Bill Maher Reveals The Reasons He Fears Doing Stand-Up Comedy Now

Bill Maher opened up Monday about why he refuses to do stand-up comedy shows in today’s political climate after recently filming his 13th HBO comedy special, “Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?”

Speaking on Monday’s episode of his “Club Random” podcast, Maher told guest Patton Oswalt that a “number of things” prompted him to “[get] off the road this year” and put an end to his nearly 50-year run of doing live comedy shows.

“I feel like it was a great choice because I don’t want to be out there in this country in this political atmosphere,” he said. “I could get shot by the left or the right.”

Maher also went on to admit that he “just got tired of being twice as funny as people who were selling twice as many tickets as me.”

“That’s partly because I’m on TV every week,” he continued. “And not that I didn’t sell a lot of tickets and do great theaters, but I didn’t sell [out] arenas, and some people did who frankly are not that great.”

The political commentator argued that “when the audience is 35 to 45, they don’t want to see somebody 70.”

Bill Maher first began his career as a stand-up comedian in 1979.

via Associated Press

“‘I want to see my generation,’ and [that’s] OK [for people to feel like that]. I still have my show. I have this,” he added. “I didn’t need it. I miss it, but that’s part of what it is.”

Maher, who has described himself as an “old school liberal,” has launched his share of verbal shots at President Donald Trump and the GOP, but he is also known for taking issue with the Democratic Party.

During the Sept. 12 episode of his HBO talk show “Real Time,” the TV host criticized both parties while discussing the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“The only way this starts to get better is if both sides admit, ‘OK, let’s not have this debate about who started it. Let’s not debate about who’s worse because, plainly, both sides do it now,’” Maher said. “And the right has done it too. A lot.”

Maher shut down criticism he received earlier this month for accepting President Trump’s invitation to dine with him at the White House.

“You know, it’s not like I was ever deceived before or after I had dinner with him, and I want to have dinner with him again,” he told guest Cheryl Hines during a Nov. 10 episode of his “Club Random” podcast.

The comedian noted that his critics had a field day when he noted that Trump — whose actions and policies have led many to liken him to a dictator — is a good listener.

“I think [Trump] actually wants more people around him for a stimulating conversation. I was very surprised … They hated me for it,” he added.

Watch Maher’s “Club Random” podcast below.