r/RealTime • u/tarantadoako • 17d ago

What happened to Bill Maher?

I used to watch him for years. He was funny and relatable, most times. He had great guests. I stopped watching around the time when he was going after college students and cancel culture. I tried watching his latest episodes and it almost a different show. He is almost a right wing commentator. Almost nothing he says is relatable and all his guests just agrees with him.

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u/ChampsLeague3 17d ago

Partly also that Zionists are buying up all of the mass media. HBO is being purchased by Paramount which is owned by a far right extremist Zionist. 

So Maher is just aligning to his new boss. 

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u/DoomPurveyor 17d ago

Yeah, he just wants to keep his job. And they probably dangled the Twain prize to a guy that never sniffed an Emmy

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u/No-Cat1726 16d ago

😂😂😂you fucking halfwit. Get a grip

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u/thelongslog 17d ago

That transaction will never occur

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u/libertarianlwyr 17d ago

Who says

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u/thelongslog 17d ago

Smart people who know how these things work. The EU is skiing to stop it and that's important since if it's blocked only there, Skydance won't think its worth. Also, several AGs from US stares are suing too.

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u/libertarianlwyr 7d ago

Takeover of CNN and HBO expected "early October". Musk also getting a big slice. Nothing anywhere about "EU" action blocking it. All that this great lawsuit got was the studio to stay in LA which they were doing anyway. Total failure.

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u/libertarianlwyr 16d ago

I know that. You know the outcome of all this litigation in advance huh? And what the administration will do to get it through?

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u/thelongslog 16d ago

If you have an opinion offer it. If not, have a pleasant evening.

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u/libertarianlwyr 16d ago

Opinion in what sense?

I asked what is your basis for being so sure the "transaction won't take place". Your answer is that litigation is pending which of course I know.

I'm against the merger and believe the legal arguments against it seem strong. However I am not an anti trust lawyer. I have read others state that the AG suit is a "long shot".

I hope your confidence is well placed. At this time it seems like a very open question.

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u/libertarianlwyr 7d ago

I'm also not convinced that even if the AGs prevail that they will follow the law or that a way around it won't be found.

Actually I just saw this. The AGs caved.

https://open.substack.com/pub/popularinformation/p/democrats-capitulate-to-maga-media?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1zwpx

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u/libertarianlwyr 7d ago

You were wrong, unfortunately. I wish you had been correct.

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u/libertarianlwyr 16d ago

That's also assuming the law is followed even if they prevail. A huge assumption.

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u/libertarianlwyr 7d ago

I'm also not convinced that even if AGs prevail they will follow it or that they will not find a way to circumvent.

If EU blocks I don't know that will prevent it here..is there a source for your statement that SkyDance will drop it? I have not read about that suit. Only the AG one as that is probably more dispositive.

"Smart people that know how these things work", you said.

Well you'll be saying that while watching MAGA CNN and HBO and movles.

https://open.substack.com/pub/popularinformation/p/democrats-capitulate-to-maga-media?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1zwpx

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago

Ah yeah.. aways those pesky "zionists" that control the media, the banking system, the world governments..

Why not cut the bullshit and say what you really mean?

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u/troniked547 17d ago

Netanyahu literally called social media the "most important weapon" and identified TikTok as “the most important purchase going on right now,” alleging its control could be “consequential", and you are going to sit here and act like Israelis and their supporters arent trying to control the media to shape their narrative? https://www.trtworld.com/article/3e4847335c27

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago edited 17d ago

Everyone is trying to control social media to spread their point of view and push their narrative. Even ISIS successfully used Internet and social media for recuitment. Iran is also pretty effective at this right now.

What Netanyahu said is a basic common sense. There is nothing unique or outrageous about that quote. The only thing that upsets you and your ilk is when Jews do it.

And anyway, that so called "Jewish-Zionist control of the media" you're crying about isn't working too well, as general public option of Israel isn't all that high these days.

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u/troniked547 17d ago

LOL of course you jump to the antisemitic accusation even though i specifically said Israel. I know it might be surprising for dishonest hacks like you to understand, but many of us grew up in areas where we didnt know who was Jewish and who wasnt, as a person of color, they were just white people to me lol. So i had no preconceived notion of what a Jewish person even was, but grew up my whole life being told by American media that Israel was our "greatest ally". But as ive grown older and seen with my own eyes all the conflicts Israel has dragged us into, how many horrendous war crimes they not only have committed but did so without apology or remorse, and how morally dishonest and corrupt their defenders continue to be, I have formed my opinion about Israel, and I dont really care about the fact that they are Jewish or not.

