Comedian Bill Maher has done what he does best, stirring up controversy with his outspoken point-of-view.

Social media has afforded the HBO star a new platform for his rather wicked sense of humor. If you recall, Maher wasn’t always a feature on the premium cable channel, and spent many years hosting a similar panel-based show on HBO called Politically Incorrect. The scathing comic enjoyed a lengthy late-night run on ABC, until he made some controversial post-9/11 remarks about whether the terrorists that downed the World Trade Center could rightfully be called cowards.

The comments provoked much hand-wringing, and Maher was fired from his ABC gig amid creepy threats from the White House’s at-the-time Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who reminded “all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do” in the post-attack panic.* Maher quickly rebounded, landing the HBO gig, and has been offending sensibilities far more efficiently since the move.

The comedian is also a vocal apatheist, espousing the position not only that religion is pointless, but further maintaining it is a force of chaos and terror in the world. He created a documentary- Religulous- skewering all major religions without prejudice. So it’s no surprise that the “Christ-y” (as Maher would say) Tim Tebow has come in for criticism from the controversial comic.

Maher made the comments Christmas Eve on his Twitter account, after the Denver Broncos lost to the Buffalo Bills. He tweeted:

Wow, Jesus just f*cked #TimTebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere in hell Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler “Hey, Buffalo’s killing them”

It was a mouthful even for Maher, but boycott calls seem a bit much given it’s not an entirely out of the ordinary for a man who traveled all over the world to make a documentary about how pointless and dangerous he feels religion is. It should also be noted that Maher’s tweet isn’t even skewering God or religion, but rather the vanity of those who might believe that God has nothing better to do than meddle in a football game.

*[Beyond the grave Hitchslap. As Christopher Hitchens wrote in Slate years ago, the remarks of Fleischer were widely misconstrued, and I apologize for the error in repeating them. You can read more in Hitchens' column.]

Did you find Bill Maher’s Tim Tebow tweet offensive?

Bill Maher’s Controversial Tebow Tweet Sparks HBO Boycott Calls is a post from: The Inquisitr

Well, this kinda sucks.

HBO has announced its newly-axed programs, the shows that won’t be coming back for another season on the successful yet sometimes capricious network. (Case in point: ask any Deadwood fan how they feel about HBO’s cancellation policies, or talk to any adherent of Bret and Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords.) Perhaps the network is a bit like Trader Joe’s in ruthlessly cutting beloved items to make way for newer, possibly more appreciable titles, but the propensity for snipping shows means that oftentimes, some wheat seems to go with the chaff.

So it is a bummer if not totally surprising that two HBO shows which seemed to be doing pretty okay fell on the wrong side of the cable network’s big swinging axe- the hipster mystery hit Bored to Death, and the male prostitute dramedy Hung. The former stars Zach Galifianakis, Jason Schwartzman and Ted Danson as a bromantic team that’s markedly more sensitive and less misogynistic than the dudes on Entourage, and the latter features Thomas Jane and Anne Heche in a depressed Detroit where a male teacher must turn to prostitution to make ends meet.

Also on the 86 list for HBO was the New York-based How to Make it in America, which won’t be returning for another season. It’s notably all the cuts were shows that ran for about half an hour, whereas the more popular hour-long shows including Boardwalk Empire and True Blood- both with huge followings- remain intact.

In a surprise move, one of the network’s less buzzed-about shows, the cancer dramedy Enlightened, starring Laura Dern, was also picked up for a new season. Will you miss Bored to Death, Hung or How to Make it in America?

Bored to Death, Hung Among HBO Cancellations is a post from: The Inquisitr

HBO Go, HBO’s mobile-TV application, launched early last year, but Time Warner Cable customers have been without it since. That’s set to change, however, as Time Warner announced today that the two companies have finally reached an agreement, and HBO Go and MAX Go will be offered to Time Warner customers starting as soon as next month.

The service, which allows internet-connected users to watch HBO’s library of over 1,400 old and current programs and 400 of Cinemax’s programs, is expected to kick off first with a limited beta test before it’s launched for all. In addition to playback on computers, the service will be available on multiple platforms, including iOS and Android mobile devices.

“We’re very pleased to have completed an agreement that’s good for our customers,” said Susan Weinstein, Group Vice President, Content Acquisition for Time Warner Cable. “HBO and Cinemax offer unique and compelling programming for our customers, and soon they’ll be able to access it both anytime and anywhere.”

