Bill Maher

Bill Maher, born on January 20, 1956, is an American comedian, actor, political commentator, and television host best known for his H.B.O. political talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher.” He is also known for a similar late-night show, “Politically Incorrect,” which aired from 1993 to 2002 on Comedy Central and American Broadcasting Company (A.B.C.). Maher is well known for his political satire and sociopolitical commentaries on various topics such as religion, political correctness, and the media. His critical views on religion served as inspiration for his documentary released in 2008.

Fast Facts

Full Name:

William Maher

Birth date:

January 20, 1956

Age:

68

Zodiac Sign:

Aquarius

Height:

5' 7"

Relationship Status:

Single

Net Worth:

$140 million

William's Social Media:

Background

Bill Maher was born in New York on January 20, 1956. He is an American comedian and talk show host known for his scathing political commentaries. He was raised in River Vale, New Jersey, and idolized “The Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson as a child. When he was in his junior year at Cornell University, he first tried his hand at stand-up comedy in a New York City comedy club.

Maher became a regular in clubs across the country after graduating with a B.A. in 1978. He also frequently appeared on “The Tonight Show” and attracted the attention of Steve Allen, who cast him as his sidekick on the cable series “Steve Allen’s Music Room.” In 1983, Maher tried his hand at acting, appearing in several films and television shows. Maher’s career was launched when he co-hosted “Indecision ’92” for cable network Comedy Central, a show that provided irreverent coverage of the presidential election. His success paved the way for the premiere of his own show titled “Politically Incorrect” in 1993.

“Politically Incorrect” was an instant hit, thanks in part to Maher’s ability to humorously mediate debates between a rotating panel of journalists, entertainers, and politicians. His “Real Time with Bill Maher” premiered on H.B.O. in 2003. On the website amazon.com in 2006, Maher hosted the Internet talk show “Amazon Fishbowl with Bill Maher.” A “New York Times” best-selling author, he has written these books: “When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden” published in 2002, “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer” published in 2005, and “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass” published in 2011. In 2008, Maher (a self-described “apatheist”) wrote and produced the irreverent documentary “Religulous,” where he interviewed Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Career timeline

1978
An Ivy Leaguer

He graduates from Cornell University with a B.A. degree in English and history.

1983
His First Movie Appearance

Maher plays the character of Baba in “D.C. Cab,” a movie about a group of clever drivers plying their routes in Washington, D.C.

2002
A Champion of Free Speech

He is bestowed the President’s Award by the Los Angeles Press Club for “championing free speech.”

2016
The Best in Comedy

Maher is given the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy/Variety Talk Series.

2018
A Documentary About His Career

Maher takes a one-week break from commenting about current events to air a documentary about his career; it celebrates the 15th anniversary of “Real Time.”

Why We Love Bill Maher

  1. He never skips a workday

    Maher has never called in sick or taken a day off. He has attended the taping of every episode of his two shows, that is, “Politically Incorrect” and “Real Time.” He truly is an industrious and diligent guy.

  2. He cares about science

    Maher serves on the board of Project Reason, a foundation dedicated to spreading scientific knowledge. We love a comedian who’s serious about a field very few people will care about.

  3. He loves dogs

    Maher has an intense passion for man’s best friend, as any reasonable human should, and currently owns two dogs, which he proudly featured on “Real Time” when the show was filmed at his home. Also, he is an animal rights activist who has served on the board of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) since 1997.

5 Surprising Facts

  1. He was a stand-up comic in school

    Maher started performing as a stand-up comedian at a Chinese restaurant off Route 17 while he was a student at Cornell.

  2. His Hollywood Walk of Fame star

    He is one of 2,417 people to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; his star can be found in front of 1634 Vine Street.

  3. He’s worried about obese Americans

    On his “Real Time” show, Maher, at every possible opportunity, seems to bring up obesity as a big problem in America.

  4. His many Emmy nominations

    He has received 40 Emmy nominations for his talk shows but has yet to win one.

  5. He’s an executive producer

    Maher is an executive producer of “Vice,” a documentary T.V. series that investigates news stories from around the world; he has worked on 111 episodes.

Bill Maher FAQs

Where do Bill Maher’s yearly earnings come from?

Most of Maher’s earnings come from the numerous television shows he has produced and appeared in.

Currently, who is Bill Maher dating?

Maher is not dating anybody at this time, preferring to enjoy his life as a bachelor; he seems very happy about it.

Does Bill Maher own a baseball team?

Maher bought a minority stake in the New York Mets in early 2012 when the team’s majority owners were selling off portions of the team to pay off its debt.

Bill Maher’s birthday dates

YearDateDay
2025January 20Monday
2026January 20Tuesday
2027January 20Wednesday
2028January 20Thursday
2029January 20Saturday

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