Bill Maher Blames “Woke” Hollywood for Golden Globe Loss Amid Backlash Over Mocking ICE Protest Pins

Comedian Bill Maher admitted before the 2026 Golden Globes that he didn’t expect to win in the Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy category because, in his words, “woke” Hollywood doesn’t reward him, RadarOnline.com reports.

Maher shared his thoughts during his Monday, January 12, Club Random podcast with actor Joel Edgerton, which was recorded ahead of the ceremony held the night before. Edgerton, nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Train Dreams, said he was happy just to be recognized.

“How do you feel? Let me ask you, how do you feel going in?” Edgerton asked.

Maher replied, “I’ve always set my ceiling quite low in life. Like, being nominated to me is a win. Sweetheart, I’ve been nominated for 33 Emmys, and they would never give it to me. That’s like—that’s not a gag number. It’s a real number.”

He added that his outspoken nature is the reason for his repeated snubs. “It’s crazy, right? For Politically Incorrect, for Real Time, for my stand-up specials, for producing, for writing, for performance. Obviously, it’s something I said. Well, it’s everything I said, because I speak freely, and this woke town f***** hates that,” Maher said.

Despite knowing he’d likely lose, Maher joked about how he might react if he somehow won. “I have good standing if I win this by some miracle, to go by what people always say. ‘I can’t believe, I’m shocked.’ I really should be shocked if I win this,” he said.

As predicted, Maher’s HBO special Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This? lost to Ricky Gervais’ Netflix special Ricky Gervais: Mortality. Wanda Sykes presented the category and didn’t hold back while roasting both Maher and Gervais.

“Thanks to the Golden Globes for having me. There’s some people pissed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys. But first I want to give them some love,” she said.

Sykes then made a pointed joke directly at Maher. “You give us so much. But I would love a little less. Just try less,” she said, and the room erupted in laughter. Maher appeared visibly uncomfortable, pursing his lips as the crowd reacted.

The tension may have been fueled by Maher’s earlier comments on the red carpet about protest pins remembering Renee Goode, a woman killed in a confrontation with ICE on January 7.

When asked by a reporter if using award shows for activism is effective, Maher dismissed it. “Come on. We’re just here for show business today. You know, it was a terrible thing that happened, and it shouldn’t have happened. If they didn’t act like such thugs, it wouldn’t have had to happen. But I don’t need to wear a pin about it,” he said.

Despite the backlash, Maher seems at peace with his repeated awards snubs. “And that’s okay. I made my peace with that,” he said, acknowledging that speaking freely has its consequences in Hollywood.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!