Opinion: Where’s The Right’s Bill Maher?
Donald Trump’s return to office has certainly been eventful.
In just the first 10 days of his second term, expansionist rumors of annexing the Panama Canal (and/or Greenland) have surfaced, executive orders have wrought havoc and the man who once railed against China now seems to be shifting his stance. Trump’s antics have left experts bewildered and many Americans divided—some amused, others deeply concerned.
But perhaps Trump’s most audacious move came before he’d even gotten unpacked in the Oval Office, when he launched a meme coin packed with moral and legal red flags. At best, it’s a shameless cash grab. At worst, it’s an outright con. There’s almost no transparency about what the coin is worth, what it’s supposed to do or the risks involved—leaving buyers in the dark while their money is on the line. Patriotism has never looked so pathetic.
Now, imagine if Joe Biden had pulled the same stunt (or started selling Bibles made in China). How would the right respond?
You don’t need a crystal ball—or to be Krystal Ball—to know the answer.
There would be an utter meltdown. Fox News would dedicate round-the-clock coverage, conservative commentators would demand resignations and X’s trending topics would all be tearing it apart.
Perhaps a better question to ask is: How would Bill Maher react?
Maher, who often “bats” for the left, has built a career on being one of the few liberals willing to take shots at his own side. In fact, he does it so often that many progressives call him a fraud—posing as a liberal while feeding conservative talking points. I don’t buy it. He just speaks his mind, whether people like it or not.
And if Biden pulled a blatant, unethical scam like this, Maher wouldn’t hesitate to call him out.
He’d rip into Biden’s opportunism and tear apart the hypocrisy of Democrats rushing to defend it. Love him or hate him, that’s Maher’s style—he takes his own team to task when they deserve it. It’s Maher’s ability to speak uncomfortable truths, even to his own base, that’s kept him relevant.
Humor has always been a weapon of subversion. In ancient Greece, Aristophanes used plays like Lysistrata to mock political corruption and social norms, while underground cabarets in 1930 and ’40s Germany risked their lives to expose the absurdity of the Nazi regime. In modern times, Stephen Colbert’s Colbert Report mastered this art, using a faux-conservative persona to highlight the hypocrisies of right-wing rhetoric. Jon Stewart is legendary for blending sharp satire with genuine critique, while John Oliver—Maher’s HBO colleague—uses biting humor to break down complex political and social issues. Comedy works because it disarms while it disrupts—making people laugh even as it forces them to confront things they’d rather ignore.
On the right, though, sharp satire is in short supply. The closest thing the right has to Maher is Greg Gutfeld, and that’s not saying much. Gutfeld is a sycophantic Trump bootlicker who would never dare bite the hand that feeds him. Less Mitch Hedberg, more Mike Lindell, the 60-year-old excels at producing cringe-worthy content. Yes, some will note he gets good ratings. So what? Gutfeld’s audience isn’t looking for unexpected insight; it’s a monolithic congregation hanging on their political pope’s every word.
How about Joe Rogan?
Although Rogan isn’t a late-night host, he’s one of the few independent voices leaning right. He’s criticized Trump plenty, often with humor, and isn’t afraid to call out either side. Did he help Trump get re-elected? Sure, but not because he’s a testosterone-fueled toady.
When Rogan critiques Trump, it resonates precisely because he operates outside the partisan noise machine, free from the loyalty tests that dominate political discourse.
That said, Rogan isn’t the solution, either. He’s a podcaster, UFC commentator and stand-up comedian; he’s not a Maher-style satirist. The right needs someone who blends comedy with compelling critique—someone willing to go after Trump the way Maher would Biden, without fear of alienating their base. Tony Hinchcliffe is quick-witted but leans into shock humor over political insight. Once booted from SNL, Shane Gillis is undeniably funny, and his Trump impression is absurdly good. But his comedy leans more into bro humor and absurdity than pointed commentary.
As much as we need a Maher, the right need a late-night martyr—someone willing, if needed, to crucify themselves on the cultural cross. And in today’s climate, that wouldn’t just be metaphorical. The cancel culture jokes practically write themselves.
The echo chamber won’t accept their stance at first, if at all, but that’s precisely the point. It’s time to spark the uncomfortable conversations conservatives desperately need. Echo chambers breed intellectual incest, and there’s nothing funny about that.
Should they emerge, this figure doesn’t have to be a provocateur or troll; they could serve as a genuine keeper of checks and balances, a force for meaningful accountability—a sort of comedic whistleblower.
Though they may find themselves entirely ostracized—perhaps even by their own political tribe—the future will likely vindicate their efforts. And besides, Hollywood is already packed with liberals tripping over themselves to take a swing at Trump. Let’s beat them to the punch.
