Bill Maher really believes he’s America’s knight in shining armor.
The comedian couldn’t resist stroking his own ego while talking about his much-debated White House visit during Thursday’s episode of TMZ’s “2 Angry Men” podcast.
“I should be a hero for going there and doing those things and saying those things to the president. I’m not the villain here,” declared Maher, who has been milking every last bit of attention he can get from his dinner with President Donald Trump, singer Kid Rock, and UFC chairman Dana White late last month.
Clearly triggered by criticism he got for his cozy recap of the meet-up, the “Real Time” ringleader complained that he wasn’t getting enough credit for coming to the table with the Republican without compromising his strong centrist values.
“I had the opportunity to go to the White House and talk to the president and not give up my principles,” he told hosts Harvey Levin and Mark Geragos, and everyone else listening. “It seems like nobody noticed that. I didn’t go MAGA.”
“I had the opportunity to talk to Donald Trump and say things to him that maybe he never hears,” Maher continued to justify. “Literally to speak truth to power. I shouldn’t take that opportunity?”
The “Politically Incorrect” star was forced to admit his valiant effort likely had little impact on the president, who has been putting the MAGA stamp on anything he can since assuming office less than three months ago.
Allen Berezovsky via Getty Images
“Do I have great hopes that saying anything to him is going to change anything? No. But you have to try,” he went on before dinging the Democrats as powerless losers.
During his podcast appearance, Maher seemed to welcome the idea of holding court with an autocrat, remarking, “We’re slowly becoming just much more of a monarchy, but you don’t want to talk to the king? You don’t even want to talk to him? That’s going to fix anything?”
Maher, who has relished in ribbing Trump and his politics for decades, has faced significant backlash for calling the president a “gracious and measured” host.
Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin labeled Maher “a prop in a PR stunt,” while journalist-turned-podcaster Keith Olbermann accused him of “prostituting himself” with the visit.
Somehow, the unabashedly arrogant Maher seemed to be one of the few people to put things in context.
At the top of his Friday monologue on “Real Time,” he said, “To all the people who treated this like it was some sort of summit meeting, you’re ridiculous. Like I was going to sign a treaty or something? I have no power. I’m a fucking comedian.”