Bill Maher to return to Hawaii for New Year's shows

Jun. 21—The pandemic cost Hawaii many concerts, but it only postponed Bill Maher's 10th minitour of the islands, spreading those 10 trips across 11 years—perhaps requiring an asterisk, but still annual.

Maher has been coming to Hawaii for shows on Oahu and Maui every New Year's since the 2011-2012 changeover, minus of course last year's calendar switch. As he has done the past few years, Maher will perform at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Dec. 30 and at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Dec. 31.

For the past five visits, Maher has had two official stand-up guests in tow. His upcoming dates will as well : They will be Nikki Glaser, who was slated to come last year, and Christopher "Kid " Reid, who got his start as a rapper in the duo Kid 'n Play before adding stand-up comedy to his repertoire.

Maher announced the comedians on his HBO show "Real Time With Bill Maher " when Glaser was a guest Friday. The concerts here have traditionally also included surprise appearances by Maher pals such as Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder and actor Sean Penn.

Promoter Rick Bartalini said tickets for this year's shows will go on sale once the state officially allows full audiences.