Hours after troubled comedienne Kathy Griffin played the victim at an awkward news conference on Friday, HBO host Bill Maher took some of the heat off of her by using a racist slur.
The controversial ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’ host was interviewing Republican Senator Ben Sessa about his book when the conversation turned to adults celebrating Halloween.
The senator told Maher that adults dressing up in costumes was frowned upon in Nebraska. “We don’t do that quite as much,” he said with a grin.
When Maher said he had to get to Nebraska more often, Sasse told him he’d be welcome, adding with a smile, “We’d love to have you work in the fields with us.”
Feigning surprise, Maher shook his head, saying “Work in the fields?” Then he threw up his hands and said, Senator, I’m a house nigger.”
The audience groaned, then laughed when Maher said, “It’s a joke.”
The outrage and condemnation was swift on Twitter.com, where Maher was the #1 trending topic in the U.S. overnight.
Some left-wingers tried to contain the damage by claiming Maher used the less incendiary word “nigga,” but Root writer Monique Judge was not convinced.
“He said ‘n—er’ with a HARD ASS Rrrrrrrrrruh, so that makes this extra offensive,” she tweeted, adding that Maher’s show “needs to be canceled.”
One Twitter user reminded Black Twitter that the Republican party was originally created to abolish slavery — and that the Democrats was the party of the KKK who fought tooth and nail to keep slavery alive.
HBO had no comment on the Maher situation last night.
Bill Maher must be fired immediately for his racism and belittling the struggle of millions of black Americans
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) June 3, 2017
Bill Maher said the N-word? Wow this totally changes my previously high opinion of that smug Islamophobic misogynistic attention-whore.
— OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) June 3, 2017
Democrats won't get mad at Bill Maher. The democratic party is the party of slavery & no civil rights for nonwhite ppl. History proves it
— Predsfan (@thespadebaron) June 3, 2017
It's important to separate the art from the artist. Bill Maher may be a terrible person, but he's ALSO a terrible comedian.
— Pixelated Boat (@pixelatedboat) June 3, 2017
Bill Maher didn't use the n-word. The n-word ends in "er." And it's about time we end the double standard of who can, and can't use words.
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) June 3, 2017
Not a fan of Bill Maher at all but what he said was not a "racial slur." It was a joke. Stop getting so triggered over every little thing.
— Makada ?? (@_Makada_) June 3, 2017
Bill Maher is your typical too comfortable white man who thinks having sex w/ Black women & being liberal gives you a pass to say whatever.
— Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) June 3, 2017
First Kathy Griffin & her disturbing ISIS-inspired beheading, now Bill Maher promoting Racism. The Left is disintegrating before our eyes.
— Democrats for Trump (@YoungDems4Trump) June 3, 2017
HBO's @billmaher is getting slammed for jokingly calling himself a "house nigger." But it's okay for black rappers and comics, right?
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) June 3, 2017
If you're offended by the joke, just simply switch channels. Maher is a comedian, he's not running our country.
— charlynne hopson (@locations131) June 3, 2017
Bill Maher seems way too comfortable using the n-word. I mean, that came naturally to him.
That… says a lot. And none of it is good.
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) June 3, 2017
Bill Maher should've been cancelled when he made Islamophobic comments years ago, honestly
— Bonita's AppleBottom (@YaaAsantewaaBa) June 3, 2017
People shocked at Bill Maher being racist-y, check w your Arab & Muslim friends. Been doing this for a LONG time, but he got hall passes.
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) June 3, 2017
To everyone who is defending Bill Maher: remember that dismissing someone's bigotry just because they're in your party is how we got Trump.
— Jeeniya (@jeeniya90) June 3, 2017
If Bill Maher doesn't get fired and shamed by the media the same way any conservative comedian would we have reached peak hypocrisy folks.
— Irma Hinojosa (@irmahinojosa_) June 3, 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_759-ohqkY
