New Rule: Bill Maher Must Win an Emmy!

Bill Maher has been on a roll. (Full disclosure: He's also been my friend for over 15 years.)

His "New Rule: Not Everything In America has to Make a Profit" was the most viewed blog post on HuffPost last week, with over 250,000 page views (and his latest post has rung up over 225,000 views in less than 24 hours). His riff equating Michael Jackson and America was an instant classic. His call for Obama to marry his good ideas with "a little bit of that Bush attitude and certitude" had the pundits buzzing. He's been tearing it up on the cable shows (here he is with Wolf Blitzer and Chris Matthews). His warning on the birthers on Friday's show ("If you don't immediately kill errant bullshit, no matter how ridiculous, it can grow and thrive and eventually take over like crab grass or Cirque du Soleil") has already gotten over 1,000 comments. And Real Time was recently nominated for two Emmys.

This is the 22nd time Bill has personally been nominated for an Emmy. The previous 21 times he's gone home without the trophy. Hey, Academy: it's time to get it together and honor a man who, week in and week out, presides over one of the best places on television to find edgy, unapologetic, and laugh-til-it-hurts political and social commentary rooted in deep conviction.

I would be saying exactly the same thing if Bill and I had never met. But I am sure glad that we did. Who else would have put me in bed with a senator in 1996? On stage no less. Of course, back then, he was plain old Al Franken.

And few are as fearless Bill is. I was on Politically Incorrect the night he made the comment that led to that show's cowardly cancellation by ABC. I love the way he seamlessly navigates between the profane and the profound, the silly and the serious -- utterly unafraid of afflicting the comfortable (and also there to comfort the afflicted). A first-class satirist in the tradition of Jonathan Swift, he wields his savage wit in the service of passionate conviction, regularly addressing topics few in the media are willing to take on, including the ongoing madness of the war on drugs and the destructive role of money in politics.

Almost eight years after 9/11, eight years after Ari Fleischer warned Americans that they "need to watch what they say," eight years after Graydon Carter declared the death of the age of irony, eight years after Politically Incorrect was pushed off the air, and 280 years after Swift's Modest Proposal, we find ourselves living in a Golden Age of political humor -- with Bill Maher leading the charge.

Being a confirmed non-believer (and if you haven't seen Religulous yet, get in touch with Netflix immediately), I know Bill wouldn't be in favor of invoking the Almighty, but I'm a confirmed believer, so here it goes: For god's sake, Emmy voters, give Bill Maher a goddamn Emmy!

And while we're talking about comedy, when was the last time you visited our Comedy 23/6 page? It is the place to catch up on the funniest stuff from around the web, plus recurring features like The Week in WTF, our In A Minute videos, our roundup of the day's best late night jokes, and Dickipedia -- HuffPost's wiki of notable dicks (including Glenn Beck, Nancy Grace, Brett Favre, Mark Sanford, and Bernie Madoff).

Comedy 23/6 also features a great group of bloggers offering their humorous takes on the day's top stories.

So check it out, along with our Bill Maher Big News page. And be sure to watch Real Time with Bill Maher, Friday nights at 10 pm on HBO -- especially this Friday, when I'll be on the show.

Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

Comments

[faruolo2032]

I have been a fan of Bill Maher for a very long time, and I truly wish he was somewhere where everyone could see him, as opposed to HBO. He offers such brilliant commentary, both political and apolitical, partisan and non partisan, every week. All pundits should take notes from Maher in conviction and telling the plain ol' truth, even if they disagree. Maher is one of the few pundits who has people from all sides of the political spectrum on, the last episode with Arianna on featured two Republican Congressmen who did not see eye to eye with Bill on issues like health care and the economy. Bill, I thank you for being honest, and never shying away from what you say, whether I agree or not. I thank you for the best show on TV, and you deserve this Emmy more than anyone else that will be in attendance.

[alreadyfamous]

Bill Maher deserves an EMMY more than anyone I know.

He's deserved it long before now

[walk0nwalls]

I didn't check which categories he was up against but as far as I can remember the Daily Show and Conan were always the perennial favorites.

[emilyringstrom]

(I apologize for all the typos, BTW!)

