'That’s stupid': Bill Maher's defense of Trump voters in sit-down with Katie Couric sparks online backlash

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: During his 'Club Random' podcast's recent episode, host Bill Maher sparked a minor controversy with guest Katie Couric when he asserted that Donald Trump "killed it" during his CNN town hall last year.

"He's not a stand-up comedian!" Couric retorted after Maher remarked on how "the audience loved it" and enthusiastically applauded the former president.

Bill Maher urges understanding of Trump voters during interview with Katie Couric

“What?” Maher said, as Couric repeated, "'He’s killing it.’ He’s not a stand-up comedian."

“Popularity. Doesn’t matter. People loved him and what he was saying,” Maher said.

The host then added, “And then you cut to a panel of six know-it-alls in Washington who do nothing but talk about the negative. I’m all-in on the negative. No one’s been harder on Trump than me. But I get it, and I’m bored with it. And there’s a different way to do this, I think."

"So, what is it?" Couric asked, prompting Maher to express his belief that media pundits and commentators should try harder to understand Trump voters.

“Not to defend Trump, but to defend the people who still vote for him,” Maher said.

“Because what they see on the other side, to them, is even more dangerous. Because it’s closer to home: ‘My kid is coming home from school and he thinks he’s a racist? He’s five, what have you been telling him?" Maher asked.

Answering his own question, he said, "My son thinks maybe he’s not a boy.’ And maybe that’s true, that happens. Those kind of things are what they say. ‘That’s why I’m voting for Trump."' 

Maher faces backlash on social media

Maher's remarks were met with ridicule on social media, with users using humor to criticize his stance. 

One viewer wrote, "@billmaher no, they love his racism, support segregation, deportation of not whites. They want it all. It’s not complicated but is very disturbing and not “comedy." 

Another said, "At the end of the day Maher’s show is just another time slot that depends on ratings for HBO to justify keeping it on the air and he needs to rope in the MAGA base to boost ratings. So he’ll say what he needs to say to do that."

Someone else claimed, "Trump is the madness. Maher’s joined him there." 

"Which proves that Maher has already lost his mind," a viewer noted. 

"The more Bill Maher speaks the dumber he looks," expressed another. 

"That’s stupid. Trump is the madness embodied," said a viewer. 

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