Bill Maher had Charlie Kirk on his podcast just a few months ago and Kirk clearly made an impression on him.
During a newer episode with Billy Corrigan of Smashing Pumpkins, Maher noted that people on the right are more willing to engage with and talk to others. He took a few swipes at the left for not being more open in the same way.
Maher is right and this is something we have seen growing on college campuses for years. Leftists on college campuses do not want to have a debate. They want to silence their political opponents. Conservative speakers have been ‘shouted down’ on college campuses repeatedly over the last decade.
This is one of the reasons that the left despised Kirk. Because he was willing to go into this territory and talk to people. Bill Maher seems to get this.
FOX News reports:
Maher praises conservatives like Kirk for promoting dialogue, condemns far left for celebrating his death
Liberal host Bill Maher mourned the killing of conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, contrasting conservatives who embrace dialogue with far-left activists who, he argued, seek to silence it.
“Look, I might drink a little more than usual today,” Maher told guest Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. “Because I don’t know when this is airing, but this is a s— day. A guy who sat there – Charlie Kirk – got shot today, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”…
He went on to highlight the divide between conservatives and the far left on the issue of political dialogue:
“They’re the people who don’t want to talk,” Maher said. “Charlie Kirk was always willing to engage – I talked to him here. Say what you want about right-wingers, but they’ll talk to you. The left has more of a, ‘I won’t talk to you. You’re deplorable. I can’t break bread with you.’ Right-wingers don’t have that attitude.”
Maher emphasized that disagreement does not negate humanity. “Now again, I didn’t vote for them. Charlie Kirk and I certainly don’t agree on much politically. But he sat here. He’s a human being. He’s not a monster.”
Watch the clip:
NEW: Bill Maher *PRAISES* right’s willingness to engage in dialogue after Charlie Kirk Assassination
“Charlie Kirk was a guy who was always talking — and I talked to him here. The right-wingers — say what you want about them — but they talk to you.”
“The left really has… pic.twitter.com/yFsJEEk2QQ
— Jason Cohen (@JasonJournoDC) September 15, 2025
Maher doesn’t always get it right, but he is correct on this one.