Bill Maher and Rob Reiner clash over political dialogue on podcast

On Monday’s episode of his “Club Random” podcast, comedian Bill Maher sparred with Hollywood director Rob Reiner over whether the right and left in America should keep talking to each other.

Maher insisted that both sides should continue talking despite the heightened political tensions in the country – inflamed in recent weeks by the assassination of Charlie Kirk – while the Hollywood liberal said there might be exceptions if people can’t agree on basic facts. Maher disagreed, calling Reiner’s point a slippery slope.

“Before you have the exchange, you have to agree on certain facts,” Reiner said.

Maher replied, “No, you don’t. You can’t. Once you start down that road… you just have to talk to people.”

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Reiner, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, opened the discussion by saying conservatives and liberals today are less willing to sit down and hash out issues than in previous eras.

Maher agreed and criticized Democrats for refusing bipartisan cooperation at a time when Republicans hold more political power. 

“This would make some sense for the Democrats if they had any power,” he said. “But the idea of we don’t talk to you when we don’t even have the power? Of course, you have to talk to people.”

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Reiner partially agreed, though he maintained that there has to be some agreement between both sides before dialogue can start. Maher rejected that idea, though Reiner pushed back.

“No, no, you talk to people. But if somebody says two plus two is four and the other guy says, ‘No, it’s not,’ how do you begin the discussion?” he asked.

“Because, Rob, that’s a slippery slope,” Maher replied.

Elsewhere, the host told the filmmaker, “If you start down that road of ‘I can’t talk to you if you believe this crazy thing’ because maybe – you just can’t.”

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Reiner needed more convincing.

“Let’s say you’re having a conversation with that person,” he said, using the example of someone who denies the moon landing. “So what do you say after that?” he asked.

Maher offered his solution. 

“Same thing you would do in a marriage,” he said.

He continued: “It’s very like a relationship. And no, I have not been married, but I have been in long-term serious relationships. And I know there are moments where the person is believing something and you just – every fiber of your being wants to be like, ‘I got to get this person to not see it that way, ‘cause I just think it’s f—— nuts.’”

“And if you want that relationship to last, you’re gonna have to learn the three little words that are most important to any relationship, and they’re not ‘I love you.’ They’re, ‘Let it go,’” Maher added.