Real Time With Bill Maher

Real Time With Bill Maher Is A Talk Show That Airs Weekly On HBO Hosted By Comedian And Political Satirist Bill Maher. Much Like His Previous Show Politically Incorrect On ABC And Before That On Comedy Central Real Time Features A Panel Of Guests That Discuss Current Events In Politics And The Media. Unlike The Previous Show However Guests Are Usually More Well-Versed In The Subject Matter And There Are Fewer Actors And Random Celebrities Included In The Panel. Additionally Many Guests Appear Via Satellite. Also Politically Incorrect Was Produced Five Days A Week And Was Pre-Recorded While Real Time Only Produces One Episode A Week Which Is Broadcast Live. It Is An Hour-Long Program With A Studio Audience Airing Live On Friday Nights At 10 00 P.M. ET . It Originates From Studio 33 "The Bob Barker Studio" At CBS Television City In Los Angeles. Prior To 2009 Approximately 12 New Weekly Episodes Aired In The Spring February To Early May Followed By Another Such Set Of New Episodes In The Fall Late August To November . In 2009 The Show Began Airing As One Continuous Season. Because Of The Live Current-Events Nature Of The Show HBO Does Not Re-Air Old Episodes Between Breaks Though Occasionally A Repeat Will Be Shown When The Program Takes A Week Off During The Season.
Contents Hide * 1 Show Format O 1.1 Changes In 2008 O 1.2 Changes In 2009 * 2 Episodes * 3 Politics * 4 Criticism * 5 Reviews * 6 References * 7 External Links Edit Show Format The Format Of The Show Usually Features An Opening Current Events Or Political Skit Followed By The Credits And A Comedy Monologue. Maher Then Interviews An Important Figure Via Satellite Or In-Studio Before Sitting Down With Three Panel Guests For An Extensive Debate. Halfway Through The Panel Session Maher Typically Interviews Another Figure Via Satellite Or In-Studio They Usually Join The Panel. Near The End Of Every Episode Maher Has A Segment Called New Rules Which Serves As A Humorous Editorial On Popular Culture And American Politics. 1 The Final "New Rule" Segues Into Maher's Closing Monologue. Since The Show Airs On HBO The Participants Do Not Have To Restrict Their Language To Conform To Broadcast Standards Like They Did On PI. In The First Season Paul F. Tompkins Was Featured As A Correspondent. Also Every Episode Would End With A Performance By A Stand-Up Comedian None Of Which Were Political Satirists. The Segments Featuring Tompkins And Comedians Were Dropped After The Tenth Episode. Viewers Were Also Able To Call Into The Live Show In The First Season And Ask Questions Over The Air But This Was Also Dropped. Starting With Episode 67 In February 2006 Audio-Only Episodes Have Been Made Available As A Free Podcast Via The ITunes Store 2 And As A Raw RSS Feed. 3 The Podcasts Also Feature Material Cut From The Show But Taped During The Studio Rehearsal Including New Rules Not Aired In The Final Version. For Two Weeks In February 2008 The Podcasts Were Presented In Video Format. However This Video Format Was Dropped For Some Unknown Reason On The Next Episode Released In Podcast Form On March 4 2008. During The Fall Of 2006 Maher Began Hosting A Live Chat Now Called "Overtime" On HBO's Website Following Each Broadcast Usually Including Some Of The Show Guests As Well. Viewers Are Invited To Submit Questions Prior To And During The Original Telecast For Maher And The Guests To Answer And Discuss Afterwards. 4 The Opening Sequence Begins With A Spoken Phrase From The Now Defunct Los Angeles Speaking Clock Featuring An Uncredited Joanne Daniels As The Time Lady Saying "Good Afternoon." The Theme Song Is Composed By Christopher "Kid" Reid And His Voice Is Heard Saying "Start The Clock " "Real Time" And "Bill Maher". A Montage Of Historical Events From The Beginning Of Time To Election Night On November 4 2008 Accompanies The Music Along With A Crawl At The Bottom Listing The Guests For That Night's Show. read less