The WORST episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher
Every episode of Real Time with Bill Maher ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher!
Each week Bill Maher surrounds himself with a panel of guests which include politicians, actors, comedians, musicians and the like to discuss what's going on in the world.
#1 - Episode 694
Season 23 - Episode 14 - Aired 5/2/2025
Guests: An interview with Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, actors and comedic duo who are the subjects of the documentary "Cheech & Chong's Last Movie." This week's panel discussion includes Kara Swisher, co-host of the "Pivot" podcast, host of "On with Kara Swisher" podcast, and author of "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story"; and Kevin McCarthy, former Republican congressman who represented California's 20th district and served as the 55th Speaker of the House.
#2 - Episode 635
Season 21 - Episode 15 - Aired 10/6/2023
Guests: a one-on-one interview with Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer, and producer, Keegan-Michael Key and award-winning film and TV director, writer, and producer, Elle Key, who together wrote the new book "The History of Sketch Comedy." Plus, Matt Welch - editor-at-large of Reason Magazine; and Sarah Isgur - senior editor for the online magazine The Dispatch.
#3 - Episode 641
Season 21 - Episode 21 - Aired 11/17/2023
Guests: An interview with Rob Reiner, director of the HBO Original documentary "Albert Brooks: Defending My Life," and Albert Brooks, Oscar(R)-nominated actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter; Donna Brazile - Georgetown University professor and contributor to ABC News, USA Today, and The Hill; Adam Kinzinger - former Republican Congressman from Illinois and author.
Watch Now:Apple TV
#4 - Episode 643
Season 21 - Episode 23 - Aired 12/8/2023
Guests: An interview with Greg Lukianoff, President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-author of "The Canceling of the American Mind." This week's panel discussion includes Jane Ferguson, award-winning special correspondent for PBS NewsHour, contributor to The New Yorker, and author of the book "No Ordinary Assignment"; and John Avlon, senior political analyst and anchor at CNN and the former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast.
#5 - Episode 645
Season 22 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/19/2024
Guests: An interview with Gov. Gavin Newsom, Democratic Governor of California. This week's panel discussion includes Andrew Sullivan, columnist for Substack's "The Weekly Dish" and author of "Out on a Limb" and Ari Melber, MSNBC's Chief Legal Correspondent and host of "The Beat with Ari Melber."
#6 - Episode 646
Season 22 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/26/2024
Guests: An interview with Stephen A. Smith, host of ESPN's "First Take" and the podcast "The Stephen A. Smith Show," both available on YouTube, and author of the new book "Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Take." This week's panel discussion includes Rep. Adam Schiff, Democratic Congressman representing California's 30th district who is a 2024 candidate to represent California in the US Senate; and Seth MacFarlane, actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer whose newest show "Ted" recently premiered January 11 on Peacock.
#7 - Episode 647
Season 22 - Episode 3 - Aired 2/2/2024
Guests: An interview with Michael Render (a.k.a Killer Mike), entrepreneur, musician, and one-half of the group "Run the Jewels," whose self-titled solo album "Michael" was recently released across digital platforms. This week's panel discussion includes Gov. Chris Sununu,Republican Governor of New Hampshire; and Jessica Tarlov, co-host of "The Five" on Fox News and Head of Research for Bustle.
#8 - Episode 648
Season 22 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/9/2024
Guests: An interview with Coleman Hughes, host of the "Conversations With Coleman" podcast, contributor to The Free Press, and author of the new book "The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America," available this week. This week's panel discussion includes Bob Costas, CNN contributor and 29-time Emmy®-winning broadcaster; and Caitlin Flanagan, staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the new collection of essays titled "On Thinking for Yourself: Instinct, Education, Dissension."
#9 - Episode 649
Season 22 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/16/2024
Guests: An interview with Dr. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of "Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents―and What They Mean for America's Future." This week's panel discussion includes Van Jones,CNN political commentator and host of the podcast "Uncommon Ground with Van Jones" and Ann Coulter, conservative political commentator, author of 13 New York Times bestselling books, who now writes the column "Unsafe" on Substack.
#10 - Episode 650
Season 22 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/1/2024
Guests: An interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, author of the new book, "We've Got Issues: How You Can Stand Strong for America's Soul and Sanity," who will soon host "Dr. Phil Primetime" on his new cable network, Merit Street Media. This week's panel discussion includes Tim Ryan, former Democratic Congressman from Ohio and founder of We The People Action Fund; and Batya Ungar-Sargon, Opinion editor at Newsweek and author of the forthcoming book "Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women."
