Internet divided as Bill Maher defends Biden, blames nation's mental health obsession for discontent
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: During Friday's episode of 'Real Time', Bill Maher delivered a straightforward message to Americans feeling disheartened: "Cheer the f**k up!"
In his latest 'New Rules' segment, Maher addressed the prevailing sense of gloom that has been widely discussed.
Maher stands by Biden's record, criticizes obsession with mental health
He began by questioning why Joe Biden's approval ratings are notably low.
“Things are generally pretty good,” Maher said.
“Now, of course there are problems, America is a big place — but wages are rising, unemployment is negligible, the stock market is soaring," he added.
"We somehow brushed off both the Trump presidency and the pandemic. Yes, inflation persists for a lot of things, but you know, an actual good nice-sized TV now cost 60 bucks. Who gets credit for that?” Maher asked.
“Stop acting like life in America in 2024 is unbearable. Biden’s ratings are in the toilet not because he’s doing such a bad job,” Maher continued, adding, “because a lot of Americans like to live with their head in the toilet."
Maher proceeded to highlight the concerning rates of Americans reporting depression in recent years but voiced skepticism about its true extent.
He pointed out, “Depression is of course a very real thing. It’s also true that earlier generations never suffered from the expectation that you’re supposed to feel good all the time."
"One in eight adults are on antidepressants, and that doesn’t include the ones who steal them from their kids," he added.
Maher then argued, “Without a doubt, antidepressants can be life-saving for those in need of them, but here’s the thing: About three quarters of Americans who are on them haven’t been diagnosed with depression at all. They just want a magic pill."
Maher pokes fun at overdiagnosing mental health issues
Taking a moment to inject humor, Maher joked about the prevalence of mental health issues among white women.
"Every bad feeling isn’t a disease, and Americans really need to stop pathologizing everything," Maher quipped. "No one’s just sad anymore, they’re clinically depressed."
"They don’t really worry, they have chronic anxiety. Do you like things neat and organized? That’s OCD. You’re bummed when it’s cold — seasonal depression. I hate being alone, separation anxiety. Bored? That’s ADHD. Shy? Social anxiety disorder," he added.
Maher playfully suggested that reluctance to attend office parties is considered a symptom, stating, "Why? Because you don’t want to go to the office party."
He then digressed into a comedic bit, remarking, "Nobody does. Best case scenario: you have too much fun that leads to getting fired."
“Are you moody? No, you’re bipolar. And some people are bipolar. And some people are on the spectrum, but sometimes ‘on the spectrum’ is just a whole pass for being a jerk,” Maher went on.
“Yes, you are on the spectrum and so is everyone else alive. That’s why they call it a spectrum," Maher added.
Bill Maher wraps up with humorous commentary on bleak Elmo tweets
Maher then argued that while there are individuals with genuine issues, "sometimes a bad day is just a bad day," and the constant emphasis on mental health can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
He proposed, "Maybe the solution is much simpler, and you just went a week without sleep or sunlight. Maybe you have problems that could be solved with vegetables."
Closing his segment, Maher referenced a recent amusing incident where the official X (formerly Twitter) account for the 'Sesame Street' Muppet Elmo asked how everyone was doing, prompting a flood of rather bleak responses.
Quoting some of these responses, Maher humorously remarked, "I’m gonna be real, I’m at my f–king limit. In the grand scheme of the universe, our existence is merely a blink devoid of inherent meaning or purpose."
He then shared Elmo's response: "You think you have it bad? Try living your life with a guy's forearm shoved up your ass."
Internet reacts to Bill Maher's latest 'Real Time' episode
In the wake of Bill Maher's comedic episode, netizens embraced social media to voice their views.
One wrote, "News is also partly to blame for the negative views, it's cyclic and, in turn, report the negative feelings they have continuously fed the people."
Another said, "The expectation that you should be happy all the time is completely unrealistic. I get searching for happiness but don't go into a coma just because you're not."
However, someone else noted, "Stop gaslighting us, the housing market is three times more than it was four years ago when you consider interest rates."
"Talk about being ignorant about a matter he doesn't understand," said another.
A viewer pointed out, "We're f**kin drowning in medical debt, living paycheck to paycheck and trying to scrape enough to get by every month .... You can cheer tf up."
This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
