Bill Maher tonight celebrates 500 episodes of HBO's Real Time

The Hollywood Reporter

Maher launched his HBO weekly late-night show on Feb. 21, 2003 after ABC booted his late-night Politically Incorrect show over his 9/11 comments, paving the way for Jimmy Kimmel Live! Maher tells The Hollywood Reporter of his biggest takeaway after sticking around for 16 years and 20 Emmy nominations: "I guess it would be, 'To thine own self be true,' which I kind of learned from my old show as well. I wouldn't say that I was a changed man when I started Real Time after Politically Incorrect, but I think I've always had it reinforced over the years that the best thing I can ever do is tell it the way I see it, even if people don't like it at the time. I think most of television, including commentary television, is pandering, and I don't pander." In an interview with Variety, Maher says he's tired of talking about President Trump. “I feel exhausted by this man and by working so hard every week to try to find some new angle,” says Maher. “The prospect of another four years of having to do it looms over me like the sword of Damocles. I cannot tell you how much anxiety that causes me.”