Time Warner didn’t provide a timeline on when users can expect the limited beta to begin, nor did they say who will have access to the beta. Regardless, I’m sure Time Warner customers can wait one more month after having to wait over a year.

Time Warner Cable to offer HBO Go next month is a post from: The Inquisitr

HBO wants you to know that the cold winds are rising – oh, and that April is coming.

The network released the first teaser trailer for season 2 of Game of Thrones, which is expected to air around April of next year. Judging by what Stannis Baratheon, brother of the late Robert Baratheon, says in the video, it sounds like next season won’t be any less bloody.

“My brother left no true-born heirs by right of birth and blood,” Stannis (Stephene Dillane) proclaims in the video in an appropriately cold, unforgiving tone. “I do this day lay claim to the island throne of Westeros that all true men declare their loyalty. The iron throne is mine by right; they will bend the knee or I will destroy them.”

We also get a glimpse at some of the characters that will be making a return in season 2, some of which are far less liked than others. We get to see a brief shot of Arya sporting her new look, Tyrion deep in thought, and more still.

To get a glimpse of Game of Thrones 2 Season 2, check out the trailer below.

Game of Thrones Season 2 “Cold Winds” Trailer Released [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

David Milch and HBO have inked a new deal that will see Milch, creator or co-creator of Deadwood and John from Cincinnati, bring the works of William Faulkner to the small screen.

The new commitment will see Milch’s Redboard Productions produce TV series and original movies based on books written by the iconic Faulkner, a Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winner.

As well as being a prolific writer of short stories, Faulkner’s most celebrated novels include The Sound and the Fury (1929), As I Lay Dying (1930), Light in August (1932), and Absalom, Absalom! (1936), so there are rich pickings here. Milch and his colleagues can cherry-pick what they like as well – the deal signed with the writer’s literary estate covers all of the 19 novels and 125 short stories in the estate.

Milch co-created the venerable cop drama NYPD Blue, and is also behind Luck, the upcoming horse racing drama. Luck, Deadwood and John from Cincinnati were all HBO series. This latest deal gives HBO first dibs on producing Faulkner works as movies, miniseries and/or series, apart from those Faulkner works already being shot for film or TV.

Milch is rubbing his hands at the opportunity of bringing Faulkner to TV screens, stating:

“I’m delighted to expand my longstanding relationship with HBO to encompass the adaptation of some of the most important literary works by any American writer into television films and series. As we embark on this ambitious project, our first commitment is to serve the material, and we look forward to identifying and collaborating with the best screenwriters and filmmakers to help each of the pieces find its ideal form onscreen.”

Luck (on which Milch is credited as executive producer stars Dustin Hoffman and debuts in January.

David Milch Signs Deal to Bring William Faulkner Stories to HBO is a post from: The Inquisitr

‘Boardwalk Empire’ may not have swept the board at the Emmys, but the show’s producer Mark Wahlberg may still have an ‘Entourage’ movie to look forward to.

Speaking on the red carpet to Extra‘s Mario Lopez, co-producer Wahlberg revealed an ‘Entourage’ feature film looks likely:

“Yeah, for sure. You saw the way it ended. After the credits, Jeremy Piven’s character is in Italy with his wife and he gets a big phone call. I think that’s obviously going to cause a lot of tension within his relationship. And the guys are going to have to go back to where it started. We’ve been talking about the movie non-stop. That’s the goal.”

As fans will know, the prospect of an ‘Entourage’ film is pretty much as old as time itself. Creator Doug Ellin has stated more than once that he hopes to write a film after the series wraps up. Last year, it seemed to be ruled out again (this time by Kevin Dillon), before Emmanuelle Chriqui appeared back in the summer to say there was a “definite possibility” of a film.

In other words, er, we’ve still no idea, but Wahlberg’s words are very encouraging.

Away from ‘Entourage,’ Wahlberg was happy to big up the second season of ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ as well as its star, Steve Buscemi:

“The season is phenomenal. There’s a lot more at stake and everybody’s after Nucky. [...] Steve Buscemi is literally one of the greatest living actors. Period.”

And I think we can all agree with that last statement.

Mark Wahlberg: We’ve Been Talking About ‘Entourage’ Movie ‘Non-Stop’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s official HBO executives have given the green light to turn Aaron Sorkin’s pilot about a news cast into a full season series.

