Bill Maher Responds to Speculation That He’s Quitting HBO’s ‘Real Time’

Reports of Bill Maher exiting Real Time are greatly exaggerated. In fact, Maher said that HBO will have to drag him off the weekly talk show.

Maher addressed the speculation on CNN’s The Lead on Friday, January 10, saying he’s quitting stand-up comedy, not Real Time, which returns for its 23rd season on Friday, January 17, at 10/9c.

“You know, I have a podcast [Club Random], I have a television show. I’m not retiring,” he said. “I don’t know where this started about I’m getting rid of Real Time. They’re gonna have to drag me off of that show.”

Instead, Maher is ending his stand-up comedy career of 40 years because he’s tired of touring. “Look, I love nothing more than being onstage somewhere, telling jokes to strangers,” he said. “It’s been my entire life. It’s been the most consistent thing in my life.”

He went on: “But for those people who say to me, why don’t you just do it a little bit, you can’t do it a little bit. Standup is like being a boxer — you have to be in training. You can’t just walk up there and do it. So I’ve been in training for 40 years. I need a break. And I’m tired of the travel. I’m tired of dragging my ass out of bed on Saturday morning to go to some place after I worked so hard on Real Time all week. Maybe I’ll go back to it.”

The Real Time confusion stems from comments Maher made in a Club Random episode published in December 2024, when he said he “may quit” if Donald Trump was elected president again. “I don’t want to do another [term],” he said at the time. “I did Trump I did all the Trump stuff before anybody. I called him a con man before anybody. I did. He’s a mafia boss. I was the one who said he wasn’t going to concede the election. I’ve done it.”

Nina Rosenstein, EVP, HBO Programming, Late Night and Specials, told Deadline shortly thereafter that Maher wasn’t serious about quitting. “He was honestly joking around,” Rosenstein said. “He’ll always say his first love is Real Time.”

Real Time With Bill Maher, Season 23 Premiere, Friday, January 17, 10/9c, HBO