Bill Maher Issues Sobering Warning to Democrats About Over-Reliance on Celebs: 'We Don't Know Anything'
There’s an old adage that goes something like, “I’m a genius because I know I’m not one.”
While I would refrain from ever describing classic liberal Bill Maher as “a genius,” he sure seems like one compared to some of his more left-leaning contemporaries.
On Monday, Maher aired another episode of his podcast, dubbed “Club Random,” and had on music legend John Mellencamp as a guest.
The two touched on a wide range of topics, but the most noteworthy part of the conversation came when the two began to discuss the Democratic trope of being far too reliant on celebrities to help push their policy platforms.
Initially, Maher and Mellencamp tried to make this a “both sides” issue.
“But yes, I think both sides have to be called out,” Maher said, per Fox News. “And, like, I live in Hollywood, this town just does not believe that. They do not believe in calling out both sides.”
The two then brought up the most recent display of left-wing activism at the Golden Globe Awards.
At the event, a number of celebrities were wearing “Be Good” buttons as a way to commemorate Renee Good, the woman who lost her life after an altercation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in January.
So, yes, those buttons were also anti-ICE — which is a popular platform on the left.
Maher just doesn’t think celebrities are the way to get that message across.
Of note, Maher laughed at his fellow celebs for the stunt.
“It was so funny,” Maher said, recalling the backlash to his rebuttal of the “Be Good” pins.
“It was,” Mellencamp said. “Because outside of this ball of people that live here, nobody gives a s***.”
“But that’s what I was saying,” Maher added. “The Democrats, I mean — for people who didn’t see it — the point of it was, you’ve got to cut your celebrities loose. You think they’re helping, and they’re actually hurting, because people don’t see celebrities in any way like they can relate to their life, and they can’t in any way.”
Mellencamp then interjected some self-deprecating humor into the conversation.
“The other funny thing is that, you know, most people, you know… We don’t know anything. You know, we don’t know s***,” Mellencamp said. “We don’t know s*** what’s really going on. We don’t know, you know, and it’s always been that way ever since I can remember.”
You can watch the entire episode below:
WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers may find offensive.
Maher’s point lands because it’s rooted in something painfully obvious to anyone outside a coastal ZIP code.
When a millionaire actor lectures a mechanic in Ohio about immigration policy from the red carpet, it comes off as nothing more than cultural condescension. Voters don’t resent fame; they resent being talked down to by people whose lives bear no resemblance to their own.
That disconnect has become a recurring problem for Democrats in the Trump era. While Republicans trot out celebrities too — from President Donald Trump himself to the occasional country star cameo — Democrats have increasingly wrapped policy arguments in Hollywood packaging.
The result isn’t persuasion. It’s polarization.
Every time an awards show turns into a campaign rally, it reinforces the perception that the party is more fluent in applause lines than in grocery prices.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth Mellencamp admitted out loud: entertainers aren’t policy experts. When even a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer shrugs and says, in essence, “We don’t know anything,” that’s actually a refreshing bit of honesty.
The problem is that the Democratic establishment often treats celebrity validation as a substitute for grassroots credibility, mistaking Instagram followers for durable political capital.
Maher may not be a conservative hero, but on this point he’s offering Democrats a lifeline. If they want to win back skeptical voters, they’d be wise to stop outsourcing their message to the red carpet and start delivering it at the kitchen table. Celebrity endorsements might generate headlines — but they don’t generate trust.
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