*It was a week ago tonight that Bill Maher ignited a friggin’ firestorm because he jokingly called himself a “house ni*ga” on live TV on his “Real Time with Bill Maher” show on HBO.
The comedian and politically incorrect TV commentator who often pushes the boundaries quickly issued an apology saying, “The word was offensive, and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”
Earlier this week, Whoopi Goldberg emerged as an unlikely defender of Maher’s comment. During a segment on ABC’s “The View,” Goldberg justified Maher’s use of the joke saying, “he didn’t call anybody (n****r), he called himself.” She continued by saying the word, “has way too much power … and had the ability to stop us in our tracks.” Goldberg cautioned the audience to consider the source and to use discretion when deciphering the meaning of the word.
But Sonny Hostin insisted that using the n-word in any manner is indefensible, noting that the KKK often aimed the slur at her parents, before running them out of Georgia. “I have never uttered the word in my 48 years of living,” she said. “I don’t think anyone should use it. I think it’s time to retire that word. It comes from such a painful time.”
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Joy Behar went on to say that Maher “is one of the good guys in this fight against [President Donald] Trump,” who she noted has been accused of discriminating against black people in business. “To me, that is a much more egregious sin,” she said. Behar further insisted there “seems to be this assault on comedians” in today’s society, noting the outrage that Kathy Griffin caused with her photo of Trump’s severed head.
Meanwhile, Chance The Rapper and #BlackLivesMatter activist Deray McKesson have both called for HBO to dump the 15 year-old “Real Time” due to Maher’s use of the n-word. Well, obviously seeing that he’s back for tonight’s show, that ain’t gonna happen.
However, for what it’s worth, the network released a statement calling Maher’s comments, “inexcusable.”
