In what will be one of the final stops on his epic farewell tour, Barack Obama will finally sit down with Bill Maher on HBO’s Real Time. The President will appear on the political chat show on Friday, November 4. The hugely anticipated visit has been eight years in the making, as Maher has been one of President Obama’s most vocal supporters, and even donated $1 million to his campaign in 2012.
The announcement, which Maher made live on the air this week, comes after years of lobbying on the host’s part. In the end, all it took was a petition to The White House that garnered well over 320,000 signatures. President Obama is no stranger to the late night circuit, and even made a memorable appearance on Zach Galifianakis’ talk show spoof Between Two Ferns. So, it was only a matter of time before he paid Maher a visit, something The White House basically confirmed in statement back in January.
Plenty of us around here watch Real Time because we admire Bill’s passion for spreading the science on climate change, asking tough questions about money in politics, and trying to burst “the bubble” where some of our politicians—and too many of our nation’s critical political debates—exist.
The President’s communications team thinks strategically about scheduling presidential interviews, and we have made a concerted effort over the last couple of years to broaden the array of venues where the President appears—from talking to young people about health care on “Between Two Ferns” and a post-State of the Union conversation with YouTube stars, to a CNN Town Hall on gun violence and an interview with Mic.com on the Iran deal. Consistent with this approach, we’ll keep in mind Bill’s open invitation for a presidential appearance and give it the respectful consideration that Bill and his large audience deserve.
Below, exclusive footage of Bill Maher after hearing the news: