William 'Bill' Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, he hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect, originally on Comedy Central and later on ABC. He's known for his political satire and sociopolitical commentary, which targets a wide swath of topics. He supports the legalization of marijuana and same-sex marriage, and serves on the board of PETA. He is also a critic of religion and is an advisory board member of Project Reason, a foundation to promote scientific knowledge and secular values within society. He currently ranks number 38 on Comedy Central's 100 greatest stand-ups of all time. He got a Hollywood Walk of Fame star on September 14, 2010.

KNOWN FOR

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2024
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1987
The Daily Show
2008
Family Guy
2010
Conan
2012
Jeopardy!
1995
The View
2002
Hollywood Squares
1998
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2009
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2022
Real Time with Bill Maher
2003

FILMOGRAPHY

All
Movies
TV
Acting
143
Writing
15
Producing
7
2026
Once Upon a Time in Jersey
· unreleased
2026
Hollywood Squares
as Self
2026
Mark Twain Prize
as Self
2025
Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?
as Self
2024
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Self
2023
Reality
as Self (archive footage)
2023
TMZ's Merry Elfin' Christmas
as Self
2022
Bill Maher: #Adulting
as Self
2022
History 101
as Self (archive footage)
2022
Cuomo
as Self - Guest
2022
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self
2020
Fat Fiction
as Self - Comedian (archive footage)
2019
Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate
as Self
2019
Late Night
as Bill Maher
2019
Race Against Time
2019
The El Duce Tapes
as Self
2019
Gaza Fights for Freedom
as Self (archive footage)
2019
Miracle Workers
as Himself (archive footage)
2018
Bill Maher: Live From Oklahoma
as Self
2018
Trump @War
as Self (archive footage)
2018
Matangi / Maya / M.I.A.
as Self (archive footage)
2018
I Love You, America
as Self
2017
Get Me Roger Stone
as Self (archive footage)
2017
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
as Self
2016
The Comedy Club
as Self
2016
Bill Maher - Whiny Little Bitch Live
as Himself
2016
Finding Your Roots
as Self
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self
2015
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
as Self
2015
black-ish
as Bill Maher
2015
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self - Guest
2014
Bill Maher: Live from D.C.
as Self
2014
The Interview
as Self (uncredited)
2014
Eat Drink Laugh: The Story of The Comic Strip
as Self
2014
A Million Ways to Die in the West
as Barn Dance Comedian (uncredited)
2014
All About Ann: Governor Richards of the Lone Star State
as Self (archive footage)
2014
Mystical Traveler: The Life and Times of Dr. John-Roger
as Self (archive footage)
2013
Iron Man 3
as Bill Maher
2013
Delivery Man
as Self
2013
Inside Comedy
as Self
2012
Bright Day
as Bill Maher
2012
Bill Maher: CrazyStupidPolitics
as Himself
2012
The Campaign
as Bill Maher
2012
Conan
as Self
2011
The Undefeated
as Self (archive footage)
2011
The Marriage Ref
as Self - Panelist
2010
Bill Maher: But I'm Not Wrong
as Self
2010
Sex, Drugs & Religion
as Self
2010
Gavin McInnes is a Fucking Asshole
as Self (archive footage)
2010
Larry King Live
as Self
2010
Family Guy
as Bill Maher (voice)
2010
America: The Story of Us
as Self
2010
The Sarah Silverman Program
as Bill Maher
2010
The Boondocks
as Bill Maher (voice)
2009
The Jay Leno Show
as Self - Guest
2009
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
as Self
2009
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
as Self - Guest
2008
Religulous
as Self - Host/Narrator
2008
Lord, Save Us from Your Followers
as Self
2008
Swing Vote
as Bill Maher
2008
The Hempire Strikes Back
as Self
2008
The Daily Show
as Self
2008
The Early Show
as Self
2008
True Blood
as Bill Maher
2007
Heckler
as Self
2007
Bill Maher: The Decider
as Himself
2007
I Am an Animal: The Story of Ingrid Newkirk and PETA
as Himself
2007
Sicko
as Self
2007
Everything's Cool
as Self (archive footage)
2007
The Showbiz Show with David Spade
2007
America's Next Top Model
as Self - Guest
2006
Comedy Club Shoot-out: Vol. 1
as Self
2006
Fuck
as Self
2006
AKA Tommy Chong
as Himself
2006
Bill Maher: New Rules
as Himself
2005
Bill Maher: I'm Swiss
as Bill Maher
2005
The Aristocrats
as Self
2005
Earth to America
as Self
2005
Inside Deep Throat
as Self
2003
Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home
as Bill Maher
2003
Stupidity
as Self
2003
Pauly Shore Is Dead
as Bill Maher
2003
Playboy's 50th Anniversary Celebration
2003
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest
2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
as Self - Host
2002
The Ultimate Collection starring Johnny Carson - The Best of the 70s and 80s
as Self (archive footage)
2002
Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
as Self
2002
John Q
as Bill Maher
2002
Son of the Beach
2002
The View
as Self
2001
Tomcats
as Carlos (uncredited)
2001
Last Party 2000
as Self
2001
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
as Self
2001
The Secret Rulers of the World
as Self (archive footage)
2001
Primetime Glick
as Bill Maher
2001
Great Performances
as Self
2000
Bill Maher: Be More Cynical
as Bill Maher
2000
The Chris Rock Show
1999
EDtv
as Bill Maher
1999
Spin City
as Bill Maher
1999
Brother's Keeper
as Bill Maher
1999
Snoops
as Bill Maher
1998
Primary Colors
as Himself
1998
Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular
1998
Hollywood Squares
as Self - Panelist
1998
V.I.P.
as Bill Maher
1997
Bill Maher: The Golden Goose Special
as Himself
1997
Bimbo Movie Bash
as Jim (archive footage)
1997
Dharma & Greg
as Bill Maher
1997
The Larry Sanders Show
as Bill Maher
1996
The Weinerville Election Special: From Washington B.C.
1996
Tony Awards
as Self - Nominee
1995
Bill Maher: Stuff That Struck Me Funny
as Himself
1995
A Night to Die For
as Self
1995
Jeopardy!
as Self
1993
Roseanne
1993
Politically Incorrect
as Self - Host
1993
The Jackie Thomas Show
1993
Married... with Children
as Adam Gold
1992
Late Night with David Letterman
as Self
1991
Pizza Man
as Elmo Bunn
1991
Charlie Hoover
as Elliot Weedle
1991
Hot Country Nights
1990
Murder, She Wrote
as Frank Albertson
1989
One-Night Stand: Bill Maher
1989
Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death
as Jim
1989
Murder, She Wrote
as Rick Rivers
1989
One Night Stand
1988
Out of Time
as Maxwell Taylor
1988
Newhart
1987
House II: The Second Story
as John
1987
Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville
as Writer
1987
Rags to Riches
as Freddie
1987
Rags to Riches
1987
Max Headroom
as Haskel
1987
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
1986
Club Med
as Rick
1986
Ratboy
as Party Guest
1985
Alice
1985
Sara
as Marty Lang
1983
D.C. Cab
as Baba
1983
The 8th Annual Young Comedians Show
1978
The Kennedy Center Honors
as Self