Bill Maher's Real Name: William Maher Jr.

Quick answer: Bill Maher's real name is William Maher Jr. He was born on January 20, 1956, in New York City and grew up in River Vale, New Jersey. "Bill" is the common short form of William.

Bill Maher's real name

Maher was born William Maher Jr., named after his father, William Maher, a radio newsman (Britannica). He has always performed as Bill Maher.

Early life and education

Maher grew up in River Vale, New Jersey. His father was Irish Catholic and his mother, Julie, was Jewish, a mixed background he has often discussed in his comedy and in his writing on religion. He graduated from Cornell University in 1978 with a degree in English and history (Britannica).

Stand-up and early TV

After college he worked as a stand-up comic in New York, including at Catch a Rising Star, and began appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in the 1980s. He also had small acting roles in films such as D.C. Cab (1983).

Politically Incorrect

In 1993 Maher launched Politically Incorrect, a late-night panel show that mixed comedians, celebrities and political figures. It began on Comedy Central and moved to ABC in 1997. ABC ended the show in 2002, months after controversy over remarks Maher made about the September 11 attacks drew sponsor pullouts (Britannica).

Real Time with Bill Maher

In February 2003 he premiered Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, a weekly live talk show built around a monologue, interviews, a panel and his closing "New Rules" segment. It has received numerous Emmy nominations and remains one of HBO's longest-running series (HBO).

Religulous and other work

Maher co-wrote and starred in the documentary Religulous (2008), directed by Larry Charles, which critiques organized religion. He has written several books, including New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer (2005), and continues to tour as a stand-up. In 2022 he launched the podcast Club Random.

Religulous (2008) DVD What This Comedian Said Will Shock You by Bill Maher (book)