The series focuses on a news anchor (Jeff Daniels), his executive producer (Emily Mortimer) and his staff of workers which includes, Alison Pill, John Gallagher, Jr., Olivia Munn, Dev Patel, Thomas Sadoski and their boss played by Sam Waterston.

In the series the news cast attempts to report the news without the interference of corporate or commercial obstacles.

The number of episodes ordered is unknown at this time, although it’s expected to be around 10 shows for the first season.

According to Deadline.com:

Sorkin wrote the pilot after lengthy research during which he spent time at Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews’ MSNBC shows as well as behind-the-scenes of Fox News Channel and CNN programs. Sorkin  executive produced the pilot, which was directed by Greg Mottola, with Scott Rudin and Alan Poul.

Sorkin also wrote The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Sports Night which is one of my all-time favorite television series, although it was shorted lived.

The new series will be the first for Sorkin on Cable TV, while he’s also coming off a writing high from his Oscar win for The Social Network. 

Will you be tuning into the new Aaron Sorkin penned series? I’m personally interested to see what he can do with a series on HBO which allows for more adult oriented content, something that has been missing from the often gritty portrayals Sorkin utilizes for his shows.

HBO Officially Turns Aaron Sorkin Pilot Into Regular Season Show is a post from: The Inquisitr

When I first looked at Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin I had to do a double take to make sure it was actually her. It’s not Tina Fey dead-on but it’s pretty close.

HBO today released the first photo of the Julianne in her Palin outfit, a role she is playing for the network’s upcoming TV movie Game Change.

Moore and Palin had been compared to one another even before the actress donned her iconic red blazer, glasses and upper-class accessories.

Are you going to watch Game Change when it debuts? I will if there is a nice wide angle lens shot of Palin staring at Russia from her house.

HBO Releases First Picture Of Julianne Moore As Sarah Palin is a post from: The Inquisitr

Katherine Heigl is making her return to TV, but this time it won’t be on a series like Grey’s Anatomy, but instead a made-for-TV movie that will debut on HBO.

Heigl and her mom Nancy are co-producing the movie The Knitting Circle, based on the book of the same name by Ann Hood. Also involved is Craig Wright, the creator behind Dirty Sexy Money.

Along with producing the movie Heigl will play the main character, a mother who loses a child and uses a knitting circle to deal with her grief.

Along with her return to TV Heigl is part of the ensemble comedy New Year’s Eve which will reach theaters in December 2011 and One For The Money which opens sometime in 2012.

Katherine Heigl Returning To TV, Producing HBO Movie is a post from: The Inquisitr

Can’t get enough of the wacky, madcap hijinks of Bill Henrickson and his stable of wives on HBO’s Big Love?

Well, HBO has some sad news for fans of the show- the season set to begin in January will be the show’s last. Show creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer said in a statement that the series wasn’t being axed for any other reason than a natural end to the drama’s storylines:

“When we created ‘Big Love’ in 2002, we had a strong conception of the journey the Henrickson family would make over the course of the series, of the story we had to tell,” they said.

“While we were in the writers’ room this year shaping our fifth season, we discovered that we were approaching the culmination of that story.”

The show’s last season, which involved the brief addition of fourth wife Ana and the wake of the loss of a major character, caused some critics to say that the story lacked direction. It will be interesting to see how the series will tie up the number of arcs currently used in episodes, but the end of the show will definitely be a loss to HBO’s strong lineup of Sunday dramas.

HBO says this season of ‘Big Love’ will be the last is a post from: The Inquisitr

Although Netflix has expressed interest in getting it on with super-popular HBO properties like True Blood and Entourage, the cable channel has said it has no interest in bumping content with the filthy-dirty video subscription service.

If you, like me, were hoping to cut the horrible cable TV tether this year, HBO isn’t going to let you off the exceptionally good programming teat any time soon. Expect to be paying the same $200 a month for access to your favorite sexy dramedies, because you still won’t be able to stream it to your laptop, TV or hotel room legally without a cable subscription. HBO is in a prime position to not dabble in other services, and co-president Eric Kessler cited “entertainment enthusiasts” who can’t let go of their premium content as a reason for staying cable-only:

“There is value in exclusivity,” Kessler said in an interview. Consumers “are willing to pay a premium for high quality, exclusive content,” he said.

Netflix isn’t even playing hard to get, but they’re kind of like, “well, we’re into it if you are, HBO.”

