Pubdate: Tue, 23 Oct 2012
Source: Sonoma State Star (Sonoma State U, Edu)
Copyright: 2012 Sonoma State Star
Contact: http://www.sonomastatestar.com/home/lettertotheeditor/
Website: http://www.sonomastatestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4862
Author: William Hixson

BILL MAHER MERGES POLITICS AND HUMOR AT SSU

Comedian Bill Maher brought his brand of humor to the Green Music
Center Saturday night, keeping the mostly loose crowd roaring with his
outspoken cultural commentary.

The host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" touched on all of his
usual topics such as religion, healthcare, sex and education. But
there is one subject that never fails to dominate Maher's dialogue:
Republicans.

"They [Republicans] believe life starts at erection," Maher said,
bashing their views on abortion. With around two weeks to Election
Day, the biggest target of Maher's bashing was none other than Mitt
Romney.

"Bragging that you pay 13 percent in taxes is like bragging that you
have a two-inch dick," said Maher about the GOP's presidential candidate.

You could smell Maher's blatant support of President Obama in the air
as he painted Romney as the enemy and expressed his bewilderment at
the current neck and neck closeness of the polls.

While Maher made it clear that Obama's term has fallen far short of
perfection, it didn't stop him from forking over $1 million to the
Obama campaign. But after witnessing the president's poorly received
performance at the first debate, Maher joked that Obama may have blown
this seven-figure donation on weed.

Maher commended Obama for avoiding any radical moves during his
presidency thus far, but made it known that Republicans didn't share
this sentiment.

"I think when they say he's the most radical president ever, what they
mean is he's black," said Maher. He suggested that if Obama is
re-elected, he should go all out in a second term and grow out his
hair, legalize marijuana and hit Rihanna.

After the poorly received Rihanna and Chris Brown jab, some audience
members may have better understood why Maher claims he is not proud of
how he makes a living.

Maher didn't censor himself nearly as much at Saturday's performance
in comparison to his television work, though Maher is no stranger to
television controversy. His former show "Politically Incorrect" was
cancelled, allegedly because of his comments surrounding the terrorist
attacks on 9/11.

"We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles
away. That's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the
building, say what you want about it, it's not cowardly," Maher said
on his show in 2001.

While politics were at the forefront of Maher's material, religion was
not far behind. His 2008 documentary film "Religulous" mocks the idea
of religion in a comic matter. Maher compares the spreading of
religion to the selling of an invisible product. He also accuses
Christians of being hypocritical in practice.

"For a Christian nation full of Christians, we sure treat our poor
people like shit," said Maher.

"I didn't come here to mock religion or drive people away from it. Oh
wait...that's exactly why I came," added Maher.

Maher also touched on the perceived diminishing youth intelligence and
increase in obesity.

"The data is in on K-12 students, and they should be doing much
gooder," said Maher. "I wonder how fat they must get before teachers
stop having sex with them."

As the show neared its end the laughter escalated. While the audience
was predominantly older, Maher targeted his humor to anyone who wasn't
easily offended.

"Did you know all birds masturbate? I know, I thought that was shit on
my car too."
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