Comedian Bill Burr and HBO host Bill Maher had a heated exchange while discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict on Maher’s “Club Random” podcast. Initially, the two were having a casual conversation when Maher brought up the issue of college students openly siding with Palestine, prompting Burr to respond that they were “for the Palestinians.” This sparked a back-and-forth between the two as they discussed the conflict.
Maher strongly denounced those who attack Israel, and Burr implied that there was a genocide against children by the Israeli Defense Forces, saying, “I’m on the side of the kids.” This sparked even more disagreement, with Maher stating that it’s easy to say you are for the kids, but it comes down to hard-nosed decisions. Burr retorted by saying, “Stop talking like you’re a general.” Maher explained that to people who side with Israel, the issue is simple: the country was attacked by Hamas and responded with force.
The conversation quickly escalated as Burr sarcastically said it was “brave” of Maher to publicly state that he doesn’t want to see children killed in the conflict. Maher responded, “It’s easy to say, ‘I’m for the kids.’ Who’s not for the kids?” He added that “don’t attack them” is a simple solution to all the problems in the Middle East. Burr sarcastically conceded that Maher had “solved” the issue, to which Maher replied, “I did.”
“I’m on the side of the kids”
Bill Burr supports the Palestine protests on college campuses and thinks the Russia Ukraine war can be solved on a podcast. pic.twitter.com/QRUFVSAOHN
— Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) May 13, 2024
Burr continued to challenge Maher, saying, “Let’s go to Russia and Ukraine. How do you solve that one?” He also questioned the legality of war and asked, “Why is it still legal?” Maher replied that in order for something to be illegal, there has to be a way to enforce it, and going to war with a country would not solve anything.
As their disagreement intensified, Maher stated, “This is why this is not your thing. This is my thing.” Burr then challenged Maher’s expertise on foreign policy and geopolitics, saying, “It isn’t your thing.” He added, “You’re like that guy with a fantasy football team who thinks he’s a GM. What have you done in Washington? Nothing.”
The two comedians had a tense exchange discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict, with Maher taking a hard-line stance in support of Israel and Burr raising questions and challenges about the legality and resolution of wars. Their disagreement escalated as they challenged each other’s expertise on the issue, showcasing the deep divide and complexity of the conflict.