Bill Burr says cancel culture is over. Bill Maher isn't so sure. What can the two comedy Bills agree on? Louis CK should be welcomed back into the industry by him.
Sundays episode On Maher's podcast, “Club Random,” the political commentator and comedian had a nearly two-hour conversation that touched on everything from self-driving cars to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The disgraced comedian CK emerged when Maher told Burr that he had a bright future as a director and compared his work to CK's directorial ventures. The couple agreed that they enjoyed the 2022 film “The Fourth of July,” which the “Louie” actor independently directed, produced and financed.
“Don't get me started on it,” Maher said of CK's struggle to successfully return to the entertainment industry after being accused by several women of sexual misconduct at the height of the #MeToo movement.
“Isn't it time for everyone to say, 'Okay, it wasn't a nice thing to do, but it's been enough and welcome back?'” Maher said.
in 2017 New York Times In the article, actors and comedians Dana Min Goodman, Julia Wolov, Abby Schachner, Rebecca Corry and a fifth woman who remained anonymous alleged that CK masturbated, or asked them to, in front of them. He later admitted to that behavior and acknowledged that there was a power imbalance between him and the female comedians, saying that he “exercised that power irresponsibly.”
Burr agreed with Maher's assessment, saying, “They took $50 million from him, I think they punished him,” referring to the $35 million CK said he lost in “an hour” because of the hit to his reputation, probably speaking hyperbolically.
“Enough! For God's sake, it's not the end of the world,” Maher added. “People have done much worse and gotten less. There is no rhyme or reason to this #MeToo-type punishment.”
Burr and Maher agreed that CK's future work should be embraced rather than avoided, as has been the case since the allegations became public. In the wake of the scandal, “I Love You, Daddy,” the 2017 film that CK wrote, directed and starred in, was shelved. “The Fourth of July” was a box office failure, grossing just under $10,000 on its first weekend in the United States.
However, they disagreed when Burr declared that cancel culture was over and said that “nobody cares anymore.” The comedian went on to say that he doesn't think about being canceled for his comedy and doesn't agree with the idea that the content of a comic's jokes is worthy of cancellation.
“That is not true. Any of us could be canceled in the next two minutes,” Maher said.
Although his films following his Hollywood overthrow were unsuccessful, CK has managed to make a somewhat quiet return to comedy. He began touring again in 2019 with an “anti-woke” theme. stand-up show meant to appeal to those fed up with cancel culture. won a grandmother in 2022 for his comedy album “Sincerely Louis CK” and was nominated again in the same category last year.
