Bill Maher's angry response to Chris Wallace's question on controversial 9/11 comment irks Internet

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY: In this week's edition of his Max series 'Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace', comedian and commentator Bill Maher expressed annoyance with CNN anchor and Max host Chris Wallace for revisiting comments Maher made over 23 years ago about the 9/11 hijackers, which ultimately led to the cancellation of his TV show.

On the recent epsiode, Wallace interviewed Maher on various topics including politics, his fondness for marijuana, and his new book.

Maher and Wallace clash over post-9/11 controversy

During the conversation about Maher's extensive career, Wallace brought up the post-9/11 controversy saying, "In 1993, you launched Politically Correct...." as maher countered, "Incorrect."

The conversation flowed, as Wallace said, "Incorrect, sorry, and yes Politically Correct would not be the name of your show, and – –" with Maher replying he "was rebelling against it."

Wallace added, "On ABC. And eventually, years later, the biggest controversy of your career, where you, right, days after 9/11, you made some kind of a comparison of the US military and the al Qaeda hijackers." Maher replied, "Not the US military."

After Wallace played a clip of Maher's past remarks, Maher reacted with frustration, lamenting that this issue is still being discussed after so many years.

“First of all, this is so old,” Maher said. “Really? That’s of interest still?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, we’re talking about your career," Wallace responded, adding, “We’re talking about 20 years. Let me just ask you this question and then we’ll move on."

Bill Maher reflects on ABC cancellation, says he's 'glad' 

Maher explained that while he regretted the timing of his remarks, he didn’t regret the principle behind them.

"Of course not, I was agreeing with somebody who said that. You skipped that part of it. Somebody said, they - the people who did the mission - may have been evil, but they were not cowards, which is, I feel like not even controversial. Sticking with the suicide mission — um, not cowardly," Maher said.

Wallace asked, "Do you regret having said it?"

“I regret having said that that night. It was probably, it was six days after 9/11, and the country wasn’t ready to hear the truth. I mean, George Bush said, the cowards, uh the terrorists win, unless we go back to doing what we were doing. So I went back to doing what I was doing, which was telling the truth as I saw it. We never lost ratings. We never lost the audience. What we lost was the sponsors.” Maher stated.

Wallace then said, "And you ended up losing your perch because ABC cancelled you a few months later. I agree, the ratings didn’t go down, but they cancelled you."

"They definitely cancelled us. And I’m glad they did, because I wound up in so much of a better place," Maher responded. 

He also emphasized that the show's cancellation wasn’t due to a loss of viewers.

“We never lost ratings. We never lost the audience,” said Maher.

Netizens slam Bill Maher's take on cancellation

One viewer wrote on the Mediaite website, "Honest Question? What's in his DNA that gives him the idea that networks "Have to give him a platform for his Libertarian ideas?" We all have opinions. We're not entitled to a platform anywhere. Including on Mediaite. It's a privilege, not a right."

Another said, "Bill Maher is a Republican and Republicans have a persecution complex."

Someone else noted, "It's called the little man complex similar to what H*tler suffered from. Bill has it to the 10th power."

A follower observed, "Yep. With his 5 foot 6, small talent, arse. He resents never being accepted in comedy or life."

One comment read, "What's in his DNA is entitlement."

Another said, "The Bill Maher who got canceled for making a truthful but controversial statement was much better than the anti Muslim activist Bill Maher of today."

"The jews ate him up. Not sure how that happened but it did," explained one person.

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.