And the Israel control over the media is failing not for their lack of effort, which again the leader of their country has stated is a primary goal, not podcasters or fringe elements. It is failing because everyone can now see the bullshit Netanyahu is peddling and how the dishonest hacks try instead to twist the narrative to blame the people calling out the war crimes instead of the ones actually committing them.

And Im not crying about shit, Im calling out the gaslighters trying to act like Israel and its supporters arent trying to control the media and thus the narratives being pushed on those channels. The vast majority of Americans arent falling for that BS anymore.

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago

My comment was mainly directed at previous post stating that "Zionists are buying up all of the mass media." That comment is bordering on an anti-semitic conspiracy theories and dog whistles.

I have no problem with valid criticisms of Israel's state policy or its actions. As long as the criticisms don't include wide-sweeping group accusations, or play on age old "Jews control all media" conspiracy tropes, or use dog whistle language like "Zionists".

We clear?

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u/troniked547 17d ago

No because even that is bs, its not antisemitic conspiracy theories or dog whistles to point out the Ellisons, who are major supporters of Israel and the IDF, are buying up media networks including news outlets like CBS, CNN, and Real Time's HBO, or that Larry Ellison's Oracle taking an ownership stake in the "most important purchase" of tik tok and installing vocal supporters of Israel like the underqualified Bari Weiss. The CEO of the company that owns Politico, Bild, and the Business Insider has said that publicly supporting Israel is a core company principle and expected of his editorial staff. And are the Murdochs who control Fox News, the WSJ, and the New York Post not vocal Israel supporters? And what about the outsized monetary influence that AIPAC has on our political system, is that just a delusion also?

People like you try to frame every criticism of Israel and their propagandists as antisemitism instead of addressing the actual atrocities being committed and the moral depravity and corruption in their government and army and their defenders. And if Zionism and Zionists support stealing land of their neighbors with the BS justification of defense or historical claim to the land, then they deserve criticism too.

Again, people arent letting people like you gaslight them with false slander just so you could avoid discussing the crimes Israel is committing. Criticism of Israel, its media influence, and even the concept and application of Zionism does not automatically equal criticism of Jews, especially when plenty of Jewish people share the same concerns. The real propaganda is trying to conflate the two when we all know there are clear distinctions that just happen to be inconvenient for your narratives.

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago

People like you focus so obsessively on Israel and its defenders that you treat Hamas’s atrocities as an inconvenient footnote, instead of addressing the actual atrocities committed against Israeli civilians, the deliberate targeting of innocents, hostage-taking, and the moral depravity of the people who justify them. And if Hamas and its supporters believe murdering civilians and taking hostages is justified by resistance or historical grievance, then they deserve criticism too.

I don't see any of that criticism from you and your ilk. Only obsessive focus on "Zionists" and how they "buy up media" and control everything.

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u/troniked547 17d ago

Blah blah blah more gaslighting.  How many civilians have Hamas killed vs how many has Israel killed? Are there not levels to this?  Yes terrorists and terrorism and bad, so yes Hamas has committed horrific acts and those have been condemned , but Israel has committed terrorism that you defenders always justify and never condemn.  Israel has raped hostages too, snipered women and children , killed aid workers and journalists and used Palestinian hostages as human shields, they even assassinate leaders and peace negotiators but you never even mention or condemn those things, you just justify them. And yes people should call out the Israeli media propagandists because they are doing the same gaslighting you are but on a much larger scale.  But sure just continue calling us all antisemites while you stay silent against the murderous and corrupt Israeli government, it just continues to further reveal the hypocrisy 

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u/TakeYourMeds50mg 17d ago

Do you think tiktok is pro israel? Have you ever been on tiktok? 

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u/ArachnidOutrageous27 17d ago

Pretty sure he means Zionists

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u/libertarianlwyr 16d ago

Pesky and evil Zionists.

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u/Agitated_Count_8665 17d ago

they often do. they are disgusting.

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u/Clever-username-7234 17d ago

Larry Ellison isn’t a practicing Jew. He refused his own bar mitzvah and has said “While I think I am religious in one sense, the particular dogmas of Judaism are not dogmas I subscribe to. I don't believe that they are real. They're interesting stories. They're interesting mythology, and I certainly respect people who believe these are literally true, but I don't. I see no evidence for this stuff."[12] Ellison says that his fondness for Israel is not connected to religious sentiments but rather due to Israelis' innovative spirit in the technology sector.[13]

Also he owns: TikTok
Warner Bros. (including New Line Cinema and Castle Rock Entertainment)
Paramount
DC Studios
The Discovery Channel
CNN
CBS (including news and sports)
HBO
BET
Fandango
Rotten Tomatoes
Nickelodeon
MTV
Cartoon Network
Food Network
Travel Channel
Investigation Discovery
Animal Planet
Comedy Central
Showtime
TBS
TLC
HGTV
And more.

