Bill Maher Takes Aim at The View: “Not the Best Advertisement for Women”

HBO host Bill Maher delivered pointed criticism toward the co-hosts of ABC’s The View this week, questioning whether the daytime talk show’s panel best represents women’s perspectives in today’s cultural climate.

Speaking with actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore on his Club Random podcast, Maher prefaced his remarks with praise for his friends on the show — but quickly pivoted to a more critical tone.

“And I like everyone, but I don’t know if they’re really at this moment the best advertisement for women,” Maher told Barrymore.

“That Show’s a Lot”

The discussion began when Barrymore invited Maher to New York City to appear on her show. Maher explained that while he is friendly with several View co-hosts, he finds the program overwhelming at times.

“I’m friendly with some of the ladies on ‘The View,’ and I love them, but like, that show’s a lot,” Maher said.

Barrymore mentioned a recent interview she’d conducted with Joy Behar, prompting Maher to respond warmly — “I love Joy” — before emphasizing that friendship doesn’t mean full agreement.

“They say some things that are just like, not helpful, say to elections,” he added.

Previous Clashes on The View

Maher’s latest comments follow prior on-air tension with the View panel. In May 2024, he appeared on the show and engaged in a heated exchange with co-host Sunny Hostin over Israel’s military actions against Hamas.

Hostin accused Israel of killing innocent Palestinian civilians and children, while Maher countered that the deaths were a tragic reality of war — and argued that Israel had a right to defend itself.

“That’s what happens in a war. Here’s a way to stop that: stop attacking Israel,” Maher said during the segment.

Criticism of Whoopi Goldberg

Maher has also singled out co-host Whoopi Goldberg in recent weeks. On his podcast with progressive commentator Brian Tyler Cohen, Maher pushed back on Goldberg’s claim that Black people in America are oppressed in the same way women are oppressed in Iran.

“That is something that, again, is infuriating about the far left… Love her, but when she said a couple weeks ago that being Black was the same as being a woman in Iran, it’s like, yeah, in 1920, but not today,” Maher argued.

A Reflection of Larger Media Divides

Maher’s remarks land at a time of heightened cultural and political polarization in American media. The View has long positioned itself as a forum for women’s perspectives on politics and culture, but its critics — including Maher — argue that its commentary sometimes fuels division or distorts complex issues.

Supporters of the show contend that its lively, sometimes combative debates are precisely what make it relevant.

Maher’s critiques underscore an ongoing debate over how television personalities frame political narratives — and the responsibility they bear in shaping public opinion. As the lines between entertainment and political commentary continue to blur, exchanges like these reveal just how contentious that role has become.