Bill Maher—the same man who thought that referring to himself as a “house n*gger” on his eponymous HBO show Real Time With Bill Maher would be a funny joke—decided to share even more of his unfunny antics in a new episode.
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During a guest appearance featuring newly re-elected Colorado governor Jared Polis, he chastised Democrats for concentrating on “checking the boxes” when it comes to nominating candidates.
In typical white male fashion, Maher then went off about how the modern Democratic party wouldn’t support two straight white men on a presidential ticket. “It’s not a bad thing when the Democratic party wants to look like America,” he stated.
“It is a good thing, but the question though is, is it the priority? Is it more of a priority than things like merit that should matter more?”
He cited The New York Times’ Frank Bruni’s list for probable Democratic 2024 candidates, which included Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren, all while making invisible check mark motions implying how each one fills diversity quotas.
He also offered compassion to California governor Gavin Newsom for having the disadvantage of being a “straight white guy” in comparison to other possible Democratic presidential nominees.
Maher has never hid his proclivity for saying anti-Black things; suggesting that political figures can’t be both non-white and qualified is a racist trope as old as time. Maher knows exactly how this works.
But I cry foul on his modified definition of the term ‘identity politics.’ Barbara Smith coined the term to refer to the unique intersection of race, gender and class Black women face in all areas of life. Maher’s white-centered perspective twists its meaning and misrepresents what it stands for.
Maher likes to position himself as a progressive “ally,” but only when it suits him. He has no problem upholding the oppressive and biased systems that will continue to benefit him and people who look like him. The host also knows that addressing racial issues in a visceral and unbelievably ignorant way guarantees ratings.
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