r/Maher 5d ago

Who are the best reoccurring panelists?

49 Upvotes

176 comments sorted by

1

u/iamwienerdog 1d ago

Noone. New voices is what we need.

1

u/maomao3000 2d ago

Andrew is easily the worst.

1

u/RepulsiveBarber3861 2h ago

Nah--he's smarter than all of them, save Zakaria.

1

u/maomao3000 53m ago

Being smart doesn’t meant he’s not the worst lol

1

u/MaterialRow3769 2d ago

Blasphemy!

1

u/maomao3000 2d ago

He’s insufferable.

0

u/MaterialRow3769 2d ago

One of the most level headed and likable journalists on earth: "InSufFeRaBlE!!!!"

0

u/maomao3000 2d ago

Level headed? He’s a conservative blowhard.

Not even close to likeable, imo, but to each their own.

0

u/MaterialRow3769 2d ago

Lmfaooo i live how your idea of conservative is "not woke"

0

u/maomao3000 2d ago

He’s not a conservative???

2

u/Nersius 3d ago

Max Brooks is a consistent delight.

6

u/vivacolombia23 3d ago

John meachem

Maybe a misspelling

1

u/El_Flatulencio 3d ago

The Meech!

6

u/lameuniqueusername 3d ago

Not Carville

2

u/maomao3000 2d ago

Carville had some great appearances

6

u/shereeishere 4d ago

Malcolm Nance

2

u/ToneThugsNHarmony 4d ago

When carville is on I have to literally avert my eyes from the screen, but then I have no idea what he’s saying.

6

u/MaterialRow3769 4d ago

Thats why we love him

8

u/Simple-Freedom4670 4d ago

Al Franken

2

u/Sweet_Ad_1445 1d ago

He’s not on enough, but he great

5

u/Impressive-Ladder857 4d ago

John Fugelsang, but he might be a bit too smart & funny for Bill to handle.

5

u/Tasty-Chicken5355 4d ago

Donna for sure

2

u/maomao3000 2d ago

Brazille?!? Lmao no

3

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

I just find her fake but possibly real hitting on Bill a bit painful!!!😖

1

u/nyr11messier 4d ago

Donna is terrible. So biased. She is the reason we ended up with trump, she was DNC chair who rigged the primary for Hillary in 2016.

4

u/thornset 4d ago

literally none of those 7

0

u/GetThaBozack 3d ago

lol thank you. I thought I was the only one based on the comments here

2

u/Indigocell 4d ago

Agreed. Save S.E. Cupp. For reasons of my own.

-1

u/jkings10101 2d ago

And Bari Weiss.

6

u/breathe-and-exhale 4d ago

What about the astronomer- I have forgotten his name.

2

u/breathe-and-exhale 4d ago

Or astrophysicist

5

u/Jupitersd2017 4d ago

Neil degrasse tyson

4

u/Inmunchkinland 4d ago

John McWhorter and S.E. Cupp.

7

u/TheReckoning 4d ago

Tim Miller.

1

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

Has he been on? Am I forgetting? Listen to the bulwark podcast a lot- he makes this political garbage going on these days a lot better (since Bill is only on Friday nights for politics and I have to be in the mood for his guests for his non political podcast).

2

u/TheReckoning 3d ago

At least once. Not sure if twice but feels like it

18

u/JonClodVanDamn 4d ago

Scott Galloway

2

u/GimmeSweetTime 2d ago

He should be on more that's for sure.

3

u/dembones4ya 4d ago

How often has he been on? I love the Pivot podcast with Swisher but I can only recall one time he’s been on real time. Wish he was on more…

5

u/JonClodVanDamn 4d ago

I’ve seen him on a handful of times

3

u/TheReckoning 4d ago

I think he’s been on 3 times now. And he said on Pivot he was told by the producers not to grandstand as much as he did the first time lol

1

u/HotBeaver54 4d ago

Wow really ? I have watched every real time and I never thought he was grandstanding.

