Why is Bill Maher ready to quit stand-up?

On his Club Random podcast, Bill Maher, known for his incisive wit and unapologetic humor, expressed his intention to retire from stand-up following his upcoming HBO special.

This announcement surprised his guest Jerry Seinfeld, visibly surprised by Maher’s unexpected revelation.

Maher, who has been a fixture on the stand-up scene for over four decades, shared, “After this year, I’m going to stop doing (stand-up).”

Despite the weight of the news, Maher insisted on downplaying the drama, saying, “I don’t want to make a big announcement or anything like that.” » His decision to step away from the mic coincides with the release of his 13th comedy special on HBO.

Seinfeld, himself a comedy legend, acknowledged the magnitude of Maher’s contribution to the art form, responding simply: “It’s a lot.”

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Maher may not be ready to quit, he’s keeping the door open

Maher reflected on the dedication required to excel at stand-up, stating, “I put a lot of time and effort into it” and added, “As you know, stand-up is like performing. cello. You can’t just go up there. You have to stay in practice. And it’s true, I’ve always loved it. I’m still working on it. But I have a (TV) show.

Since 2003, Maher has balanced his stand-up career by hosting his weekly talk show, Real Time with Bill Maher.

A curious Seinfeld asked Maher, “I don’t know how you continued to do stand-up while on the show, or frankly why.”

“Because they fed off each other, it was so great, and also because I love it,” the comedy icon responded.

“I can be the coward – the show is great, but there are constrictors there, (Club Random) is more cowardly, but what is more cowardly than just you paying for me see. Even if you don’t like it, you have to laugh about it.

However, Maher left the door open for a possible return to the stage.

“After 40 years, that’s why I don’t want to make an announcement like, ‘This is my last act,’” he said.

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“I might change my mind.” It could be like cutting off a limb, and I have to come back to it,” Maher reflects.

Looking ahead, “If I don’t have to practice cello eight hours a day, I might want to do a few (Club Random episodes) live,” he suggested, before add: “It’s an interesting option that people are doing these days… It’s kind of an event.

For now, Club Random fans can continue to enjoy new episodes every Monday.