“We would love to do a deal as well with HBO,” said Steve Swasey, a spokesman for Netflix. “Compete with us or collaborate with us, but we would much rather work with them.”

HBO subscribers can still stream content through HBO Go, the company’s online portal for programming. It may offer some of the convenience of Netflix’s streaming service, but it still carries the high price tag of a premium cable provider. Have you been planning to ditch some of your cable services for a web-based service? Do you shell out year round for shows that only run 12 episodes every year or two?

[Business Week via Mashable]

Netflix not getting its filthy, convenient hands on HBO’s content is a post from: The Inquisitr

Larry David has confirmed that HBO is on board for another season of the popular unscripted comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The show, which features Larry David as himself generally flung into any manner of awkward situations, has been critically acclaimed since it premiered in 2000. Of the decision to do another season, David says:

“After much soul-searching – and by the way, it was nowhere to be found – I have decided to do another season of Curb,” creator Larry David said in a statement.

“I look forward to the end of shooting, when I can once again resume the hunt for my elusive soul. I know it’s here somewhere or perhaps in the rugged mountainous regions of Pakistan.”

Production of the series will begin sometime this summer and episodes will be shot in New York and Los Angeles. Fans will have to wait until “sometime in 2011,” however, for new episodes of the show. David hasn’t disclosed details on what the new episodes may center around, but has ruled out any further appearances of the Seinfeld cast.

HBO orders 8th season of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Much admired TV writer David Mills, who has been working on the upcoming HBO show Treme, died of a brain anuerysm in New Orleans yesterday.

Less than two weeks ahead of Treme‘s premiere, HBO released a statement addressing Mills’ sudden death:

“HBO is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and colleague David Mills,” said a network statement. “He was a gracious and humble man, and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him, as well as those who were aware of his immense talent. David has left us too soon but his brilliant work will live on.”

In addition to his work on Treme, Mills worked on Homicide, NYPD Blue, The Wire and ER. Mills first came to prominence as the writer behind the infamous Sister Souljah interview in which the female rapper said:

“If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?”

The nature of TV writing means some of the people most responsible for the shows you love so dearly don’t get the recognition and press attention some of the stars and other creative staff do. If you’re interested in learning more about David Mills, you can read his hilarious and thought provoking blog, Undercover Black Man. (Mills’ last update was Monday, March 29th.) You can also read this in-depth piece on Mills by journalist friend Alan Sepinwall.

David Mills, acclaimed TV writer, dead at 48 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Have you been chomping at the bit for new episodes of HBO’s vampire hit True Blood?

There’s light at the end of the very long tunnel- HBO has finally released a premiere date for Season Three of the popular vampire drama. Season Two left things on a bit of a cliffhanger, with the ostensibly forcible disappearance of one of Sookie’s many supernatural suitors and a hanging marriage proposal. HBO announced the plans on True Blood‘s Facebook fan page (no teasers, though, much to everyone’s disappointment) and MTV had this to say about the widespread anticipation:

This is so exciting for oh-so-many reasons (you know, besides the fact that Alexander Skarsgard will finally return — naked — to our living rooms), but because we don’t have enough time or space to list them all, just know that this chapter of the show will flaunt a badass new werewolf (who comes complete with real wolves), a new boy toy for Lafayette, a new girl for boy toy Jason Stackhouse, an “erotic connection” between Sam and Bill and, last but not least, cameos by Godric!!

Although introduction of a date is definitely a positive development, we’ve still got almost three months to wait until the first episode of True Blood hit airwaves on June 13th, which is kind of a bummer.

True Blood Season 3 premiere date: June 13th! is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’ve seen an episode of HBO’s Hung and the title didn’t clue you in, you know the show basically depicts a world that actually does revolve around the main character’s huge dick.

Via Copyranter comes this suggestive billboard from New Zealand, where the show has yet to premiere. Breasts have been used to sell things probably since the first beer ad was scrawled on a cave wall. It’s less common to see the target gender (or sexuality) reversed like this.

Could you see a concept like this flying (or dangling, as the case may be) in Times Square, like right where that steaming Cup O’ Noodles billboard was? Are you not dying to know what the planning and execution sessions to get this produced were like? Is this the crowning glory of some ad exec’s portfolio? And also: penis.

Billboard for HBO’s ‘Hung’ in NZ may have invented massive wangvertising is a post from: The Inquisitr

HBO has dipped its toes very tentatively into the waters of online content in the form of HBO Go, a service available only to those who subscribe to traditional, TV based HBO.