[emilyringstrom]

Personally, I ador Bill Maher, although I sometimes find his comments about Michael Jackson's passing borderline tasteless, and will not shy away from saying so. No matter your personal opinion about MJ, he just recently died, and there are many people's feelings to take into consideration, when making fun of someone who's not with us anymore.
Having said that, I do find his comments to be right on point, and almost always funny, in the midst of talking about something ever so serious(and that by itself, is quite the balancing act!). What baffles me, though, is that it gets so much talked about. Most of the times, what he says is quite logic and rational, & something most normal people can(or should) think of for themselves. In the American press & media, however, it/he is talked about as something widely controversial, almost scandalous... Being a non-American, I get the impression that everything in the American society, or at least the American press, is black or white. There are no shades of grey, & absolutely no color of any kind!
Or as your former President(­President-­apointee, as I usually referred him to, during his first term in office) used to say: "You're either with us, or against us." And that seems to be the gerenal stance in all nuances of American press & more importantly, in American politics!
Bill Maher says what I usually think myself, & I don't consider myself all that controversial, just a free-spirited, free-thinking(!) individual. ;o)

[janmarbol]

Bill is great and "New Rule: Not Everything In America has to Make a Profit" was definitely one of his best, if not his best post. I knew it would be a hit. I posted a link to that and I think a lot of us did- it went viral. Kudos to Bill!

[Blup]

I agree. Not only is Bill Maher insightful and spot on, but he's also absolutely hilarious. Love his show.

[espressobeans]

I agree, Arianna. Now could you do something about the sexed up, juiced up, women as sex objects reduced to their body parts bits that appear on your home page. It probably attracts hits for your website but it's awful. It puts me off. How are we to get men to take us seriously, or get our young girls to take themselves seriously if that is what's out there all the time? Read Bob Herbert in the NY Times. He has a point as to what we are doing as a culture that may contribute to some sicko shooting up a bunch of women because he's mad he isn't getting any.

[alwaysthere]

let me hold the door for you

oh yeah and one in a kitrillion

that ain't no way to form an opinion

about "what's true"

[VirginiaJeff]

I agree with espressobeans.

[chrish]

So do I. Sick of the exploitative tabloidy trash.

[CanUFeel2012]

THE TRUTH HURTS AND BILL MAHER'S COMEDY IS JUST BRUTALLY HONEST... EQUATING MICHEAL JACKSON TO AMERICA WAS JUST BRILLIANT.... GIVE HIM THE EMMY....

[Xenussister]

Oh please, won't SOMEONE tell me why Bill Maher hasn't had Jim Cornette on his show yet?

==
Listen to this awe-inspiring rant against the right-wing!
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGp043tHAc8
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jimcornettesrant
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=234778800440

[alwaysthere]

if men could display balls like women do cleavage !!!

the world would be saved......

[ichallengelibs]

i actually used to be a fan of his till he and the rest of the liberal establishment began their therapeutic and tic-like endless rant against prez W. when and if they exit bush derangement syndrome i may give them another look see.

as for now i actually look to be entertained by entertainers

[alwaysthere]

let me quest

Toby Keith

[Xenussister]

I think maybe you're the one with Bush Derangement Syndrome. We're NOT supposed to criticize a president who lies to get us into a war which has killed and maimed too many innocent people, helps destroys the economy and shred the constitution, and dozens of other VALID reasons to be against him? It's the right-wing with the Bush Derangement Syndrome, thinking he was anywhere near even a halfway decent president and human being.

==
Listen to this awe-inspiring rant against the right-wing!
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGp043tHAc8
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jimcornettesrant
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=234778800440

[WhereIsTheTruth]

God forbid - an entertainer with a brain that expects people who view his show to also have brains!

[alwaysthere]

however, only men in gowns are allowed in......

shall we dance.......

[ichallengelibs]

nothing

[ichallengelibs]

ah yes. recipient in the newest emmy category. most abrasive and closed minded human being on planet earth.

[WhereIsTheTruth]

Congratulations on your nomination!

[tonewheel]

Sure, of course he is. Probably the only show that actually mixes up the weekly guest list to include those who don't share his views.

Just like, Rush, Beck, Hannity...oh, wait....