Bill Maher has confirmed that his friendship with Larry David has ended following David’s public criticism of Maher’s decision to have dinner with President Donald Trump. The HBO host addressed the rift during a recent interview, revealing that the two have not spoken since Maher responded to David’s comments on his show Real Time.
“Larry David certainly is not really my friend anymore,”
Maher told Free press matter-of-factly when asked whether the controversy had cost him relationships in Hollywood. When pressed on whether David had reached out after Maher’s on-air response, he simply replied,
“No.”
The fallout stems from David’s vocal disapproval of Maher dining with Trump, a move that sparked backlash in entertainment circles. Maher defended his decision as rational, framing the criticism as emotional and intellectually lazy. He suggested that many in Hollywood have replaced thoughtful political analysis with reflexive comparisons to historical atrocities.
On Real Time, Maher questioned David’s political seriousness, noting that the Curb Your Enthusiasm creator has long refused to appear on his show. Maher implied that David’s reaction to the Trump dinner confirmed the very lack of political nuance David had historically claimed.
“This is so childish, so purely emotional, the people who got all butthurt because I had dinner with them,”
Maher said, addressing critics of his dinner with Trump. He also defended Trump’s record on Israel, pointing out,
“Trump is the most supportive president Israel and the Jews ever had.”
Maher recalled David’s repeated refusals to appear on his show:
“Every year I used to ask Larry David to do Real Time and he’d always say, Bill, I can’t, I’m not smart enough about politics to do your show. Yeah, I get that now. I get that now.”
The implication was clear: David’s reaction validated Maher’s point about Hollywood’s lack of political sophistication.
He also dismissed the argument that meeting with Trump somehow legitimizes him:
“I mean, what exactly is the argument that by talking to Trump, I’ll elevate him? Oh my God, don’t tell me he could become president.”
Maher extended his critique to what he sees as moral posturing within liberal circles. He defended Trump’s Middle East policy and record on Israel while rejecting the notion that engaging with a controversial political figure is inherently immoral. On criticism from Jimmy Kimmel, he clarified,
“I only quoted what Jimmy Kimmel’s wife said publicly and avoided taking cheap shots.”
This is indicative of a deeper divide in Hollywood over how to approach Trump. Maher positioned himself against what he calls performative outrage, arguing that honest criticism, rather than blind loyalty, actually helps Democrats.
Despite losing friendships and facing audience backlash, Maher appeared unbothered. He noted that his show has improved since losing overly sensitive audience members, saying he no longer argues with the crowd during tapings.