Bill Maher Throws $1M Political Gauntlet To Hollywood: This Time It’s Personal
Bill Maher’s $1 million contribution to Democrats earlier this week wasn’t the first time the HBO host hit the seven-figure giveaway mark – that was in 2012 – but this time, he said, it’s personal. And he wants the rest of wealthy Hollywood to pony up.
“In 2012 I did it but this is different,” Maher said tonight on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher. “That was for my country. I thought it was very important that the first black president get a second term, and all the money in the country was going to the Republicans.
“This time it’s a little more personal. I’m worried about this country and what’s going to happen to it on a very existential level, including my own ass. I got a lot of messages from people yesterday saying ‘good for you,’ and I just want to say to the ones who are rich who said that: Not enough. Not enough.”
Maher targeted Los Angeles’ moneyed liberals – using rather less tactful phrasing – demanding they put up the goods. “L.A. has Beverly Hills and Bel Air and Brentwood and Malibu – it just goes on and on. Pacific Palisades. There’s a lot of rich f*cks and this is the time to step up.”
Maher’s first $1M contribution went to the re-election of Barack Obama against Mitt Romney. His donation earlier this week went to the Senate Majority Pac, a fundraising committee aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
And Maher made sure viewers knew the gift didn’t come easy. “You know, this hurts me,” Maher said. “Alex Jones says I have $100 million. I don’t.”
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