Bill Maher: Live from D.C.

Keith Olbermann and Michael Moore introduce Bill Maher's 2014 10th HBO special: as Maher rides in a motorcade from a taping of Real Time to the Warner Theatre, the pair describe his trip through the streets of Washington, D.C., as if he were an athlete or a politician. Once he gets onstage, Maher starts by talking about the midterm elections, expressing worry that many voters will opt out, and describing the conservative base as “people who make sighing noises when they get up.” Maher also makes fun of the way conservatives find everything that President Obama does worthy of outrage (“he's Dracula crossed with Hitler times lung cancer”). On the other hand, Maher also criticizes Democrats for letting themselves be intimidated by Republicans, arguing that Dems should do a better job of owning their achievements. Although he's clearly a supporter, Maher nevertheless finds it amusing that Obama treats “mental giants” like John Boehner and Ted Cruz with such deference. From the midterms, he goes on to look back at the last two presidential elections, leading to riffs on Mitt Romney, John McCain (“the world's oldest man”), and Sarah Palin (“the world's stupidest woman”). It would be a stretch to describe Maher as a socialist, but there are clearly limits to his belief in capitalism, since he doesn't believe that healthcare, prisons, and education should be for-profit businesses. Other topics include Donald Trump and Pope Francis (the “Joe Biden of Catholicism”). Likely to be appreciated by hardcore liberals and ignored by conservatives, this is recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)