Bill Maher and comedian Bill Burr went after cancel culture in Maher’s recent “Club Random” podcast episode, suggesting that it is time to welcome Louis CK back to the big stage following the comedian’s sexual misconduct allegations.
CK was accused of sexual misconduct in 2017, and he ultimately admitted that he masturbated in the presence of colleagues. The spat caused some rifts in CK’s career, such as being dropped from major projects. However, the comedian has clawed his way back, touring and performing live again.
‘They took $50 million; I think they punished him.’
Maher and Burr appeared to agree that while the #MeToo movement started as something everyone could agree on, it quickly lost its way and turned into something else. The #MeToo movement was kicked off in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke, but it gained national attention in 2017 with the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Cancel culture has specifically scrutinized stand-up comedians over the past few years, with those on the far left pushing for performers to be barred from telling jokes that could be deemed too offensive.
Maher and Burr said that CK had been “punished” enough for his violation and that he should be allowed to resume his career. The two added that his behavior was “not the end of the world.”
Bill Burr | Club Random with Bill Maher
“I mean, don’t get me started on that,” Maher said, appearing to refer to CK working outside the Hollywood system.
“Isn’t it time everyone just went: ‘Okay, it wasn’t a cool thing to do, but it’s been long enough and welcome back.’ Enough! I mean, for Christ’s sake, it’s not the end of the world,” Maher said on the episode.
“People have done so much worse things and gotten less. There’s no rhyme or reason to the #MeToo-type punishments.”
“They took $50 million; I think they punished him,” Burr chimed in.
Burr went on to claim that cancel culture was not a serious thing any more, saying “it’s like most things. It started off with something everyone could agree on, and then quickly it just spun out of control.”
“I remember whenever that cancel culture got to the point of where it was, ‘I don’t like some of the topics in your stand-up act,’ yeah? That’s when it got weird. But that’s all over. It’s all over.”
“Yeah, no one cares any more,” the comedian continued.
But Maher appeared to disagree with Burr, suggesting that either of them could get canceled “in the next two minutes.”
Maher has been critical of cancel culture for years. In 2023, he noted that he had lost a fair number of “woke” friends who did not agree with his political takes.
“Don’t let the door hit you in the a**,” Maher said. “You were no fun to begin with. You have a terrible sense of humor.”
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