Bill Maher’s use of racial slur draws criticism
Talk show host under fire on social media over joke about slaves during his TV program
LOS ANGELES — Bill Maher is facing criticism for his use of a racial slur during a discussion with a Republican senator on his HBO talk show Friday night.
Maher was speaking with Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska during a segment of his “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Sasse joked that he would like to have Maher visit Nebraska and work in the fields, which prompted Maher to use a slur in a joke that he was a house slave.
The comedian immediately waved off audience groans.
Activists including the Reverend Al Sharpton quickly criticized Maher and it remained a top-ranked topic on Twitter on Saturday morning.
NAN wants to meet w/ HBO asap about the normalizing of the use of the N word. I know and love Bill Maher but this is unacceptable. I will
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) June 3, 2017
address this Bill Maher issue and our move on HBO at this morning's NAN Saturday Action Rally. My address is live at 10 am/et on Impact TV.
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) June 3, 2017
Sasse wrote Saturday that he wished he had immediately criticized Maher for using the term.
Maher’s publicists did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press
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