Bill Maher started his podcast “Club Random” with a specific goal in mind.
Less politics. More conversation.
The HBO star talks politics nonstop on his show “Real Time.” So his podcast, as presented to the public, would avoid Beltway criticism.
Task: not completed. He’s invited a host of stars to join his podcast lineup, many of whom vehemently disagree with his progressive worldview. Kudos for being an open host.
Recent talks keep coming back to politics. His conversation with actor Jon Cryer proved to be a worthwhile example.
Cryer belongs to the far left, while Maher is progressive but open to criticizing his team. That meant the pair were on the verge of clashing when Cryer joined Sunday’s episode.
This is exactly what happened.
This uncomfortable exchange led to both host and guest scrambling to break away from controversial topics with no luck. It also revealed Cryer’s less than admirable views on women’s rights and American voters.
Maher quickly pressed Cryer on the recent election results, noting how immigration has proven problematic for the Democratic cause.
“I told you and I told you and I told you, and I lost fans because of it. A lot of great ones woke up, but I think I was right. This kind of stuff is what lost the election for the Democrats.”
Cryer disagreed, saying Democrats had actually moved away from woke positions during the presidential campaign. The Two and a Half Men man cited inflation as the reason behind his party’s loss on November 5. And he didn’t stop there.
“Americans hate inflation. They hate inflation, they hate riots, they hate black women, they hate trans people.
That didn’t sit well with Maher.
“Oh, my God, John. Oh, yeah, we shouldn’t talk politics.
“We shouldn’t. Great. We don’t have to,” Cryer said.
However, they couldn’t stop.
At one point, Cryer refused to judge cultures that keep women covered from head to toe, which left Maher aghast.
The conversation proved helpful if awkward. It is likely that Cryer rarely faces public opposition to his hard-left views. Maher, usually a gracious host, had earlier had to step back from the political banter he made from the jump.
It didn’t take much digging to figure out that Cryer’s political leanings would lead to uncomfortable dialogue. This is exactly what happened.