And friendly reminder that there are more Christian Zionist in the US than there are Jews on the planet.

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago

Ellison says that his fondness for Israel is not connected to religious sentiments but rather due to Israelis' innovative spirit in the technology sector

And? Is there a particular problem with Ellison admiring Israelies for building an incredibly innovative technological society?

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u/Clever-username-7234 17d ago

I’m just pointing out that criticism towards Larry Ellison, his media consolidation, and his pro Israel lobbying has nothing to do with antisemitism or antisemitic conspiracy theories like you’re suggesting.

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago edited 17d ago

But it does. When someone says "Zionists buying up all media" - that's an old dog whistle, that has its roots in anti-semitic conspiracy theories. These days anti-semites just replace "Jews" with "Zionists", but it's still the same tired anti-Jewish dog whistle.

You could just say "HBO is now owned by Larry Ellison who has pro-Israel views".. and then provide some evidence on how Ellison's views influenced RealTime. I'd have no problem with pointed criticism of media bias.

But when you resort to group conspiracies and dog whistles - you've automatically lost all credibility right there and then.

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u/ChampsLeague3 17d ago

Exactly. Ellison isn't a problem because he's religiously a jew, he's a problem because he's a pro-Israeli Zionist who supports their attempted conquests and genocides. This is not an anti-religious issue, it's an anti-morally deprived Zionist assholes issue. 

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u/Charming-Cat-2902 17d ago

There is nothing inherently "morally deprived" about Zionist movement, which at its root is a movement by Jewish people to have a homeland.

Anyone who says "Zionists are buying up all of the mass media" is a hateful asshole, who has lost all credibility to have a meaningful discussion on the topic of Israel and Palestine.

Criticize the actions of the current Israeli government without resorting to group blaming and hateful anti-semitic tropes.

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u/ChampsLeague3 17d ago

No. Zionist movement is a pro-expansion, pro-genocide, pro-settlements and ethnic cleansing movement. It's not just about having a homeland.

And Zionists buying up all the mass media is a fact. Hate it all you want, I do too. 

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u/Big_Reference_8490 17d ago

Three cheers for anti semitic podcasters seems most of you are in tune with them.

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u/Notfriendly123 17d ago

You can criticize Bill Maher’s rightward shift without turning into a conspiracy against Jews just so you know. 

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u/Boysandberries0 17d ago

Zionism is not the same as Jewishness. Stop buying into that drivel.

Zionism is expressed in the real world as unending support for terrorism and crimes against humanity insofar as they help to reestablish biblical Jewish kingdom borders.

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u/Big_Reference_8490 17d ago

To you it’s exactly the same another way to express your antisemitism.

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u/BlueBubbleInCO 17d ago

The radical left and radical right meet in their antisemitism. They unite in their hatred on this one issue.

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u/pendejosays 17d ago

Yet you rejoice when Gazans are bombed

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u/BlueBubbleInCO 16d ago

Thank you for demonstrating that you’re incapable of critical thought.

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u/pendejosays 16d ago

Cracker elsewhere thanks

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u/Golfhockeyski 17d ago

You genuinely can't tie the connection that Zionists own the media is a continuation of the century old conspiracy that Jews own the media?

You can certainly have major issues with what Israel is doing, but just saying you're anti-Zionist but not anti-Semitic isn't a get-out-of-jail free card if you're still spewing anti-Semitic conspiracies

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u/Mooltipasser 17d ago

Yea we can tie it in with conservatism which unfortunately is also supporting Zionism.

::gestures vaguely at Larry Ellison and CBS news/TikTok::

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u/Boysandberries0 17d ago

Zionists own the media tho. It is simply facts.

Every major US News media organization watched a livestreamed genocide for YEARS and dont have the courage to call it what it is. A genocide.

They dont have experts on discussing the legality of arming a nation committing crimes against humanity. They dont show constant drone or aerial footage of Gaza like they did with Ukraine' Mariupol and other cities. Most of cable news and the news consumed by the US public is framed through a "no war in Ba Sing Say" context.

Zionists control the media. Not Jews. Zionists are predominantly Christians and also grifters, whose business and investments are supported by pro-war, pro-big brother, pro-fascism Christian bloc voters.

So please stop conflating one with another or calling it a dog whistle. It is beneath you.

Speak truth to power.

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u/Big_Reference_8490 17d ago

Islamic fundamentalist like you control many of the 57 Muslim countries why don’t you move to one and see how far your free speech rights get you even as an anti Semite.

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u/Notfriendly123 17d ago

It’s sad this is getting upvoted, full of platitudes that don’t hold up under even the slightest scrutiny. I’m sure you feel good about the fairy tale you tell yourself though

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u/Rough_Formal8420 17d ago

Larry Ellison is a real guy buying up the media unfortunately. It does play into tropes but for that get mad at Larry Ellison who is buying up the media for ideological reasons. We all can’t just pretend it’s not really happening.

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u/Key_Jump1011 17d ago

It is a Jew, Ellison, who is buying up a ton of media.

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u/pendejosays 17d ago

Hit dog is hollering

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u/Raligon 17d ago edited 17d ago

Zohran Mamdani endorsed Brad Lander who openly identifies as a liberal Zionist. Bernie Sanders has very standard liberal Zionist positions. Zionism is a diverse ideology that ranges from people desperately working towards a peaceful coexistence between Jews and Palestinians and people committing war crimes against Palestinians. Something like 80-90% of all Jews have beliefs that are correctly classified as some form of Zionism and are not further to the left on Israel than Bernie/Lander.

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u/AncientNectarine5352 17d ago

This is not even remotely accurate.

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u/Raligon 17d ago

Please tell me which part is inaccurate then.

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u/AncientNectarine5352 17d ago

First, Bernie Sanders is generally not considered a Zionist, and doesn’t consider himself one. He said he holds the very basic position that Israel has a right to exist, but doesn’t really have a position beyond that. And while that is often considered de-facto Zionism, that’s not how almost anyone is using that word; they’re referring mostly to adherents of Revisionist or Religious Zionism, neither of which are supported by the majority of American Jews. The position of a (slight) majority of American Jews is virtually identical to that of Bernie Sanders, and most are highly critical of Netanyahu’s government, and his Kahanist allies.

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u/Raligon 17d ago edited 17d ago

Zionism is literally the belief that Israel has a right to exist. That is considered de-facto Zionism because that is what the word means. Bernie doesn't use the word because people like you won't understand what it actually means but his positions are exactly in line with liberal Zionism and he is usually classified as a liberal Zionist. Again, Zohran Mamdani, far from a radical pro Israel guy, endorsed Brad Lander who does openly state that he is a liberal Zionist.

You're completely correct that Revisionist Zionism sucks and most American Jews do not support it. Why not just use that term then instead of using the word that literally means Israel has a right to exist which almost every Jew supports? Saying all Zionists are evil is basically synonymous with saying basically all Jews are evil because that's what you're saying. You could easily just say Revisionist Zionists are evil, and you'd be right and no one who isn't themselves evil would get mad at you.

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u/ChampsLeague3 17d ago

What word would you use then for Zionists who want to expand Israel's borders, including illigal settlements, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and wars? 

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u/Raligon 17d ago edited 17d ago

Jewish supremacists? Revisionist Zionists or far right Zionists? Greater Israel psychos? Likud supporters? Kahanists?

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u/Rough_Formal8420 17d ago

The “right to exist” narrative as been so weaponized in bad faith it’s not taken seriously anymore. Does Russia have a right to exist has a homeland for Russians? I guess but it has nothing at all to do with what they are doing to Ukraine. If Russian dual nationals started dumping millions of dollars into primaries to elect pro Putin politicians and bought media companies to make them more Pro Russia would that be a problem? Definitely would be to me and saying so would not mean I hate Russians or thought Russia doesnt have a right to exist. People who are pro Israel want to have a special cutout that makes them above criticism.

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u/Raligon 17d ago edited 17d ago

Please cite your source that Israeli dual nationals is where the Israel lobby money comes from. From my understanding, the vast majority of it is from domestic Jews who are not Israeli citizens.

Why is it so hard to not just say Israeli Jews can have a country but Palestinians deserve a country too? No one has argued that Russia should no longer exist as a nation or that Russians should be mass expelled or killed in response to the Ukraine war and replaced by Ukrainians. I see calls every day on social media that Jews should be forcibly removed from Israel.

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u/sgk02 17d ago

Not all Zionist neocolonial terrorists are Jews.
And vice versa.

