Bill Maher has said that in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, debates about who is worse on the political spectrum have become pointless.
The comedian and controversial talk show host used this week’s edition of Real Time to focus on the death of Kirk, who was fatally shot in the neck during an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday (10 September).
Suspected gunman Tyler Robinson was taken into custody Thursday on suspicion of capital murder, weapons and obstruction offences.
Maher began his show by saying that it had been an “ugly week in America” before criticising Republican and Democrat representatives for their conduct during a silent prayer in the House.
Later, Maher engaged in a roundtable conversation with Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro and The Atlantic writer Tim Alberta.
During the discussion, Shapiro cited a poll that suggested “only 57 per cent of Gen Z say there is no excuse for violence in response to speech”. Albert added that the response to Kirk’s death had not been one of “shock and horror” but that it is “becoming mainstream and acceptable” among young voters.
Maher noted that some of the social media comments he had read about Kirk’s death showed that “people are in such a bubble that they don’t understand that it’s happening on both sides”.
Proposing a solution, Maher said: “The only way this starts to get better is if both sides admit, ‘Okay, let’s not have this debate about who started it. Let’s not debate about who’s worse because, plainly, both sides do it now.’ And the right has done it too. A lot.”
US president Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death on his social media site, Truth Social. “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” he wrote.
“He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
Politicians from both sides of the aisle, as well as some celebrities, have shared their condolences and tributes in the aftermath of Kirk’s death.
Others, such as Stephen King, have continued to criticise Kirk’s far-right political positions. The Shining author apologised after falsely claiming in a social media post that Kirk had “advocated stoning gays to death.”
