Sources: Bill Maher’s Dinner with Trump Was About More Than ‘Talking to the Other Side’
Insiders say Maher’s much-hyped dinner with Trump was a strategic move to protect Real Time as the president’s influence over media giants grows
Bill Maher made headlines earlier this year when he sat down for a much-publicized dinner with President Donald Trump. At the time, Maher insisted the meeting was simply about the importance of engaging with people on the other side of the political aisle. But according to sources familiar with the situation, there may have been another motive.
Insiders claim Maher was looking to ease tensions with Trump in case the president attempted to pressure Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav into canceling Real Time with Bill Maher when the comedian’s current contract expires in 2026. With Zaslav reportedly working to improve WBD’s relationship with the Trump administration, Maher is said to have been concerned about the future of his long-running HBO show.
Though Maher has spent years publicly mocking Trump’s policies and persona, sources say he recognized the potential risk of maintaining an adversarial relationship with someone who now holds considerable influence over corporate media executives. The April dinner, arranged by Kid Rock, was viewed by some close to Maher as an insurance policy — a way to soften any future fallout.
Not long after the dinner, Maher surprised his audience by admitting on Real Time that Trump was “not the madman I thought he was.” The remark raised eyebrows among longtime viewers but, in context, may have been part of a larger effort to publicly dial down the animosity.
Meanwhile, Maher faces additional scrutiny over his popular podcast, Club Random. During a recent episode of The Town podcast, media reporter Matt Belloni asked HBO chief Casey Bloys if Maher’s growing podcast audience was siphoning viewers away from Real Time.
Belloni: The only thing I wondered about Bill Maher is, you know, his podcast is getting pretty popular. And I was like, does that siphon viewers away from his show? And why do you guys let him do that?
Bloys: The ratings have been up. The ratings for the show have been up. So it’s not having any — it’s not having any effect.
Belloni: Okay. Maybe if it did, you would care.
Bloys: Maybe.
Though the exchange was casual, it pointed to a growing conversation within HBO about Maher’s expanding media footprint. Sources say viewers should expect Club Random to veer away from politics and lean more into Bill telling guests how he never got married, doesn’t have kids, and his feelings on religion.
To add to the drama, Maher is currently being sued by journalist Laura Loomer after he claimed she and Trump were having an affair during the election — another headache at a time when the comedian appears to be playing a careful political game behind the scenes.