HBO’s host of Real Time, Bill Maher, mourned on his Monday Club Random podcast that he and ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel “may never talk again.” While Maher did not explicitly elaborate on why, it probably has to do with Maher’s reaction to Kimmel’s wife, writer, and producer Molly McNearny’s November comments about cutting off relationships with friends and family over President Trump.
Maher lamented to mutual friend and comedian Adam Carolla, “I mean, you know, and Jimmy Kimmel, you know, he's very mad at me, and I know you're close to him. And I hope you tell him that, you know, I'm sorry that, you know—he, they got bent out of shape. I don't think I did anything wrong.”
In November, McNearny told the cast of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast that she has cut ties with friends and family over Trump and Kimmel’s September suspension only hardened her feelings towards those people. Maher, for his part, called Kimmel “my friend” and condemned ABC for suspending him in September on Real Time, but criticized McNearny’s later comments on Club Random, which he said made Kimmel mad.
Molly McNearny (Jimmy Kimmel's wife) saying she has broken off relationships with friends and family over Trump has apparently included Bill Maher. Months ago, Maher condemned the idea and now says "Jimmy Kimmel, you know, he's very mad at me...I did a mea culpa when we exchanged… pic.twitter.com/vRrdCNn6Ph
— Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) February 10, 2026
Maher strongly implied this was the reason for the rift with Kimmel, “I mean, you and I don't agree on everything. Look at this clash now, and yet we're cool. Like the Republicans are always, this is the difference between the right and the left. It bugs me so much. My tribe is supposed to be the left. But these are the people who just can't talk to you unless you're exactly there. Whereas the Republicans, they always fucking come to my show. John Kennedy from Louisiana was on last week, took his beating like a man, like they all do, and we came across lovingly and smilingly and happily, and we can disagree.”
While trying to hold out hope that he and Kimmel can reconcile, Maher tried to hold to his convictions:
And you and I aren't always completely on the same page, although we're very close because we're both smart guys. But, like, I just don't get that from—and Jimmy, I'm sorry. Like, I think this is one of the nicest guys. I did a mea culpa when we exchanged emails, not about what he was complaining about, but just saying like, you know, sometimes I am a little brash about me when they compare me with the other late night guys, and I'm like, ‘I'm not like you guys. I'm not. You could all exchange your monologues, all of you, and no one would know the difference in tone.’
Maher then tried to further defend himself, “Okay, whereas me. I’m not there. I don't—I'm not in on your—I'm not, I don't just buy into the left-wing bullshit, and I never stopped making fun of the right-wing bullshit at all. And, like, if that's not good enough for you, then I think you're the asshole. And I don't think Jimmy is an asshole.”
After Carolla affirmed, “He’s not,” Maher concluded by mourning, “I think he's a great guy, and it bugs me that, you know, because of what the latest thing was that, you know, we're, we may never talk again.”
Whether Carolla can mediate between Maher and Kimmel remains to be seen, but for the moment the idea that the Kimmel family would break off contact with Maher because he condemned the idea of ending relationships over politics is not only ironic; it is simply sad both on a personal level and for how it highlights one of the key problems for the late night industry as a whole.
Here is a transcript for the February 9 show:
Club Random with Bill Maher
2/9/2026
BILL MAHER: I mean, you know, and Jimmy Kimmel, you know, he's very mad at me, and I know you're close to him.
ADAM CAROLLA: I’ve heard.
MAHER: And I hope you tell him that, you know, I'm sorry that, you know—he, they got bent out of shape. I don't think I did anything wrong. We can have disagreements.
CAROLLA: I agree.
MAHER: I mean, you and I don't agree on everything. Look at this clash now, and yet we're cool. Like the Republicans are always, this is the difference between the right and the left. It bugs me so much. My tribe is supposed to be the left. But these are the people who just can't talk to you unless you're exactly there. Whereas the Republicans, they always fucking come to my show. John Kennedy from Louisiana—
CAROLLA: Right. Yes.
MAHER: —was on last week, took his beating like a man, like they all do, and we came across lovingly and smilingly and happily, and we can disagree.
CAROLLA: I agree.
MAHER: And you and I aren't always completely on the same page, although we're very close because we're both smart guys.
But, like, I just don't get that from—and Jimmy, I'm sorry. Like, I think this is one of the nicest guys. I did a mea culpa when we exchanged emails, not about what he was complaining about, but just saying like, you know, sometimes I am a little brash about me when they compare me with the other late night guys, and I'm like, "I'm not like you guys. I'm not. You could all exchange your monologues, all of you, and no one would know the difference in tone." Tone.
CAROLLA: Tone. Yes.
MAHER: Okay, whereas me. I’m not there.
CAROLLA: No, I agree.
MAHER: I don't—I'm not in on your—I'm not, I don't just buy into the left-wing bullshit, and I never stopped making fun of the right-wing bullshit at all.
CAROLLA: Right.
MAHER: And, like, if that's not good enough for you, then I think you're the asshole. And I don't think Jimmy is an asshole.
CAROLLA: No, he’s not.
MAHER: I think he's a great guy, and it bugs me that, you know, because of what the latest thing was that, you know, we're, we may never talk again.
