Bill Maher was born William Maher in the bustling metropolis of New York City, New York, and spent his formative years in the charming town of River Vale, New Jersey. His father, William Aloysius Maher Jr., a radio announcer and news editor of Irish Catholic descent, and his mother, Julie (Berman),a nurse of Jewish descent, instilled in him a strong sense of family values.
As he grew older, Maher's interest in comedy began to take shape, and he decided to try his hand at stand-up while attending Cornell University. His first foray into the world of comedy was a stand-up routine in a Chinese restaurant on Route 17 in Paramus, New Jersey. He soon landed a regular gig at Catch a Rising Star in New York City, where he honed his craft and was eventually spotted by a scout for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Maher made numerous appearances on the show, which was a childhood hero of his, but he eventually felt constrained by the rules of network television. During this time, he appeared in films and made guest appearances on numerous sitcoms.
In 1993, Maher was offered his own talk show by Comedy Central, which he developed as a round table discussion on current events. Politically Incorrect premiered to critical acclaim and attracted major celebrities, politicians, and pundits. In 1997, the show moved to ABC, where it continued to thrive. However, on September 17, 2001, Maher made controversial comments regarding the terrorists who orchestrated the September 11 attack on the US, which led to sponsors pulling their ads and affiliates refusing to air the show. ABC ultimately canceled the show in 2002, citing "low ratings."
Despite this setback, Maher was nominated for 11 Emmys for his work on the show. In 2003, he was able to continue his television work with a similar program on HBO titled Real Time with Bill Maher. He remains single and lives in Los Angeles.
