Bill Maher
Birth Name:
William Maher
Birth Place:
New York City, New York, United States
Profession
Actor, Producer, Writer, Soundtrack
Fast Facts
- The Atheist Alliance International presented him with the Richard Dawkins Award in 2009
- Received the President's Award for championing free speech from the Los Angeles Press Club in 2002, shortly after "Politically Incorrect" was cancelled
- Began his career as a stand-up comedian and actor after graduating from Cornell University with a B․A․ in English and History in 1978
- Quote: "(On the cancellation of the show "Politically Incorrect") "All I did was tell the truth․ That's is what the whole show is about! And if 'Politically Incorrect' has to go down for it, so be it!""
- Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he made a controversial comment about cowardice on "Politically Incorrect," with prompted major companies to stop advertising on the show, stations to pull it from their schedules and ABC to eventually cancel it
- Known for his sarcastic attitude and for breaching controversial topics like religion, politics, bureaucracies, political correctness and greed
- Known for offering humorous political commentary in such talk shows as "Politically Incorrect" and "Real Time․"
- Does not identify with a single political party, describing himself as practical, progressive and sane
- Joined the advisory board of Project Reason, which promotes scientific knowledge and secular values in society
- Purchased a minority ownership interest in the New York Mets in 2012
Awards
- 1990ACE - Performance in a Comedy Special:Winner
- 1994CableACE - Talk Show Series:Nominated
- 1995CableACE - Talk Show Series:Winner
- 1995CableACE - Talk Show Series:Winner
- 1995CableACE - Entertainment Host:Nominated
- 1995CableACE - Entertainment Host:Winner
- 1995Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 1996CableACE - Talk Show Series:Winner
- 1996Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 1996Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program:Nominated
- 1997CableACE - Entertainment Host:Nominated
- 1997CableACE - Talk Show Series:Nominated
- 1997OFTA Television Award - Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 1997Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program:Nominated
- 1997Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 1997Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program:Nominated
- 1998OFTA Television Award - Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 1998Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 1999Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2000Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2001OFTA Television Award - Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2001Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2001WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2002Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2002WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2004OFTA Television Award - Best Host or Performer of a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Program:Nominated
- 2004Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program:Nominated
- 2004WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2005Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program:Nominated
- 2005Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2005WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2006PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Variety Television:Nominated
- 2006Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program:Nominated
- 2006Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special:Nominated
- 2006Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2006WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2007PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Variety Television:Winner
- 2007Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program:Nominated
- 2007Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2007WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series:Nominated
- 2008PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television:Nominated
- 2008Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2008Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special:Nominated
- 2008WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2009PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television:Nominated
- 2009Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2009WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series:Nominated
- 2010OFTA Television Award - Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program:Nominated
- 2010Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2010Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special:Nominated
- 2010Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2010Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special:Nominated
- 2010WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series:Nominated
- 2011PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Competition Television:Nominated
- 2011Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series:Nominated
- 2012PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2012Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series:Nominated
- 2012Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Series:Nominated
- 2012WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2013PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2013Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series:Nominated
- 2013Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Series:Nominated
- 2013Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series:Nominated
- 2013WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2014IDA Award - Best Episodic Series:Nominated
- 2014PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2014Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Series:Nominated
- 2014Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series or Special:Winner
- 2015PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2015Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series or Special:Nominated
- 2015Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Special:Nominated
- 2015WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety - Music, Awards, Tributes - Specials:Nominated
- 2015WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series:Nominated
- 2016PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:Nominated
- 2016PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2016Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series or Special:Nominated
- 2016Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Talk Series:Nominated
- 2016WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety - Talk Series:Winner
- 2017PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2017Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series or Special:Nominated
- 2017Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Talk Series:Nominated
- 2018Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Informational Series or Special:Nominated
- 2018WGA Award (TV) - Comedy/Variety Series:Nominated
- 2019PGA Award - Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:Nominated
- 2024Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series:Nominated
- 2026Golden Globe - Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television:Nominated