Bill Maher: The Decider (TV Special 2007)

Bill Maher: The Decider (TV Special 2007). Bill Maher: The Decider: Directed by John Moffitt. With Bill Maher. Comedian, writer and politically incorrect HBO talk-show host Bill Maher takes time off from his regular hosting duties to perform a hilariously scathing stand-up set in his eighth HBO stand-up special. Taped in Boston at the Berklee Performance Center, this special features Maher's acerbic takes on a wide range of social and political issues, including the follies and foibles perpetrated on America by President George W. Bush.

“Putting aside the obvious side that might come for the die-hard fans of Bill Maher- or rather those that watch Real Time each week it comes on- that some of the material present in The Decider was first spoken on the show, whatu0026#39;s most impressive about this special is the flow of one subject to the next. As with Maheru0026#39;s other specials, particularly Victory Begins at Home, Maher has a well-rounded point to get at, but surrounds it cleverly with all of the subjects that need to be there for his delivery to work. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHis task at hand (as if the title werenu0026#39;t a given) is the Bush administration, with W much of the time revealed (shock) as a total incompetent nut-bar who gets talks from God and will have to, according to Maher, walk back to Texas once his term ends. The topics range mostly out to the wretchedly strange obsession with sex in America, with male inadequacies talked at length (itu0026#39;s hilarious to hear a recounting of a thug killer and kidnapper surrender after a ten hour talk down from Ashley Smith, his female kidnapee), and of course bits of info regarding the u0026#39;pillsu0026#39; (Rain-dance anyone?). But of course with the republicans in craze over gay marriage as an issue, and the abstinence pledges (this ends up coming back around, some pun intended, with the final tale told of a certain doctor in the administration who wasnu0026#39;t too keen on raping his wife at night (which hole, who knows?)u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMaher makes a lot of his timing based around a cynical view of politics (eg Rudy may very well be president), abortion, the environment, and cronyism, and the ultimate clutter-f*** that is Iraq. But so much of it ends up ringing true, not just because of the facts at hand- where else will you hear such stories of the real crock that are the lobbyists of Washington- but because of the sincerity in the approach to the material. A lot of time Maher ends up laughing himself at what heu0026#39;s saying, as if he truly canu0026#39;t believe some of the stuff thatu0026#39;s actually happening in this country (watch as he is perpetually embarrassed at the pile of crap that keeps coming with the administration and its u0026#39;Decideru0026#39;). u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt might seem smarmy on first sight, but seeing Maher perform after a while, even if itu0026#39;s material heard before (he actually did the u0026quot;seven minutesu0026quot; bit better in the Iu0026#39;m Swiss special), is getting an audience riled up, and laughing, at stuff that is unbelievable. It is, ultimately, smart topical stand-up of an order that can only be on HBO. One other great one-liner: u0026quot;A brain-dead woman gave birth to a baby, congrats Britney!u0026quot;”