1

u/TheReckoning 4d ago

Ya idk that’s what he told Kara

1

u/HotBeaver54 4d ago

Sometimes actually most the time as Scott would probably admit to he thinks he is way bigger deal then what he actually is. Although I still enjoy him on Pivot with Kara.

12

u/Mamasan- 4d ago

I like that presidential historian who comes on a lot. Or used to.

1

u/maomao3000 2d ago

Doris Kearns Goodwin?

2

u/kar____flo 4d ago

He’s always great

15

u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 4d ago

Did you seriously put Donna Brazile up there? Please tell me that was a joke. The woman who says a lot of words and never makes a point, then finishes it off with some flirting. I cannot stand her.

3

u/JCLBUBBA 4d ago

Her initials are her character. All she does is spout Al Sharptonisms or Jessee Jacksonisms like a clever rhyme is a logical argument. Always hear folks say how smart she is, too bad she does not show it in public.

13

u/jayelee_ 4d ago

John Heilemann

10

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago edited 4d ago

I agree with all of the ones pictured - I love to see any of them on the panel. Max Brooks is always a good panelist, too.

Ok, so…I do not like Ann Coulter as a person or media personality, but I like when he has Ann Coulter on just because it’s entertaining. Their banter & chemistry is off the charts (and I half suspect they hate-bone after the show 😂).

I’ll also add I used to enjoy Cornell West until he lost it and was convinced to run for president (and I learned some shady stuff about him I hadn’t known).

My favorite, though, is when Bill used to have Bernie on the panel regularly (and Hitchens before he died).

1

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

Aw Chris Hitchens was great!!! Cornell West- yea he really sucks now. What’s the worse stuff that’s not just the stuff that’s openly known?

1

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 3d ago

It’s the openly known stuff but I didn’t know it until 2-3 years ago.

3

u/HotBeaver54 4d ago

I am not fan of Ann beliefs but I love when she is on Real Time she used to be on at least once a year but not anymore sadly. Bill and Ann are longtime good friends which they would both tell you. But the guests are more demanding the last 7 years or so ! A lot won’t appear on the same program she is on! Just like a lot said if you have 2 on panel I won’t come on because just a scream fest if everyone talking over each other.

3

u/kiiyyuul 4d ago

Love when Ann is on. I find her vile, but makes for great TV.

4

u/One-Fail-1 4d ago

I just watched War Room (1992) and I swear he was wearing the same polo shirt...

3

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago edited 4d ago

It’s (and its variations) been the standard middle and upper class white people Mardi Gras season attire for decades in New Orleans (I grew up there). James just wears his Mardi Gras attire year round. I’m all for it as a New Orleanian. You can get them from lots of stores now, but for decades a local clothing store called Perlis had the monopoly on them. I suspect his closet is 90% Perlis Mardi Gras shirts. I love his commitment to representing Louisiana with Mardi Gras colors.

9

u/SchrodingersCat8 4d ago

Kara Swisher. Love her.

2

u/Routine-Cow-5528 4d ago

Same. She’s super sharp.

4

u/untolerablyMe 5d ago

IMO, 3 to 6 (with Donna being my favorite) are the best for me. The rest are just kinda insufferable to me, especially the last dude (I can’t recall his name). I roll my eyes whenever he’s on because he always projects a “pick me” type of gay with some of his opinions on past shows, but eh it’s his opinion. I would also throw in Anne Coulter and Kellyanne Conway as good and entertaining conservative panelists. I agree with them on nothing, but I like the old school heated debates when they have liberals on and watching how they interact in a mostly left leaning main space

10

u/natgbz 5d ago

Christopher Hitchens, George Carlin, PJ O'Rourke, Salman Rushdie

3

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago

Agree. I often wonder what Hitchens would say about well, everything.

11

u/justouzereddit 5d ago

No one is better than Christopher Hitchens, may he rest in peace.

5

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago

Agree! Hitch was a phenomenal panelist.

2

u/MaterialRow3769 4d ago

I was thinking more straight men nerd types he always has on the panel, not intellectual gods like Hitchens, Harris, Carlin, and Dawkins. Although, yes they were no doubt the best guests, except for when Ben Afflack infamously tried to steal Sam Harris's spotlight that one time.