#11 - Episode 651
Season 22 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/8/2024
Guests: An interview with Robert De Niro, two-time Oscar®-winning actor and film producer who is currently nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Killers of the Flower Moon." This week's panel discussion includes Max Brooks,host of the YouTube show "Max Brooks Breaks Down" and New York Times best-selling author of "Minecraft: The Village"; and Tara Palmeri, senior political correspondent at Puck and host of The Ringer's "Somebody's Gotta Win with Tara Palmeri" podcast.
#12 - Episode 652
Season 22 - Episode 8 - Aired 3/15/2024
Guests: An interview with Eric Holder, former attorney general under President Obama, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, and co-author of "Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote-A History, a Crisis, a Plan. "This week's panel discussion includes Rep. Nancy Mace, Republican Congresswoman from South Carolina who currently serves on the Armed Services and House Oversight committees; and Rep. Ro Khanna, Democratic Congressman who represents California's Silicon Valley and a member of President Biden's National Advisory Board.
#13 - Episode 653
Season 22 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/22/2024
Guests: An interview with Kara Swisher, host of the podcast "On with Kara Swisher," co-host of the podcast "Pivot," and author of "Burn Book: A Tech Love Story." This week's panel discussion includes Beto O'Rourke, former Democratic Congressman from Texas and founder of Powered by People; and Sarah Isgur, former lawyer at the US Department of Justice under President Trump, senior editor of The Dispatch, and host of its legal podcast "Advisory Opinions."
#14 - Episode 676
Season 22 - Episode 32 - Aired 10/25/2024
Guests: An interview with Megyn Kelly, journalist and host of "The Megyn Kelly Show." This week's panel discussion includes Van Jones, bestselling author, CNN contributor, and writer of his self-titled Substack newsletter "Van Jones"; and Gov. Jared Polis, Democratic governor of Colorado.
#15 - Episode 693
Season 23 - Episode 13 - Aired 4/25/2025
Guests: An interview with Al Gore, former vice president under Bill Clinton, environmentalist, and co-founder of The Climate Reality Project. This week's panel discussion includes Sen. Adam Schiff, Democratic senator from California; and Bret Stephens, columnist at The New York Times and senior correspondent at NBC News.
#16 - May 15, 2009
Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/15/2009
Guests: Creator of The Wire David Simon, economist Elizabeth Warren, conservative commentator Amy Holmes, National Review's Richard Brookhiser, columnist Dan Savage Topics: Torture, climate change, gay marriage, War on Drugs
#17 - April 03, 2009
Season 7 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/3/2009
Guests: Joe the Plumber, Journalist David Frum, comedian Carol Leifer, writer Reihan Salam, reporter Sam Donaldson Topics: 2009 G-20 London summit, tax cut, health care, Carbon tax, nuclear energy
#18 - February 18, 2005
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/18/2005
Guests: Correspondent Lesley Stahl, actor Robin Williams, former HHS Sec. Tommy Thompson, Sen. Joe Biden, actor Don Cheadle Topics: On protecting sources, Jeff Gannon, on interrogating prisoners, Iraq elections, Darfur
#19 - February 28, 2003
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/28/2003
Guests: Actor Larry Miller, conservative commentator Monica Crowley, comedian Eric Idle, musician Dave Matthews, author David Horowitz, columnist Ted Rall Topics: Possibility of war with Iraq, selection of the new World Trade Center designs
#20 - May 08, 2009
Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 5/8/2009
Guests: Democratic consultant James Carville, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, author Naomi Klein, journalist Matt Taibbi, author Reza Aslan Topics: Tax evasion by big companies, torture, Pakistan & Taliban, US military handing out bibles, gay marriage
#23 - March 19, 2010
Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/19/2010
Guests: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (D), economist Stephen Moore, PoliticsDaily.com editor-in-chief Melinda Henneberger and actor Emile Hirsch Topics: Health care, the economy, regulation of banking and insurance industries, the Congo, blood diamonds, "blood minerals" from the Congo (tantalum, tungsten, and tin), Oxfam, access to clean water in developing countries, campaign finance reform
#24 - July 22, 2011
Season 9 - Episode 24 - Aired 7/22/2011
Guests: John Fetterman, DNC Vice-Chair Donna Brazile, Reason.com editor Nick Gillespie, actor John Turturro Topics: Republican strategy of no, the US budget, financial services industry, Marcus Bachmann, personal sacrifice in the US, independent voters, Michele Bachmann's migraines, political pledges
Watch Now:Apple TV
#25 - March 12, 2010
Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/12/2010
Guests: Senator Michael Bennet, actor Hill Harper, former Governor Gary Johnson, Amy Holmes, journalist John Heilemann Topics: Health care, deficit spending and the national debt, climate change, marijuana legalization, race relations, Mitt Romney, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness, Eric Massa, Game Change, Liz Cheney, education, Jihad Jane