Bill Maher

[Strat]

Apparently I'm the crazy one but being able to say the N word is not a hill I'm willing to die on.

You're not crazy.

What an odd conversation we are having.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I mean, why would a white person want to say the word?

There are any number of reasons, and Ice Cube hasn't been appointed to dictate when and where. Sorry. It's bullshit through and through.

I'm genuinely curious as to why a white guy would want to say the word, other than for educational purposes to basically teach, "don't say this word"?

[BurtReynolds]

it's funny that its the last real "curse" word. The only word we give any real context-less power too. Not really worth fighting about.

I wonder if white guys censor themselves alone in the car while rapping along to rap music. How ridiculous that would be.

[LoathedVermin72]

For the record, I (obviously) don't use the word. I totally agree with Cube. "It's our word now and you can't have back," is a potent fucking argument.

The one caveat to me would be quoting. If I'm singing along with Kanye, I'm supposed to just awkwardly skip a word? For...what? Who am I hurting? My friends have a Kanye podcast where they dissect his songs line by line - how are they gonna do that if they can't say what the lines are?

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

I'm genuinely curious as to why a white guy would want to say the word, other than for educational purposes to basically teach, "don't say this word"?

Why does it matter? That's not the point.

I'm gay, so I suppose I should go on TV and dictate who can say "faggot" when and where?

"If you're straight, you cannot use that word...EVER. It's a nasty horrible word, and we're taking it back".

Can you imagine how that would go? Give me a fucking break.

[LoathedVermin72]

I'm genuinely curious as to why a white guy would want to say the word, other than for educational purposes to basically teach, "don't say this word"?

Why does it matter? That's not the point.

I'm gay, so I suppose I should go on TV and dictate who can say "faggot" when and where?

"If you're straight, you cannot use that word...EVER. It's a nasty horrible word, and we're taking it back".

Can you imagine how that would go? Give me a fucking break.

I mean, isn't that kind of the case, though?

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

What about people who are half-black?

Can they only say half the word?

Nig?

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

I mean, isn't that kind of the case, though?

Look...I live in a very culturally mixed town, and we ALL call each other "nigga". It's standard fare around here, no matter your race. So I guess now we'll all have to change our ways, and come up with another greeting, because it bothers Ice Cube and other multi-millionaire rap artists.

Is that what you guys want?

[Biff Pocoroba]

I know young white guys in Appalachia (thanks social media) who refer friendly to each other as that word all the time.
It's dangerous water to tread for a white person to use it regardless of intent so I don't. I heard that word many times growing up from white people so while it doesn't have the sting it once did it's still jarring when I hear it in a social conversation (extremely rare these days). It's a double standard but not a battle I want to fight. It's one of the most layered words in the language.
As alluded to earlier it's a similar situation, to a degree, with certain gay slurs & terms.

[Jorge]

So I guess now we'll all have to change our ways, and come up with another greeting

OH NO HOW TERRIBLE

[E.H. Ruddock]

I mean, isn't that kind of the case, though?

Look...I live in a very culturally mixed town, and we ALL call each other "nigga". It's standard fare around here, no matter your race. So I guess now we'll all have to change our ways, and come up with another greeting, because it bothers Ice Cube and other multi-millionaire rap artists.

Is that what you guys want?

I once worked with a very poor, young black man, but the dude was a beast. 6'5", 300 pounds, grew up here in the deep south. I watched a tiny old redneck call him the n word, and the guy knew that he was on the job so he couldn't react. Instead I saw the most deflated person I had ever seen. So I'm pretty sure it is more than just rich black rappers that want the use of the word by white people stopped.

[Jorge]

I'm gay, so I suppose I should go on TV and dictate who can say "faggot" when and where?

"If you're straight, you cannot use that word...EVER. It's a nasty horrible word, and we're taking it back".

Can you imagine how that would go? Give me a fucking break.

I think that would be... fine.

[BurtReynolds]

Is this a bad time to bring up how unfunny Maher is in general? That joke sounded about as natural as an oral bowel movement.

[LoathedVermin72]

He isn't funny, but I agree with his politics about 90% of the time. I like his show.

[BurtReynolds]

He isn't funny, but I agree with his politics about 90% of the time. I like his show.

I disagree with him here and there, but I appreciate his show.

[doug rr]

i love his show..we don't watch it friday night but on saturday mornings..my wife and I have what we call "saturday morning drinks with bill"

i put jameson in my coffee and my wife puts orange juice in champagne and we sit on the couch for an hour

[Strat]

i love his show..we don't watch it friday night but on saturday mornings..my wife and I have what we call "saturday morning drinks with bill"

i put jameson in my coffee and my wife puts orange juice in champagne and we sit on the couch for an hour

This is what me and my gal do as well.

[LoathedVermin72]

I don't have HBO so I listen in podcast form. I look forward to every episode.

[Strat]

I love Bill Maher. I think he is hilarious and engaging. I agree with him most of the time but think he is very wrong on some things. This joke of his was wrong, in poor taste, and he should apologize. However, he is a comedian and i totally understand his apology. I also think there are far more important things to focus on and where is the outrage that our president is a self admitted sex offender?


ice Cube is right. No white guy should have a say in how the N would should or shouldnt be used the same way a male should have no fucking say in womens health care issues.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

I'm gonna keep saying it just to spite Ice Cube, and the rest of you word nazis.