Well he finally did it. Bill Maher figured out how to piss off every single living person and secure his place as the most hated commentary spewer with a television show.
How did he do it? Very simple: He made fun of Stan Lee’s legacy.
From the Hill:
In a blog post to his website Saturday, the late night host wrote, “America is in mourning. Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess.”
Lee, a cultural icon responsible for many of Marvel’s most popular superheroes in comic books and movies, died Monday at the age of 95.
Maher continued, saying he has nothing “against comic books,” but that when he was growing up “comics were for kids, and when you grew up you moved on to big-boy books without the pictures.”
“But then twenty years or so ago, something happened – adults decided they didn’t have to give up kid stuff,” he said. “And so they pretended comic books were actually sophisticated literature.”
Then the late night host brought politics into the mix, mentioning President Donald Trump.
“I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important,” he wrote.
What’s ironic is that Maher actually had a cameo in one of the movies he’s mocking Lee for inspiring!!!
Bill Maher about Stan Lee: “a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess.”
— TASK the Ol’ Nerdy Bastard (@UpToTASK) November 17, 2018
Also Bill Maher: *in one of said movies* pic.twitter.com/j66GIZJEsP
But in this he has finally pissed off everyone on the left and everyone on the right, all at the same time.
Bill Maher disrespected Stan Lee? Wow this totally changes my previously high opinion of that smug Islamophobic racist misogynistic attention-whore.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) November 17, 2018
It's crazy to me that Bill Maher is using Stan Lee's death to insult the maturity of comic book fans. It's crazily out of character for him to try to assert his intellectual superiority over the ignorant masses in a shrill, strident, obnoxious and attention-seeking way.
— Nathan Rabin (@nathanrabin) November 17, 2018
https://twitter.com/EthanVanSciver/status/1063829446711566339The fact that the only way Bill Maher can score heat anymore is saying Stan Lee is responsible for Donald Trump should inspire some introspection in that dude about how pathetic he is now. But if that was possible, he wouldn't be Bill Maher
— Nathan Bernhardt (@jonbernhardt) November 17, 2018
I was going to write a post about Bill Maher dissing Stan Lee, but then I remembered that Bill Maher isn't worth my time or yours.
— Beth the Elder One (@BethElderkin) November 17, 2018
If you're just learning that he's a bad person with bad opinions, welcome to the club of "we saw this coming a mile away."
Neil Gaiman, one of the most brilliant writers of the genre, had a good comment about it:
Maher’s just trolling, and lots of people are rising to the troll. (Julie Burchill did it better 30 years ago with her “There aren’t any adult comics because adults don’t read comics” line. ) More people cared about Stan Lee’s death than care about Bill Maher alive. https://t.co/yRzFCYQBzl
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) November 17, 2018
Bill Maher: Man, I'd really love an excuse to tell the world that I think comic books are dumb and the people who create them are worthless, but when should I bring it up?
— Hannah Shaw-Williams (@HSW3K) November 17, 2018
Stan Lee: *dies*
Bill Maher: pic.twitter.com/oW6Qcaccac
Popehat had a good summary of what he’s about:
I do not judge you because you like Stan Lee and comic books. I do too.
— AccomplishedTheHat (@Popehat) November 17, 2018
But if it took Stan Lee and comic books for you to see that Bill Maher is a pretentious, unserious asshole, trying and failing to sell mediocre douchery as bravery, I do judge you.
Yeah, pretty much. Sometimes he’s right on the mark and actually saying things that need to be said, but mostly, he’s just a misanthrope and a jerk. It takes a very small mind to think something is useless because they can’t appreciate what others see in it. Maher proves he’s up to the task of being the king of the small-minded.
But in defense of Stan Lee, he had one of the most incredible legacies I can think of – he brought absolute joy and inspiration to millions, probably billions, based on the power of his imagination. How many people can come close to saying that? Very few in my estimation. People who aren’t purposely trying to be jerks, like Bill Maher, can recognize that even if they dislike comic books, even if they dislike all the Marvel movies. Then again, maybe it takes a real jerk like Maher to force us to zero in on why people like Stan Lee are such heroes, even superheroes.
Here’s a great tribute to the man: