Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher spoke out against what he described as the far-left’s treatment of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a Monday episode of his podcast “Club Random.”
The controversy stems from a 2024 commencement speech Butker delivered at Benedictine College, where he addressed female graduates about their futures.
During that speech, Butker suggested that many women in the audience would find their greatest fulfillment in marriage and motherhood rather than in their careers.
The remarks triggered significant backlash across social media and in mainstream commentary.
The situation escalated when Butker attended the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, commonly known as the ESPYs.
During the awards ceremony, speakers on stage called out Butker by name in front of the audience.
Maher recounted the incident on his podcast, expressing his disapproval of how the situation was handled.
“And then people got on stage went like, ‘Everybody here should be like happy to be here except for you,’” Maher said during the podcast episode.
He continued, describing how presenters singled out the NFL kicker in the crowd.
“And they literally pointed him out by name in the crowd,” Maher added.
The comedian, who acknowledged having little in common with Butker’s worldview, nonetheless defended the kicker’s right to express his opinion.
“I have nothing in common with this guy. He’s a super Christian. He’s all about the family and the wife and having kids and blah blah blah,” Maher stated.
Despite their differences, Maher characterized Butker’s message as simply giving recognition to women who choose motherhood.
“And all he was saying was ‘Shout out to the ladies who want to have kids.’ It’s like, okay, that’s your view,” the comedian explained.
Maher expressed strong feelings about the public shaming Butker endured at the awards show.
“It’s that kind of thing that makes me f***ing hate the far-left a**h*les who do that and their f***ing bad attitude,” he said.
The podcast host emphasized that Butker was entitled to his opinion and noted that many Americans share similar perspectives.
In his original commencement address, Butker had told the graduates, “I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you.”
“Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” Butker said during his speech at Benedictine College.
“But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world,” the kicker continued.
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This is not the first time Maher has criticized elements of the Democratic Party and the political left. The comedian, who identifies as a liberal, has frequently criticized the Democratic Party throughout 2025.
On a Nov. 10 episode of “Club Random,” Maher hosted actress Cheryl Hines, who is married to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
During that conversation, both Maher and Hines discussed what they perceived as increasing hostility from the Democratic Party.
“The Republicans have been very kind to me from the beginning. Even from the beginning, when Bobby was running as a Democrat, they weren’t mean,” Hines said during the podcast.
“And they never have been. And I can’t say that for the Democrats,” she added.
Maher agreed with Hines’s assessment and expressed disappointment in the party’s transformation.
“I agree. And it’s sad because it’s not the Democrats we grew up with. And that’s the difference that people don’t, I think, see,” Maher replied.
He addressed accusations that he had abandoned the Democratic Party.
“They’re like, ‘Why did you turn on the Democrats?’ Well, first of all, I didn’t. Like I said, we voted for the same person,” Maher explained.
“But I’m not going to pretend I don’t notice how different they are. How mean they’ve become,” the comedian concluded.
