Bill Maher Ends Stand-Up Tours — and the Reason Is Shockingly Grim

Bill Maher says he is stepping away from touring, and he explained why during a new episode of his “Club Random” podcast with guest Patton Oswalt. Maher said he no longer feels safe doing stand-up shows around the country because of how divided the U.S. has become politically.

Maher said he worries about the risks that come with performing during such an intense time. He told Oswalt, “I don’t want to be out there in this country, in this political atmosphere. I could get shot by the left or the right. It’s a good time to not be out there.” He also said he is tired of life on the road and tired of the amount of work he puts into comedy compared to others.

He explained that performing every week on HBO makes people less likely to buy tickets to see him live. Maher said he still sold plenty of tickets over the years, but he wasn’t an arena act.

He added that age also plays a role in how crowds respond to him now. He said, “When the audience is 35 to 45, they don’t wanna see somebody 70.” Maher said he has done 13 HBO specials and feels he has built a solid body of work, adding, “I feel like the last one was the best one, which is a good way to get off.”

Maher has sparked backlash from both political sides in recent months. He has criticized what he calls extreme voices on the left, while also upsetting conservatives by defending Jimmy Kimmel after ABC suspended him. In March, Maher mentioned that he agreed with “some of the things” Donald Trump is doing in his second term as president, which led to criticism from other comedians.

Recent national incidents have only added to Maher’s concerns. After the shooting death of Charlie Kirk in September, Maher spoke on his show about the rising anger in the country. He described the political climate as toxic on all sides. He said on air, “It’s a very ugly week in America with violence of all kinds.”

He also shared a moment from Congress that he found disturbing, saying lawmakers ended up shouting at each other during what was supposed to be a moment of silence.

Maher said, “So far, the civil war is not very civil,” pointing to how tense things have become nationwide.

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