Trivia

Holds the record for most Emmy Award nominations without a win: 40 (as of 2019).

Received a great deal of bad press for his comments after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center when he criticized the United States government. Subsequently, advertisers such as Sears and Federal Express pulled their ads and some television stations stop showing his program Politically Incorrect (1993). This eventually led to ABC canceling the show the following year. Commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, Arianna Huffington and David Horowitz defended his right to free speech and said that his program should not be canceled.

Is a staunch political supporter of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.

On June 22, 2002, he received the Los Angeles Press Club's highest honor, the President's Award, for "championing free speech". The award was given six days after the final episode of Politically Incorrect (1993), Bill's social-satire show from which he was dismissed for politically incorrect statements about the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.

Very good friends with Ann Coulter, Arianna Huffington, Christopher Reid and Kato Kaelin.

Was a major supporter of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry during the 2004 presidential election. Though he traditionally supports Democrats, he threw his support behind Green Party candidate Ralph Nader (2000).

Received his Bachelor's degree in English from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York (1978).

Bill's paternal grandparents were William Aloysius Maher, Sr. and Mary Agnes O'Toole; they were born in New Jersey, both of them were of Irish ancestry. Bill's maternal grandparents, Nathan Berman and Stella Fuchs/Fox, were born in New York; Nathan's family were Jewish emigrants from Russia/Poland, while Stella's family was Hungarian Jewish.

Bill relocated to Los Angeles, California from New York City (2003).

Donated a $1 million check to the superPAC supporting President Barack Obama's re-election (2012).

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 1634 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on September 14, 2010.

Bill graduated from Cornell University with degrees in English and History (1978), shortly before fellow broadcaster Keith Olbermann, who graduated (1979).

Howard Stern once worked for Bill's father at NBC Radio.

As a youngster, Bill once worked at a branch of "Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips" restaurants and stocked shelves at an A&P Store.

Early in his stand-up career, Bill once opened for Diana Ross at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada (1982).

Was friends with Alan Thicke and Hugh Hefner.

Was good friends with Steve Allen.

Is a cousin of comedian Stubby Kaye.

Supported Ralph Nader during the 2000 presidential election.

Travels by private jet. Maher likened flying private to heroin use. "If you do it once, you'll never stop," he said. "There are two kinds of people: those who fly private, and those who would if they could.".

As of 2022, Maher's net worth is $140 million.

Maher announced on his podcast that he would retire from stand-up at the end of 2024.

Younger sister Kathy Maher is a teacher.

Maintains a basketball court at his Los Angeles home.

Attended and graduated from Pascack Hills High School, Montvale, New Jersey (1974).

He was nominated for the 2024 New Jersey Hall of Fame in the Performing Arts & Entertainment category.

Bill played Bob on an episode of Roseanne (1988). Ten years before the sitcom began, he played a character named Bob in the movie Street Fleet (1983), when he was an up-and-coming comedian.

Maher resides in a Beverly Hills Post Office neighborhood home which he bought from Ben Affleck in 2003. In 2022 he began his "Club Random With Bill Maher" podcast from this residence. He also owns a hillside condo on Catalina Island with stunning views of bustling coastline and the Pacific Ocean.