Bill Maher Quits Stand-Up Touring — and His Reason Is Surprisingly Dark

Bill Maher says he is finished with touring, and he explained why during a recent episode of his “Club Random” podcast, where Patton Oswalt was the guest.

Maher said the current political climate in the United States has made him rethink traveling for live shows. He told Oswalt that he no longer feels comfortable performing around the country.

Maher said he worries about how extreme politics have become and how strongly people react to him. He said, “I don’t want to be out there in this country, in this political atmosphere. I could get shot by the left or the right. It’s a good time to not be out there.”

He explained that touring has also become exhausting, and he is tired of the constant travel that comes with it.

He also talked about how being on television every week affects ticket sales for his stand-up shows. Maher said fans who already see him on HBO may not feel the need to see him on stage. He also pointed out that age can play a role in how audiences respond to performers now. Maher said he has made many specials for HBO and thinks what he has already created is enough.

In recent months, Maher has frustrated people on both sides of politics. He has criticized what he sees as extreme behavior among some Democrats, and he has also pushed back against conservative complaints, including speaking out when Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC.

He also drew attention earlier this year for saying he agreed with “some of the things” Donald Trump is doing in his current term as president, a statement that upset several comedians.

As the political conversation in the U.S. becomes more tense, Maher has been talking about how dangerous the atmosphere feels.

After the shooting of Charlie Kirk, he spoke on his show about rising hostility and said both parties contribute to the anger. On his program, he added, “It’s a very ugly week in America with violence of all kinds.” He described a moment in Congress that turned into shouting, and he said it showed how divided the country has become. He ended by saying, “So far, the civil war is not very civil.”

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