Comedian Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time," called National Public Radio the “crazy far left” during a discussion about whether the media outlet — along with PBS — should continue getting subsidized by the federal government.
Maher made the comments during the “Overtime” portion of his latest show which dropped Friday. The question about federal subsidies came after the heads of NPR and PBS testified before a House subcommittee last week.
Maher, a self-described classic liberal, made the case against subsidies, which reportedly account for 1% of NPR’s funding while 16% of PBS’ funding comes from federal subsidies.
“I also read my namesake, Katherine Maher, head of NPR. And, you know, she said we're completely unbiased. Give me a break, lady. I mean, they're crazy far left. So, I mean, I think we're past, my view, we're past the age, really, where the government, first of all, why do we need to subsidize?” Maher said in posing the question to show guests, author and New York Times contributor John McWhorter and columnist Rikki Schlott of the New York Post.
“And we're so polarized. These outlets became popular at a time when Republicans and Democrats didn't hate each other and weren't at each other's throats and didn't think each other was an existential threat. In that world, you can't have places like this, I think, anymore. They have to be private,” Maher added.
President Donald Trump called on Congress to defund NPR and PBS.
"NPR and PBS, two horrible and completely biased platforms (Networks!), should be DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY. Republicans, don't miss this opportunity to rid our Country of this giant SCAM, both being arms of the Radical Left Democrat Party,” Trump said in Truth Social post Thursday.