Real Time Host Cites Fear of Being “Shot by the Left or the Right” in Current Political Climate

The Political Climate is “Too Risky”

November 18, 2025—Veteran comedian and HBO host Bill Maher has revealed the primary reasons he has decided to end his decades-long career as a touring stand-up comedian, citing fears over his personal safety amid the current deeply polarized political atmosphere in the U.S.

Speaking to fellow comedian Patton Oswalt on his podcast, Club Random, the host of Real Time with Bill Maher stated that he feels the country is simply too volatile for him to be on the road performing his famously controversial political humor.

“I feel like it was a great choice, because I don’t want to be out there in this country in this political atmosphere,” Maher told Oswalt. “I could get shot by the left or the right. I mean, it’s just, it’s a good time to not be out there.”

Maher, who often draws ire from both conservative and liberal audiences for his “old-school liberal” and anti-Woke viewpoints, has frequently drawn criticism for his attempts to position himself as a voice against the extremes of both political sides.

Four Decades of Touring Takes Its Toll

While safety was a major concern, Maher also pointed to a host of logistical and professional factors that contributed to his decision to hang up the touring mic after more than 40 years:

Travel Fatigue: Maher, who turned 69 this year, admitted he is simply “tired of the travel” and the grind of leaving Los Angeles every week to perform. “I’ve been in training for 40 years. I need a break,” he stated.

Creative Completion: He noted that his most recent special, Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?, was his 13th for HBO. “I felt they basically got better as they went along, and I feel like the last one was the best one, which is a good way to get off,” he remarked.

Ticket Sales: Maher also expressed frustration with the business side of touring, suggesting that his weekly presence on television reduces the incentive for fans to buy tickets, adding, “I’m tired of being twice as funny as people who were selling twice as many tickets as me.”

Maher first hinted at this retirement on his podcast last year to Jerry Seinfeld, stressing that he would not make a huge announcement because it felt like “cutting off a limb.” Though he has quit stand-up, Maher confirmed he has no plans to retire from his successful talk show, Real Time, which is renewed through 2026.