Bill Maher Wants Americans To Follow Country Music’s Example

Bill Maher is looking to a good old-fashioned American pastime to help heal the nation.

On Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the comedian used the country music genre’s ever-evolving inclusion as an example of progress as he urged Americans to “duplicate this on a grander scale.”

“Just look at the music. Maybe that’s the best analogy for where we are culturally. I used to hate country music — for a very good reason, it sucked. But it changed, because the people making it changed. It’s not some pickin’ and a-grinnin’ bumpkin in a rhinestone leisure suit vaguely longing for the return of segregation anymore… mostly.”

Pointing to Shaboozey and Post Malone as signs of progress in the genre, Maher added, “Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson both have the same hobby.”

“At this year’s Grammy Awards, Luke Combs performed a duet with Tracy Chapman, a queer Black woman, and no one ran screaming from the building. In fact, they all loved it.”

Maher continued, “The big hat people and the big hair people, they don’t hate each other. They like and respect each other. They want to work together. We can’t duplicate this on a grander scale in America?”

Although the sentiment is nice, some country fans are still divided after Beyoncé was snubbed by the CMA Awards for her genre debut Cowboy Carter.

Friday’s episode comes as the 2024 presidential election heats up between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, with a vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and J.D. Vance scheduled for a CBS News on Oct. 1.