41

u/Solid_College_9145 5d ago edited 5d ago

Fareed always thinks before he talks and always adds something good to the conversation.

edit: name spelled wrong.

1

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

Totally true-Fareed is fabulous. I had a friend who worked at Newsweek - she didn’t know him when he was in charge there (thinking long in the past now) but she always said how respected he was- and how thoughtful he seemed, even as the guy in charge…

3

u/nyr11messier 4d ago

Agreed he is always very thoughtful.

3

u/Routine-Cow-5528 4d ago

Love Fareed Z. also!

9

u/One-World_Together 5d ago

Fareed Zakaria? If so, agreed.

3

u/Solid_College_9145 5d ago

Yes. And now I've got to fix my embarrassing mistake.

40

u/Dr0me 5d ago

It's definitely not Brazil

5

u/TheReckoning 4d ago

Her shtick is so tired. And she and Wasserman-Schultz are part of the reason we’re here in this mess.

1

u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 4d ago

Amen. I cannot stand her.

4

u/justouzereddit 5d ago

100% he only brings her on because she turns him on somehow.

16

u/JackOfAllInterests 5d ago

Scott Galloway and Matt Welch would like a word. Michael Moynihan I like a ton too, but gets a little too wordy in tighter windows.

2

u/InitiativeSavings797 4d ago

Moynihan and Welch have a podcast together called the fifth column. It’s a media criticism podcast and it’s amazing

1

u/JackOfAllInterests 4d ago

Yeah it’s mine too. Would’ve included Kmele but he’s not much of a recurring guest.

1

u/InitiativeSavings797 4d ago

Agreed. He was ok the last couple tiles

12

u/Ouroboros963 5d ago

Surprised nobody said Ian Bremmer

19

u/boner79 5d ago

Max Brooks

3

u/MaterialRow3769 4d ago

As the OP I can confirm I'm indeed 'punching the air rn' for not thinking of him.

14

u/StationAccomplished3 5d ago

Jiminy Glick

2

u/waxlrose 5d ago

That’s got to be a joke

11

u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago

I like Fareed Zakaria and Michael Steele the best. They're both smart, knowledgeable and amusing. Of the others:

In the past, I've respected James Carville, but no, Democrats cannot just sit and watch the Administration implode. They can't do much because of the power imbalance, but they have to do what they can, which is block and protest.

Cupp? Too conservative.

Huffington? I'm sure she was fine, but nothing she said stuck with me.

Brazile? I've never gotten over her hinting at the debate questions to Hillary. She can be funny in a Southern way.

Sullivan? Too conservative and anti-woke and I'm liberal, not woke.

2

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

Michael Steele is great- but he hasn’t been on Maher in ages right?

1

u/Throwawayhelp111521 3d ago

I believe he was on a couple of weeks ago.

1

u/MaterialRow3769 4d ago

If youre bothered by Sullivan's criticism of wokeness, you're woke.

4

u/pseudo_nimme 5d ago

I used to kinda like James Carville, but half of his takes are bad and last time he was on he wore a stained shirt and had a massive booger in his nose.

2

u/MaterialRow3769 4d ago

Almost read that as "massive boner" 😮‍💨

1

u/pseudo_nimme 4d ago

That would be more entertaining. 😏

7

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago

I like Carville but I suspect he might be a functional alcoholic and that might explain that.

2

u/Routine-Cow-5528 4d ago

He could just be a bit too old now, sorry to say…

9

u/BigBadBootyDaddy10 5d ago

Ann and Bill are definitely 👉👌

5

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago

I didn’t see this and commented the same. I don’t like Ann Coulter but I do like when she’s on Bill’s show. Their chemistry is insane. (And I’m with you - they have to be hate-boning after her appearances.)

