Bill Maher said an on-air spat with Ben Affleck is the reason he has never returned to “Real Time” – or agreed to be on his podcast.
Twelve years ago, Maher and podcaster Sam Harris made comments about Islam that Affleck called “gross” and “racist.” Maher said on an episode of “Club Random” this week that that segment is still the one he gets asked about the most.
On his Monday episode of “Club Random,” his guest Max Amini applauded Maher for being able to challenge guests on his show, bringing up the incident with “The Accountant” star, specifically.
During the incident, Affleck had pushed back on Maher and Harris’ generalizations about Islam. As the conversation intensified, Affleck appeared to be visibly distressed, putting his face in his hands.
“I love him, but we just are going to disagree on that one,” Maher said on the Monday’s episode of “Club Random.” “I don’t know. Maybe if I talked to him privately or it’s been, you know, 12 years, maybe I think there’s a middle ground.”
Among the claims Maher made in his argument, he asserted that Islam is “the only religion that acts like the mafia that will f—ing kill you if you say the wrong thing.” Harris questioned the existence of Islamophobia, calling it a “meme” and asserting that “Islam is the motherload of bad ideas.”
“How about more than a billion people who aren’t fanatical, who don’t punch women, who just want to go to school, have some sandwiches, pray five times a day, and don’t do any of the things you’re saying of all Muslims?” Affleck said. “It’s stereotyping.”
Maher said that he has reached out to Affleck’s team, asking him to come back every year, but he has not complied. He even quipped that he bought his house from the movie star, but he can not get him back on the series.
Maher added that Harris and Affleck have apparently made up, but he and the “Argo” star have not reconciled their differences yet.
“More people have mentioned that episode to me than anything,” he said. “It wasn’t the best episode we ever had, but it got emotional with a movie star. That’s America.”
Watch the full episode of “Club Random” above.
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