As a subscriber of both Verizon Fios and HBO, I was able to log in and give the service a spin this morning. I’m not big on streaming content to my laptop- I generally get too distracted by the existence of the internet to appreciate watching movies on it. But with 600 hours of content versus HBO on Demand’s 150, it might come in handy even for those who subscribe to the HBO on Demand service. Yes, the offerings are still anemic compared to HBO’s vast quantity of awesome shows. True Blood is a notable absentee, as is the often pants-peeingly hilarious Curb Your Enthusiasm. (I’ve always wanted to check out Deadwood, too, and that’s missing.) While I’d like all the HBO stuff I’d ever want to watch available whenever I want to watch it, I’m not surprised or even disappointed that HBO has decided to protect some of its more valuable properties just out of the gate.

On my current setup, just an average Dell laptop that’s stingy with resources and prone to having hissyfits when I want to do two things at once (for instance, posting in WordPress and running iTunes) I was able to quickly buffer an episode of Big Love and the longer documentary By The People in just a few seconds. Even with about twenty tabs open in Google Chrome, and Pidgin and Google Talk running in the background, there were no noticeable blips or interruptions in the stream of video. The picture was clear and the audio fine, and a simple, clean interface doesn’t get in the way of content when using the service.

All in all, while it’s been pointed out that HBO Go could be better, open to non-subscribers, offer more content and so on, I don’t think this is terrible for a first foray into streaming content for HBO. Yes, it could be more fully featured, but it’s not even out of beta yet. If you already pay for HBO every month, this is a nice perk- it would be nicer if it meant I never had to miss an episode of True Blood when I’m not home on a Sunday night.

Well, that’s fancy: HBO launches Netflix-like HBO Go for subscribers is a post from: The Inquisitr

The first trailer for HBO’s The Pacific, the follow up by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks to Band of Brothers has been released.

The Pacific focuses on the United States Marine Corps’s actions in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII, and cost at staggering $200 million to produce. Shot in Queensland and Victoria, the series is due out in March 2010.

First impressions: epic. The CGI is believable, the color and tone rich, and I can just see this becoming a must watch. Here’s The Pacific trailer:

First trailer released for HBO’s The Pacific is a post from: The Inquisitr

The first episode of Joe Buck’s new show on HBO ended on a rather different note when comedian Artie Lange decided that what he’d seen of the show so far wasn’t great.

Lange best known for his work on the Howard Stern Show, was part of a post-show segment with other comedians that streamed live online. Lange roasted Buck like there was no tomorrow, and added a pile of homophobic, sexist and crude jokes into the mix as well.

It’s had to know where to start. When Buck announced that TMZ was his favorite website, Lange replied “Joe, TMZ is your favorite website? What’s your second, suckingcock.com?” Lange also said among other things that Jessica Simpson was a Chris Farley-lookalike fat girl.

The reaction has varied from condemning Buck (most people think the show was bad before Lange appeared) to condemning Lange.

Here’s the Joe Buck Artie Lange video:

Joe Buck Artie Lange video: well this is certainly different…. is a post from: The Inquisitr

In keeping with the sexy vibe of the show, teaser footage has become increasingly tantalizing. In the latest installment, we see Jessica’s tumultuous reunion with her conservative homeschooling family, both Bill and Eric trying to lay claim to Sookie, and Eric having a bit of a tantrum with what looks like highlight-foils in his hair. Jason gets his Fellowship of the Sun on and Maryann is clearly doing something to lead the townsfolk astray. Bill broods. Like, at everyone.

Can’t wait a few more hours? Check out the newest trailer below. And if you missed any of the first season, there are some very, very funny (and thorough) recaps here to get you up to speed.

True Blood season two premieres tonight! is a post from: The Inquisitr

HBO’s hit series True Blood returns June 14, and in the lead up HBO has released some new ads with additional footage.

New details are revealed about Jessica, the new vampire who was converted by Bill in the last series. We see Maryann generating power, Jason in attack mode and Tara in shook.

The series is based on the Sookie Stackhouse book series (known as The Southern Vampire Mysteries) by Charlaine Harris. After a slow start on debut in 2008, strong word of mouth saw True Blood grow to be HBO’s most popular series since the Soprano’s and Sex and the City, and rightly so, because it’s a great show.

Here’s the new True Blood spots:

New True Blood TV spots is a post from: The Inquisitr