Bill Maher Reveals He Interviewed Kanye West But Is Spiking It: ‘He’s a Very Charming Anti-Semite’
Bill Maher revealed on Monday that he had conducted a two-hour interview with controversial rapper Kanye West, but will not release it for fear of spreading the “idea that Israel and the Jews are the worst people in the world.”
During an interview with TMZ, Maher said:
The problem, I think, is that he appeals mostly – of course, he’s a rock star – to young people. They don’t know much and they surely don’t know much about the Middle East or Jews. So the combination of, you know, Kanye out there– I feel like he sort of like was helpful for spreading the fertilizer, and I do mean fertilizer, for this idea that Israel and the Jews are like the worst people in the world.
Maher then revealed, “I had Kanye right here at Club Random, we did an episode with him. I thought it was going to be a learning moment. I mean, we were here for two hours. By the way, we had an amazing, fun time. He’s a very charming anti-Semite.”
He continued, “And by the way, he’s not the only one in America who feels that way. It’s not like the Jews are universally loved except for Kanye West, okay?”
TMZ founder Harvey Levin interrupted, “Hold on, Bill. You could say the same thing about Hitler. You know, a lot of people were thinking what he was thinking, but in Kanye’s case, the fact that he’s saying it out loud gives other people permission to say it too, right?”
“Yes, exactly,” replied Maher. “That’s why I wouldn’t air that episode, because I’m not going to contribute to this.”
Maher did not reveal when the interview took place, or whether it was conducted before or after West’s December 2023 apology in Hebrew to “the Jewish community.”
Throughout 2022 and 2023, West made a number of controversial remarks about Jewish people, the Nazis, and Adolf Hitler.
In October 2022, West was locked out of his Twitter account after he tweeted, “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.”
Months later, during an interview with Infowars’ Alex Jones, West made several positive comments about Hitler, including, “I like Hitler” and “Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.”
West began to backtrack on his comments in March 2023 after watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street.
“Watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump street made me like Jewish people again,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people. No Christian can be labeled antisemite knowing Jesus is Jew. Thank you Jonah Hill I love you.”
