During his opening monologue on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher hit back against criticism of his latest dinner with Trump — in which sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and musician Kid Rock also attended.
asserted
Smith → open → which
“Yeah, I did it again, bitches,” Maher said, referring to the Oct. 15 dinner, which followed his first dinner with Trump in April 2025.
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which → do → April
He then doubled down on his decision to attend, adding, “You know what?
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You → double → what
I like these dinners.”
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I → like → dinners
“The dinner last night with Kid Rock and Stephen A. [Smith] and Bill Maher was great,” Trump said.
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Trump → say → Rock
“I think they had a good time.”
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they → think → time
The president added that Maher “likes me a lot more than people understand.”
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people → add → me
“We talked about everything.
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We → talk → everything
It lasted a long time,” Trump added.
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Trump → last → ?
In the days leading up to the meal, Maher said he would be dining with the president.
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he → lead → president
“I’m having dinner with him again next week,” Maher told Hollywood agent and executive Ari Emanuel during a conversation on Maher’s “Club Random” podcast earlier this month.
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Maher → have → podcast
“After the first dinner, I went back to doing what I do …
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I → go → what
But then, like, he just, out of the blue, let’s have dinner again.
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’s → let → dinner
And he was really nice,” Maher said.
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Maher → say → ?
“Like, I promise I won’t say bad things about you like I did the last time.’
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I → promise → you
And I texted back, and I said, ‘You know what, you’re the president of the United States.
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you → texte → States
Say whatever the f— you want.
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you → say → f
I’m just glad we’re talking.’
asserted
we → ’m → ?
It’s like being called a ‘hockey puck’ by Don Rickles.
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It → ’ → Rickles
It’s just what he does.
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he → ’ → what
It’s how he talks.”
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he → ’ → ?
Maher previously made headlines in April 2025 after dining at the White House with Trump, Kid Rock and UFC CEO Dana White.
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Maher → make → Trump
He later told his audience he may have misjudged the president’s demeanor, saying Trump was “more self-aware” in private.
uncertain
Trump → tell → demeanor
“You can hate me for it, but I’m not a liar.
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I → hate → it
Trump was gracious and measured,” Maher said in 2025.
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Maher → say → 2025
I don’t know, and I can’t answer, and it’s not my place to answer.
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it → know → ?
I’m just telling you what I saw, and I wasn’t high.”
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I → tell → what
However, Maher has continued to criticize the president.
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Maher → continue → president
In June, he mocked Trump’s Iran deal, saying the president went from demanding “unconditional surrender” to settling for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) while the White House touted the framework as a foreign policy win.
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House → mock → win
“We got everything we wanted except for everything we asked for,” Maher said.
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Maher → get → everything
Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations, told Fox News Digital that he thought Maher’s acknowledgment of his second dinner with Trump was likely the result of a preconceived plan to double-down on his attendance.
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acknowledgment → tell → attendance
“Maher walked in with a plan.
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Maher → walk → plan
His Friday monologue showed it.
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monologue → show → it
I said last week that each event guest needs a prepared message in anticipation of public criticism,” Mudd said.
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Mudd → say → criticism
Mudd said Maher’s willingness to address criticism directly while appearing genuine could help him retain support from fans who object to his relationship with Trump.
uncertain
who → say → Trump
“If Bill Maher were my client, I’d advise him to keep sounding like himself.
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I → advise → himself
A host who sounds like a surrogate loses credibility,” he said.
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he → sound → credibility
“Maher sounded like Maher, so that risk stays low.
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risk → sound → Maher
Repetition is the next risk, because each new dinner invites the same questions.”
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dinner → invite → questions
“Comedians win by joking first, not by clarifying,” Mudd added.
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Mudd → win → ?
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia
