Bill Maher Slams Emmys for Ignoring Charlie Kirk Assassination: “Would It Kill You to Say It’s Wrong?”
Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher tore into Hollywood elites Friday night for refusing to acknowledge the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during this week’s Emmy Awards.
Speaking on HBO’s Real Time, Maher blasted the left for what he called a “go no contact” approach to conservatives—even in the face of political violence.
“At the Emmys, would it have killed someone to get up there—since they all want to talk about their politics—and say, ‘We had a political assassination this week. And that’s wrong’?” Maher said during his panel. “They would have been booed off the stage because he was on the wrong team. So you’re not even allowed to say that.”
Maher didn’t mince words, adding: “Could you imagine if a left-wing person was assassinated that week? The whole show would have been about that.”
Kirk was shot and killed during a college speaking event on September 10—just six days before the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, which made no mention of the tragedy. The show’s host, Nate Bargatze, had told Entertainment Weekly that he planned to steer clear of politics to provide “an escape.” But Maher—and others—argued that silence wasn’t neutrality; it was hypocrisy.
Despite avoiding Kirk’s murder, the Emmys were packed with overt left-wing political statements.
Actress Hannah Einbinder, while accepting the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for Hacks, ended her speech with “F— ICE and free Palestine!” Actor Javier Bardem, wearing a keffiyeh scarf on the red carpet, denounced Israel and accused it of genocide in Gaza. Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego used a CPB tribute to criticize Congress for defunding public broadcasting—earning boos from parts of the audience.
Yet not a single mention was made of Kirk—an omission Maher found both revealing and disturbing.
“It’s not about whether you liked Charlie or not,” he said. “It’s about being able to recognize when someone on the other side was murdered for their political views. That used to be something we could all agree was wrong.”
The assassination of Kirk has been formally condemned by Congress, the Trump administration, and several Senate resolutions. But the entertainment industry has largely stayed silent, highlighting a cultural divide that shows no signs of narrowing.