Bill Maher turned heads when he used the N-word on his show Real Time With Bill Maher, during an interview with Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse Friday night. In response to Sasse inviting Maher to "work in the fields with us" in Nebraska, Maher said, "Senator, I’m a house n*gga."
Maher claimed it was "a joke," but others haven’t taken it lightheartedly. Apparently, neither is HBO, as the network issued a statement Saturday morning.
"Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless," HBO said in a statement. "We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show."
The network did not point out whether Maher will be suspended. Maher also issued a statement, saying he was "very sorry."
Sasse tweeted out a series of thoughts Saturday morning.
HBO’s response hasn’t satisfied the public, as many—including some notable figures—have expressed their discontent on Twitter.
Maher, 61, is a comedian and political commentator, and his show has been on the air with HBO since 2003. Known for his sarcastic attitude, satire, and pushing the boundaries, Maher has drawn public outrage plenty of times before.
At this point, it is not clear whether Maher will suffer any consequences for his choice of words.
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