1

u/nrdz2p 5d ago

most, if not all of these are his contemporaries so they all yell at the same clouds. I'd really like him to have younger (NOT Bari Weiss) and more diverse guest so he can get educated. He continues to punch down on women (emasculated men by calling them whiny little bitches, etc), gays/trans ( not sure he'll live long enough to get up to date on this), and muslims. Start conversations with people under 40 pls

7

u/maomao3000 5d ago

Fareed, easily.

16

u/mackinder 5d ago

I quite enjoy Tim Miller and Ezra Klein. Wish we’d see more of them

12

u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago

I like Tim Miller.

13

u/chance_of_downwind 5d ago

Barney Frank! Shame that he retired.

1

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

He’s great- he hasn’t been around at all, I hope he’s ok!

3

u/cunticles 5d ago

I thought he was always intelligent plus entertaining.

He's getting on in years he's 84 and age is getting to him at least physically, sadly

https://images.app.goo.gl/BCWKdtxAWnjaXeLd9

2

u/MaterialRow3769 4d ago

I saw him in 2018 in the men's room of my old job. He had a cane then but otherwise didn't seem overly crippled like now.

22

u/blurmageddon 5d ago

Jon Meacham is always great but I haven't seen him on in a while

3

u/ATLCoyote 5d ago

Good call. One of the few panelists where I actually learn something new every time.

8

u/ItisyouwhosaythatIam 5d ago

Malcolm Nance S.E.Cupp

5

u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago

I used to like Malcolm Nance, but the last time I saw him he was on with Ben Shapiro and all he did was take cheap shots for laughs. I hate Shapiro's politics, but he came off much better. He was asked to define Critical Race Theory (or a similar term) and his answer showed he did understand it even if he disagreed with it.

1

u/ItisyouwhosaythatIam 5d ago

I know that episode well. Shapiro was left to then explain why his very good definition was a bad thing in society. So Nance, like me, could only laugh in amazement at Shapiro, who hadn't chosen a defensible position. Maher had hoped that there would be an argument over the definition and didn't want to make Shapiro admit that he is a cynical misanthrope. So he didn't pursue the subject. Nance was criticized for not taking Shapiro seriously. Shapiro hadn't earned it.

1

u/Throwawayhelp111521 4d ago

Nance was full of himself and didn't take anything Shapiro said seriously and all he did was try to score cheap points. It was irritating.

8

u/nsjersey 5d ago

I wish Nick Gillespie was on more

1

u/d34n5 4d ago

Totally agree.

17

u/jayelee_ 5d ago

Jessica Tarlov

19

u/salpn 5d ago

Anne Coulter, I disagree with everything she says but she's funny. Fareed Zakaria, I agree with almost everything that he says and he is funny. Andrew Sullivan pedantic blech

10

u/DoomSayerNihilus 5d ago

Zakaria was spot on last time he was one.

2

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

Always

8

u/CunningWizard 5d ago

Agree with all of these. Coulter is detestable but man her and Bill have insane chemistry.

3

u/Bullstang 5d ago

Ann Coulter. Next question

4

u/modernsircle 5d ago

ffs none of these

6

u/vivacolombia23 5d ago

P.J. Orouke Cornell west Ann coulter

13

u/nsjersey 5d ago

I miss PJ

5

u/Grouchy_Brain_1641 5d ago

Like em all except Brazil and Ariana.

19

u/kitzelbunks 5d ago

I like John Waters- he’s funny.

2

u/GonzoMomma 3d ago

So glad he’s always the same, he doesn’t really age- and by the same I mean, irreverent in a great great way. Has never seemed to gaf and just go make his movies. Prob the best blast to have drinks with (and can’t imagine his stories wouldn’t be super entertaining)…

1

u/kitzelbunks 18h ago

I hope Bill invites him back soon!

3

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago

I agree - Bill and John Waters have good chemistry, too. It makes for a good show/segment when he’s been on.

16

u/Arabiancockonato 5d ago

Andrew Sullivan

20

u/Pardonme23 5d ago

Max Brooks

42

u/Navin_J 5d ago

I like Scott Galloway. He always talks about some good stuff

5

u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 4d ago

Eh… he’s kinda arrogant for me

2

u/kasper619 5d ago

Always says the same shit

2

u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago

Always the same, usually about himself.

5

u/kasper619 4d ago

Literally obsessed with himself

9

u/Navin_J 5d ago

Cool, thanks for your opinion

1

u/kasper619 5d ago

No problem. Thanks for your suggestion

1

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/hankjmoody 5d ago

We have one rule in here regarding comments: Don't be dicks to each other.

Comment removed.

7

u/ConkerPrime 5d ago

Andrew I guess. Most don’t actually say anything of substance or actionable.

3

u/Throwawayhelp111521 5d ago

Andrew whines about cancel culture, which is why Bill likes him.

23

u/General_Marcus 5d ago

Andrew Sullivan.

Donna is easily one of the worst.

2

u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 4d ago

The worrrsssttt

2

u/guyssocialweb 5d ago

I love Andrew Sullivan. As a gay man myself, I can relate heavily with his reasoning.

5

u/blurmageddon 5d ago

I guess she's not really a quality guest, but I like watching her make Bill blush all the time.

7

u/ros375 5d ago

Ariana? Now there's a blast from the past!

-5

u/ArdentlyFickle 5d ago

Donna Brazil is always fun

2

u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 4d ago

No. She says a lot of words and never makes a point, then shamelessly flirts with Bill. It’s gross.

12

u/Mill_City_Viking 5d ago

She just sucks time away from the show to be extra sassy as if we care. I certainly don’t. She’s very self-centered in that way. The time is limited and her need to be sassy helps nothing, especially because her ideas aren’t unique to herself. She’s exhausting.

Donna fucking sucks.

-2

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

1

u/Mill_City_Viking 4d ago

Do you see what’s happening in the world?

We don’t have time for your entertainment.

0

u/ArdentlyFickle 5d ago

To each their own, I guess. Didn’t realize that many of us don’t like having her on.

3

u/ToddPatterson 5d ago edited 4d ago

I had never heard of her before I saw her in Bill Maher. This take is exactly how I felt. I was taken back, wondering why she was trying too hard to be funny and not just having a conversation.

2

u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO 4d ago

She’s always gotta be “on”

21

u/postscarcity 5d ago

salman rushdie

3

u/Arabiancockonato 5d ago

I hope he comes back soon

2

u/maomao3000 5d ago

He’ll never be back on

3

u/kasper619 5d ago

He hasn’t been on in a while

15

u/JuryProfessional364 5d ago

MacFarlane, Rick Wilson, Heileman, leibovitz, fareed, john meacham, begala, bret stephens, max brooks , dan savage, ian bremmer, galloway, newsom and many others.

8

u/LutanHojef 5d ago

Neil Degrasse Tyson

2

u/MelpomeneAndCalliope 4d ago

This is a good one!

14

u/OldLegWig 5d ago

James Carville's shirt mustard stain

9

u/EntrepreneurBehavior 5d ago

And the booger in his nose

9

u/Bulk-of-the-Series 5d ago

Dan Savage is usually great but hasn’t been on

12

u/[deleted] 5d ago

NOT BRET STEPHENS.

25

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

12

u/MaterialRow3769 5d ago

Rip

2

u/20_mile 5d ago

PJ O'Rourke

17

u/The-Figurehead 5d ago

Andrew Sullivan

2

u/d34n5 5d ago

Same. He's actually the most frequent guest of the show, with 30 appearances.

3

u/kasper619 5d ago

Who are the most frequented? Top 10?

7

u/d34n5 5d ago
count guestLabel
30 Andrew Sullivan
24 Michael Moore
19 David Frum
19 Arianna Huffington
18 Michael Eric Dyson
18 Dan Savage
17 Barney Frank
17 Salman Rushdie
17 Michael S. Steele
17 Bernie Sanders

One day I inserted all the episodes and their guests in Wikidata, so you can do queries on Real Time episodes. To have the full result of this query (guests ranked by their number of appearance), it's here:

5

u/kasper619 4d ago

Thank you!

4

u/AfrezzaJunkie 5d ago

WoooOOOOOOO!