During Friday's "Real Time," Bill Maher replied to Sen. Ben Sasse's suggestion that he visit Nebraska and work in the fields with the remark, "I'm a house n****," and
Activists like Jesse Jackson and Deray McKesson tweeted :
NAN wants to meet w/ HBO asap about the normalizing of the use of the N word. I know and love Bill Maher but this is unacceptable. I will
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) June 3, 2017
But really, @BillMaher has got to go. There are no explanations that make this acceptable. pic.twitter.com/K5XlEjekQ9
— deray mckesson (@deray) June 3, 2017
By Saturday morning, the network responded, saying the comment was "tasteless" and would be edited from future airings.
.@HBO statement on @billmaher use of n-word last night pic.twitter.com/7J02SiNm8O
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 3, 2017
Of course it was tasteless and inexcusable, but that's the entire punishment? Some, even on the conservative side, are claiming it's a case of HBO minimizing what Maher said and that he should pay a harsher price.
Maher has now issued an apology:
“Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show. Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”
Will this be a case of "apology accepted" and everyone will move along, or will his detractors still be calling for his head?