couldn’t agree more. I feel exactly as you do, and it is sad when it takes a foul-mouthed, crass, sarcastic media personality to get people of faith to nod in agreement.
The world is very strange, Chris.