Bill Maher Criticizes WGA Strike: ‘They Kind Of Believe That You’re Owed a Living As a Writer, And You’re Not’

Bill Maher shared his candid thoughts about the WGA writer’s strike and why he believes some of their demands are “kooky.”

Maher spoke with comedian Jim Gaffigan on Sunday’s edition of his podcast Club Random. The conversation began when Gaffigan shared his fear that the strike could usher in the end of late-night television.

“No knock on the guys who do it. I don’t know how this art form has survived up until now,” Maher said. “I mean, I understand why I’m on– because I’m on HBO. It’s an hour without commercials. And, I mean, sorry it’s a lot more entertaining. It’s a lot more edgy. It’s a lot more unpredictable. It’s true talk.”

Maher said it was hard to believe the late-night shows have survived in an age where everything is on demand while Gaffigan argued that the hosts have developed a relationship with the audience that keeps them coming back for their specific take on topics.

“It’s not a take. Those guys don’t have takes. I have takes. I have a take on things. What they do is say exactly what a liberal audience wants them to say about that,” Maher said. “That’s not a take.”

“There’s never a moment where you don’t know exactly, ‘Oh, this is the correct point of view on that.’ The strike is a perfect example. Those guys would never go back. This strike would go on till the 24th century. They would stay out,” Maher said.

Maher argued that there are other people besides the writers who are being hurt by the strike.

“I feel for my writers. I love my writers. I’m one of my writers. But there’s a big other side to it. And a lot of people are being hurt besides them. A lot of people don’t make as much money as them in this bipartisan world we have, where you’re just in one camp or the other? There’s no in between. You’re either for the strike like they’re fucking Che Guevara out there. You know, like this is Cesar Chavez lettuce-picking strike or you’re with Trump. You know, there’s no difference. There’s only two camps and it’s much more complicated than that,” Maher said.

Gaffigan agreed that it was a complicated topic but he agreed with some of the grievances.

“I do understand that they’re getting screwed a bit by the streamers. Yes,” Maher said.

As the conversation continued over what the writers are actually asking for, Maher said some of the demands are “kooky.”

“What I find objectionable about the philosophy of the strike, it seems to be they have really morphed a long way from 2007 strike where they kind of believe that you’re owed a living as a writer and you’re not. This this is showbusiness. This is a make or miss league,” Maher said.

Although he argued that a recalibration was needed, Maher said the writers went on strike at the wrong time because they have no leverage.

Watch above via Club Random.