Over the last week, Donald Trump has faced a new onslaught of criticism in regards to how he has handled several foreign policy matters. In other news, Bill O'Reilly was fired by Fox News after the sexual harassment scandal against him became public and reflected negatively on the network. In response, comedian Bill Maher covered both of these issues, and more, during his return to HBO.
Maher on "Real Time"
It all started earlier this month when the New York Times released their bombshell and career-ending article about Bill O'Reilly, revealing that the long-time host at Fox News had not only been accused of sexual harassment by at least five former female employees at the network, but that he reached a $13 million settlement to keep them quiet.
O'Reilly pushed back against the allegations, but the damage was done as over 50 sponsors pulled out of airing their ads on "The O'Reilly Factor," which caused a domino effect on his career. Earlier this week, Fox News decided it was time to pull the plug, and released O'Reilly from his contractual obligations. While the reaction to the news in general was negative for O'Reilly, he did receive support from Donald Trump, was praised him as a "good man," while doubting the allegation against him. Trump, on the other hand, has his own issues to deal with that are causing turmoil in his administration. These topics were discussed during the April 21 edition of "Real Time with Bill Maher" on HBO.
(The O'Reilly remarks come at 4:55 in the above video.)
Returning after a week vacation, Bill Maher kicked off his show with the routine opening monologue, and he didn't hold back when it came to Bill O'Reilly and Donald Trump.
Maher ripped into Donald Trump for bragging about his health care plan that doesn't even exist, before mocking the White House for lying about an aircraft carrier that was allegedly headed to North Korea, but "was actually headed in the opposite direction." "Who knew maps were so complicated!" Maher noted, while mimicking the president.
"Forget a wall, we need a blackboard because these people are stupid," Maher said of the administration.
(Overtime segment available in the video above.)
"Did you see who he had at the White House yesterday?" Bill Maher rhetorically asked, before answering, "Sarah Palin and Ted Nugent, or as their fans call them, 'The Slow and the Furious'" "Oh, and Kid Rock, to complete the Axis of Redneck," Maher continued.
Maher on O'Reilly
"I know what you really want me to talk about...Bill O'Reilly," Bill Maher said. "The last straw, a black woman who worked at Fox News said he used to call her hot chocolate," Maher noted, before saying, "I find that shocking." In his punch-line, the comedian added, "Fox News hired a black woman?" "That is an end of an era," he continued, before further ripping into the former host at Fox News.
Moving forward
While Bill Maher and others have made it a point to mock and troll Donald Trump and Bill O'Reilly, both men have more important issues to worry about. The former host of "The Apprentice" is looking to stabilize his White House, while O'Reilly is hoping to rebound and save his career in the process.
