Bill Maher Apologizes For Using N-Word On Air

Controversy has been the order of the week as Kathy Griffin showed off a dummy of Trump’s severed head and Bill Maher used the highly offensive N-word live on air. Both stars have apologized, but both are facing serious consequences for their actions. Kathy Griffin has lost five of her upcoming gigs in addition to being fired from CNN’s New Year’s Eve bash. Bill Maher may also be on the chopping block after dropping the racial slur live on air.

Bill Maher uttered the taboo racial slur during an episode of his show, Real Time with Bill Maher, during a conversation with Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse.

During the interview with Sasse, he asked Maher if he would like to come work in the field with him. Maher’s response was particularly off the mark, to say the very least.

“Work in the fields? Senator, I’m a house n****r,” Bill Maher responded.

Bill Maher was referring to the African-American slaves in the pre Civil War era who were subject to working in the master’s house as opposed to working in the fields picking cotton and doing other forced agricultural labor.

Although Maher clarified it was a joke, people were not too happy with his comments.

Bill Maher addressed the slur in a statement.

“Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show. Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”

HBO, the network on which the show airs, was also deeply embarrassed by the comments. They made a statement to People about what had happened.

“Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless,” they said. “We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.”

Although Bill Maher hasn’t yet lost his job on the show, several celebrities, including Chance the Rapper, have asked that he be fired from his gig.

Black Lives Matter activists also reprimanded Bill Maher for his choice of words, saying that there was no excuse for what he had said during the show.

Even Jack Posobiec, an alt-right commentator, took offense to Bill’s usage of the words.

“Racist Bill Maher must be fired and @BenSasse must be held accountable for his endorsement of the n-word,” he said on Twitter.

Others, however, have stated that the issue is one of free speech and as such, Bill Maher cannot be fired for the offense.

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Sasse was asked why he did not intervene or object to the remark that Maher had made.

“I’m a 1st Amendment absolutist. Comedians get latitude to cross hard lines. But free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn’t good enough,” he said on Twitter.

He added, “Here’s what I wish I’d been quick enough to say in the moment: ‘Hold up, why would you think it’s OK to use that word?…'”

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“The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It’s therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don’t use it,” he finished on his social media.

In the past, Bill Maher has been criticized for his comments about 9/11, stating that it was not cowardly for the hijackers to remain on the plane while everyone else was killed.

The 61-year-old has remained silent on social media following the use of the racial slur, despite his public apology. Most of his tweets relate to Donald Trump or the government in some way.

[Featured Image by Michael Kovac/Stringer/Getty Images]