Review of Real Time with Bill Maher

In an time when the pundits and talking heads on the "news" networks, or what constitutes as them, bring on guests with usually partisan sides, and making wisecracks that aren't funny, there's Bill Maher. While his counterpart, Jon Stewart, has perhaps the best overall program of political/social satire on cable, Maher's program follows very close behind. The show starts off often with a great opening joke of the week, with Maher sometimes in costume (I think I once saw him as the Pope), or with actors playing some strange, hilarious part. Then he moves into the typical news of the week. But then come the guests, and this is where the goods come in. Often news shows try and make things "fair and balanced" (and the station that professes this the most does it the least), but Maher keeps it real. While his audience is sometimes more leaning to the left, he doesn't shy away from having on the right wing or conservatives, and then it brings about intelligent, sometimes cringe-worthy, discussions. Finally the show ends with "New Rules", that vary from small laughs to the biggest Maher gives on the show. There's something about Real Time- not just that Maher is funny and is on the ball with current events- that makes it a solid, thought provoking hour of television, especially in times like these. We need people to really be discussing the issues, even if its for laughs.