Real Time with Bill Maher

On HBO Bill Maher has a regular weekly talk show titled Real Time with Bill Maher. Apparently, it started in 2003, but I've only started watching it recently.  Yes, I don't have a direct link from Amazon.com for his show, because they just don't offer his show on dvd.  Most likely because it's a current events show.  It's like trying to watch a news broadcast from 2005, what's the point?  Just try to catch on HBO, Friday nights at 9:00 central time, but is a live program so plan accordingly.

I've thoroughly enjoyed it and it's refreshing to watch a show that is mentally and conversationally stimulating for once.  The show is an hour long and the first few minutes is Maher's opening monologue.  This is my least favorite part of the show and I think is just a waste of time.  He's usually not that funny during this segment and the time could be used better for panel discussion.  So, after the monologue he usually has someone in studio or beamed in on satellite where they discuss items specific to his guest for about 10 minutes.  He could have anyone on from a former governor to a New York Times reporter to a former Government worker (senator, president, etc.)  This is a hit or miss segment, sometimes it's really interesting, and sometimes it's just really boring.
My favorite segment is the longest - the panel.  Bill invites 3 different people with 3 different backgrounds (black, white, woman, man, conservative, liberal) to discuss current events and political matters.  Last night for example he had an older white male tea party movie director, an older white female editor of her own website for politics, and a black older male astrophysicist.  The person who made the most sense and got the crown riled up in a positive way was the astrophysicist.  I've seen him in other talk shows and he always has a good sense of humor, he's well spoken, and of course, incredibly intelligent.  So the panel talked about things like the end of the NASA space shuttle program, the debt ceiling crisis, the president's performance, cutting taxes for the rich, and the tea party.  Then about 30 minutes into panel Bill has one more guest come out to join them.  They are usually a bit more famous and main stream like chefs, actors, directors, or someone in the Hollywood industry.  I think they are supposed to represent a normal, non political person, but sometimes they can't keep up with the discussion and just fall into the background.  You have to be a strong smart person to be on the show or else you'll embarrass yourself or just not say much.  For the last 5 or 8 minutes of the show is the New Rules segment.  This is where Bill gets to openly make points about whatever he feels like and take a strong stand on something.  Usually I agree with him and he makes me laugh my ass off with his humor.
Of course, he's not always right, but quite often he makes a lot of sense and points out how wrong the US Government and/or people have things.
Things like taking the profit out of health care.  Making the rich pay more in taxes.  Bringing jobs back to the US instead of outsourcing everything.  Big corporations get too many tax breaks and never care about what's right or fair.  The Government sucks and they are run by special interest groups that line the Senators pockets with money for passing bills that give them more profits.  So many good discussion starters are throughout the show that I frequently have to pause the program to talk about what's being said with who I'm watching it with.  It's a great show and if you haven't seen it, you should be watching it.
It's just too bad that all these great discussions are going on every week and none of it is being heard by the people who can actually put the policies into practice.