Bill Maher resumes his show despite ongoing strikes in Hollywood

Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher said he will resume his show “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO despite ongoing strikes in Hollywood.

Maher wrote: “Real time returns, unfortunately, without a book or writing.” In a job On X, formerly known as Twitter. It’s been five months, and it’s time to get people back to work. The writers have important issues that I sympathize with, and I hope they are addressed to their satisfaction, but they are not the only ones who have issues, problems, and concerns.”

Maher said he hopes the strikes will end by Labor Day, and noted that “it seems like nothing has happened yet.”

“I love my writers, I’m one of them, but I’m not ready to lose an entire year and see a lot of people below the line suffer so much,” Maher wrote. “I will respect the spirit of the strike by not submitting a monologue, desk piece, New Rules op-ed, or the written pieces I am most proud of in ‘real time.’

Maher said he would tell the audience up front that the show without his book would not be “as good as” a regular show.

“But the heart of the show is an informal panel discussion that aims to move beyond the expected rebelliousness and partisanship, and that will continue. “The show will not disappoint,” Maher continued.

The 11,000-member Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May after contract negotiations with studio heads in the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed.

The strike represents the longest strike in WGA history and temporarily halted television and film production in Hollywood for more than 100 days.

SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s largest actors’ union, joined the strike two months later in July after failing to reach an agreement with film studios, marking the first double strike since 1960.

Both unions are demanding better wages and working conditions as well as higher residual rates related to streaming.

As a result, several late-night shows, including NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” remain out of production.

A group of late-night TV hosts announced last month that they would come together for a new podcast that seeks to boost employees financially affected by the writer’s strike.