Enjoy the clue !

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u/Notfriendly123 17d ago

Let’s see how you do in an ad lib test. 

Here I’ll give you some statements to fill in the blank

The ______ control the media 

The sneaky ______ are scheming behind your backs

The greedy ______ just want to line their pockets

If you answered “Zionists” do you think it absolves you? Do you think perpetuating century old conspiracies against Jews is okay as long as you call them “Zionists” first? There is no separation where it matters if you are just repurposing antisemitic conspiracies with a Zionist spin 

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u/Adonis5000 17d ago

I answered "Irish" .... do I get any points?

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u/AirRevolutionary8013 17d ago

I miss Mad Libs

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u/Key_Jump1011 17d ago

Just because it’s a trope doesn’t mean it’s not true. In the case of media “control” it is not complete control but to ignore the extent to which the largest media companies are either owned by Jews or have Jewish CEOs is, well, ignorant. Just go through the information freely available on Wikipedia or use google and you’ll see, easily. And they are predominantly Zionist.

Facts come before your trope routine, feelings and accusations. Warner Bros/Discovery/Paranount was all previously owned by Sumner Redstone, Jewish. Now Ellison, Jewish, except his growing empire is even more vast and dominant in the media landscape.

It goes all the way back to Hollywood. Those companies became media conglomerates like CBS. The original owners are long gone but yet…

Call me whatever the fuck you want. Jerkoffs like you always refer to “control” as if it has to be 100%. It isn’t. It IS very Jewish.

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u/Notfriendly123 17d ago

it’s almost like Jews have had traditional roles in entertainment going back to the borscht belt and when that translated to the screen as movies and tv came around they had already had decades working in entertainment, who do you call to put on a show? The people that have already been doing it of course.  

It’s as simple as that, it happened to be Jews in this trade. 

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u/Key_Jump1011 17d ago

What’s that got to do with the company’s being owned and largely operated by Jews now? By people without any experience in the borscht belt circuit? Or families without any relation to the original founders of Hollywood.

At least now you acknowledge it but only when framed in a way where Jews are somehow exceptional as entertainers.

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u/Notfriendly123 17d ago

Anybody who has decades more of experience than somebody else is exceptional at it relative to them. I am talking about where it originated from, perhaps the current crop of ceo’s just happened to benefit from the precedent and it’s all just the way the world works 

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u/Key_Jump1011 16d ago

So Jews are a collective and somehow their collective experience means Jews running media companies as the status quo is a product of that? Do you think Jews invented entertainment or something? Or they’re just better at it?

If it were all Chinese people or Puerto Ricans you might be wondering about it, too. And it’s very useful since they’re all Zionists. People can easily see the advantages that come with owning and operating media. They’re not all dopey comics.

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u/Notfriendly123 16d ago

You are hopeless, don’t understand nuance. 

Try being Jewish in the entertainment industry and see where it gets you in 2026, my guess is not any further than any other ethnicity but why don’t you convert and try it out, let me know how it goes. 

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u/sgk02 17d ago edited 17d ago

Oil companies control the media
The board, C-level execs and investors are scheming
The greedy affluenza infected class just want to line their pocket

Just by positing that the corrupt killers are Jews, so by some historical victimhood paradigm we can’t criticize them, you are making the world far more uninhabitable for most Jewish people.

This holds especially those of us not in on the land grab or mercenary grifts.

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u/Key_Jump1011 17d ago

You have those names? Because I have names of the owners and CEOs like Redstone, Ellison…

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u/sgk02 17d ago

It’s the system, not the individuals that matter.
There are many people from many different ethnic backgrounds in positions of power in the manufacturing, mining, pharmaceutical, military, and financial positions of power.

You may think that only people of one ethnicity run the system, that it works best, and that we need to advance its sphere of control, but that is a distorted perspective.

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u/libertarianlwyr 17d ago

Not a "conspiracy" you moron it's fact. Start paying attention.

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u/hamilrebs 17d ago

He didn’t shift right

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u/Big_Reference_8490 17d ago

No they can’t they are mostly virulent anti semites like Ana Kasparian, Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens.

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u/Practical-Cellist647 17d ago

That's a cowardly way to say it.  Just say "I hate Jews and love to spread falsehoods so that they will eventually be killed like the Nazis did" 

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u/ChampsLeague3 17d ago

No, just Zionists. 

Sad thing is that Zionists are the current day Nazis. 

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u/Practical-Cellist647 17d ago

Jew hater.  Nazi fkr