My exposure to Bill Maher had been limited for ages and it was only over the last year that I started watching HBO's Real Time and having regular contact with Maher. I generally enjoy him as a host and comedian on this show but I do tend to find that he seeks out the extreme viewpoint on most issues and sticks to it and sometimes can kill a good discussion by just sweeping across everyone with his view whether it is reasoned or reasonable. You can probably see where I am going with this because, as a stand-up, he isn't part of a discussion - he is the discussion and I was very aware that his "bits" are the entire show and was not sure what I would get.
What I got was mostly solid political comedy with good points presented with energy and a certain amount of insight and, when this happens, it is actually pretty good. Of course if you totally disagree with him then it will only anger you but for me mostly I was agreeing enough to be caught up and probably find it funnier than it actually was. The problems come when Maher tries to do more anger than he can convincingly deliver. Some comedians do "anger" really well and make an act out of it, Maher doesn't and when he gets more worked up his points become exaggerated and simplified because they are easier to shout. There are a couple of times he loses the audience and doesn't get a reaction and he accuses them of not agreeing with him whereas I think they do agree with him, but not in the simplistic and shouty way he just put his point across. Of course his politics are pretty far out in some regards and there are times you just wonder, even as a liberal, where on earth he managed to get that viewpoint but mostly he can carry it here.
So an acquired taste but those that like Maher in other things will enjoy this show because it is barbed and cutting even if he is not hilarious as a comedian. When he tries to get "worked up" though he stumbles because, as much as he wants to come over as "outraged" the truth is that he goes away from insight and ends up shouting simplistic and badly structured stuff at the crowd, which loses them as often as it fires them up.
