Bill Maher opens up about a growing rift with Jimmy Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney, saying they’re upset with him after he publicly challenged McNearney for sharing that she cut ties with relatives who voted for Trump.
On the December 7 episode of his Club Random Podcast, Maher recalled his prior critique of McNearney for giving relatives an ultimatum on Real Time With Bill Maher. He claimed he approached the situation as politely as possible but acknowledged that Kimmel and McNearney have reasons to be annoyed with him now.
“I was as tactful as I could be,” Maher reflected, adding that once she went public with the remarks, he felt free to respond publicly without talking behind anyone’s back.
He apologized for his posture while defending his point of view, saying, “I’m sorry. I was trying to be respectful, but I don’t agree with that stance.” He also noted that some friends didn’t agree with his stance, yet he remains convinced that cutting off family members isn’t the right approach.
“I’m in the ‘talk to them’ wing of the Democratic Party, not the ‘cut your people off’ wing,” he stated. “Don’t cut them off.”
Maher admitted that his relationship with Kimmel wasn’t particularly close before these remarks, but he spoke warmly about his friend, saying he’s always liked Kimmel and respects him as a person. The two share a common background in being fired by ABC, which Maher referenced as a bond they once had.
“I hope we’re friends forever,” Maher said, though he acknowledged the broader split within liberal and woke circles as a real and ongoing phenomenon.
The reflection grows from McNearney’s remarks on the We Can Do Hard Things podcast in November, where she described her husband as someone who battles Trump on a daily basis, which has strained her relationships with MAGA-supporting family members.
McNearney, who grew up in a conservative, Republican household in St. Louis, Missouri, expressed a mix of empathy and frustration about her relatives’ choices. She confessed that voting for Trump felt like a rejection of her family unit and values, and that she had started losing connections with relatives who align with the president.
“Seeing Trump supporters in my family makes me realize I’ve lost some relationships because of this,” she said during the show, sitting beside Kimmel, a longtime public critic of Trump who has faced recent political pressure.
She described feeling anger when headlines highlight Trump’s influence, noting that it’s painful to see family members voting in ways that conflict with her own values. She admitted attempting to influence relatives before the election, sending them a list of ten reasons not to vote for Trump, but receiving little engagement or hostile responses in return.
Ultimately, McNearney explained that she has drawn closer to relatives who share her views, even though she regrets letting politics intrude on family ties. She framed the situation as a values clash rather than a mere political disagreement, and she expressed a desire for stronger alignment with those who share her beliefs.
During a separate discussion on Real Time, Maher argued that even with strong criticisms of Trump, personal relationships shouldn’t be severed. He suggested that there are many reasons to oppose Trump that go beyond a simple list, and he warned that presenting ultimatums can backfire by changing how people view others rather than their politics.
In a provocative note, Maher reminded viewers that even within the Democratic camp, questions about accountability and leadership persist, and he challenged supporters to reflect on why some voters might distrust leaders. He asked listeners to consider ten true reasons someone might decide not to trust a candidate, pointing out that such introspection is essential—even for observers who share similar political loyalties.
