About
Bill Maher was born on January 20, 1956, in New York and grew up in New Jersey. He graduated from Cornell University in 1978 and began stand-up comedy during his studies. He created and hosted Politically Incorrect (1993-2002), then Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO since 2003. As executive producer of the documentary series Vice (2013-2018), he won an Emmy in 2014. His film Religulous (2008) is one of the highest-grossing documentaries. Author of several bestsellers, he received the Mark Twain Prize in 2026. Describing himself as an 'apatheist', he is known for libertarian-leaning commentary and criticism of organized religion.
* 1956-01-20
Major works
- When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden (2002)essay
- New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer (2005)essay
- Religulous (2008)documentary film
- The New New Rules (2011)essay
- What This Comedian Said Will Shock You (2024)essay
Key milestones
- 1993Created and hosted Politically Incorrect.
- 2003Started Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO.
- 2014Won an Emmy Award for the documentary series Vice.
Themes
criticism of religionpolitical commentarylibertarianismsatireskepticism
Sources: britannica.com · kennedy-center.org