Another Week, Another Governor on “Real Time With Bill Maher”

On certain episodes of Real Time With Bill Maher, conversation turns to the state of, well, Real Time With Bill Maher. That included discussion earlier this year of why Arnold Schwarzenegger had never appeared on the show — and, lo and behold, he appeared last week. Maher has also taken to pointing out that elected Republicans have been more open to the show than elected Democrats. Wouldn’t you know it, this week an elected Democrat showed up: Kentucky governor Andy Beshear.

That wasn’t the only way this week’s episode stood out. Maher usually opens his monologue with, “I know why you’re happy.” This week, he seemed a little overwhelmed by recent events — and who could blame him? “Trump is suing America. The country he’s the leader of. I am not making this up,” he said. If the current state of the nation has satirists exhausted, where does that leave the rest of us?

Beshear arrived on the stage ready to discuss his approach to politics. Maher, who had previously asked him if he was seeking the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2028, had some issues with his comments: “It doesn’t seem like we’re getting too specific here.”

The governor has received praise for winning in a largely conservative state while also supporting trans rights. Beshear’s shorthand for this? “Spend 80% of your time on things that matter to 100% of the American population,” he said. “That doesn’t mean you don’t stand up for your convictions, some of which they may share, or not.” He also spoke about doing things that improve people’s lives — such as opening businesses and improving roads.

Maher then brought up another Democratic governor (and Real Time guest) who likely has eyes on higher office: Gavin Newsom. Maher asked Beshear what he thought of Newsom’s occasional forays into parodying Donald Trump’s social media style. “He’s pushing back in his way. It’s not my way. It’s just not me,” Beshear said. “But I think everybody has to take their style and do what’s best for their people.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger Talked Gerrymandering on “Real Time With Bill Maher”

All that plus plenty of frustration with algorithms

Michael Steele and Kate Bedingfield — political veterans who now work as commentators for MSNBC and CNN, respectively — joined Maher for the panel. Their first topic of discussion: Beshear’s 2028 chances. Both were impressed.

Steele also brought up his lengthy history with Maher. “We started out going back and forth on policy. Now we’re going back and forth on what the country is,” Steele said. “I think that says a lot about how we’ve grown as a country, but it also talks about the fissures that have grown with it.” But he also warned about the current administration’s threats to the nation as a whole, saying, “This thing breaks, it ain’t coming back.”

Maher then returned to one of his running themes: the Democrats’ need for a “Sister Souljah moment,” which for him can be found in the New York City mayoral race. He stopped short of formally endorsing former governor Andrew Cuomo — another former guest — but touted him as a “kind of normal” option. Bedingfield was not convinced, saying that Cuomo’s history was “not the normal I want to embrace.”

Maher’s argument for Cuomo was that the mayoral race in New York — and a potential Zohran Mamdani win — would have national implications for the Democrats. Bedingfield wasn’t so sure: “I disagree that the mayor of New York sets the national tone.” Steele was also unconvinced. “I don’t think it’s a bellwether for the country; I think it’s a bellwether for New York,” he said.

To close out the episode, Maher eschewed bothsidesism for a critique of paranoia and exaggeration on the American right. “Each side has its crazies, and I’ll grant you — at least the right has found a place for theirs,” Maher said. “Unfortunately, that place is elected government.” He had no shortage of examples, though he dedicated some time to criticizing Dilbert creator Scott Adams’s assertion that “Republicans will be hunted” if Joe Biden was elected in 2020. Has that aged well? No; it has not.

Other notable moments from this week:

Maher on the new White House ballroom: “As a constitutionalist, I must say, I find this appalling. As the guy who it took three years to get my fucking solar panels in, I’m kind of jealous.”
Maher on this year’s World Series: “The winner gets to decline an invitation to the White House.”
Maher on people dating AI chatbots: “We’re about three months away from the chatbot ghosting you.”

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…