Bill Maher Reveals Political Rift May Sever Ties with Jimmy Kimmel
In a candid revelation on his popular Club Random podcast, television host Bill Maher disclosed that his longstanding friendship with fellow late-night star Jimmy Kimmel has fractured dramatically. Maher expressed concern that the two may never speak again following a bitter falling-out rooted in political disagreements.
A Friendship Strained by Ideological Differences
During Monday's episode, Maher opened up about the deteriorating relationship while speaking with guest Adam Carolla, who co-hosted The Man Show with Kimmel in the early 2000s. "He's very mad at me, and I know you're close to him," Maher told Carolla, adding, "I hope you tell him that I'm sorry that they got bent out of shape. I don't think I did anything wrong. We can have disagreements."
Maher described Kimmel as "one of the nicest guys" but lamented the ideological rigidity he perceives on the political left. "My tribe is supposed to be the left, but these are the people who just can't talk to you unless you're exactly there," Maher explained, contrasting this with his experience with conservatives. "Whereas the Republicans, they always fucking come to my show."
The Trump Factor and Family Ultimatums
While Maher didn't specify the exact trigger for the rift in his podcast conversation, tensions appear connected to last year's controversy involving Kimmel's wife, Molly McNearney. The executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live publicly acknowledged severing ties with family members who supported former President Donald Trump.
On the We Can Do Hard Things podcast in November, McNearney explained her position: "It hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have where my husband is out there, fighting this man. And to me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family."
Maher criticized this approach during an episode of his HBO show Real Time last fall, stating: "Ultimatums don't make people rethink their politics. They make them rethink you."
Complicated Political Alignments
The situation is further complicated by Maher's own political positioning. Despite being critical of Trump in the past, Maher raised eyebrows last year by having dinner with the former president and later describing himself as the "Trump whisperer." He has stated he would return to the White House if invited again.
This political flexibility appears to clash with Kimmel's more steadfast opposition to Trump. The tension escalated when ABC and parent company Disney temporarily pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air last year after pressure from Trump's Federal Communications Commission. The five-day suspension followed Kimmel's remarks about slain activist Charlie Kirk and generated significant controversy about censorship.
Uncertain Future for the Friendship
Despite the rift, Maher continued to praise Kimmel's character during the podcast discussion, calling him a "great guy." However, he expressed pessimism about reconciliation, framing the conflict as a broader ideological issue.
"I don't just buy into the left-wing bullshit, and I never stop making fun of the right-wing bullshit at all," Maher stated. "And if that's not good enough for you, then I think you're the asshole, and I don't think Jimmy is an asshole... it bugs me that, you know, because of what the latest thing was, that we may never talk again."
The public revelation highlights how political polarization continues to strain personal relationships, even among high-profile media figures who have worked together for years. As Maher's comments circulate, they underscore the challenges of maintaining friendships across deepening ideological divides in contemporary American society.
