Stuff That Struck Me Funny

Long before he spent decades behind late-night desks, Maher’s core grievance was already dialed in: American entitlement is exhausting. The standout sequence is a pitch for a national “Bill of Responsibilities” to counterbalance the Bill of Rights, arguing that the right to freedom of religion comes with a duty not to knock on doors on Sunday morning, and the protection against unreasonable search and seizure means not doing enough cocaine to trigger an actual seizure.

Broadcast as an HBO Comedy Hour in September 1995, the set arrived while Politically Incorrect was thriving on Comedy Central. Stand-up was starting to take a back seat to hosting, but Maher was still touring and refining the smirking skepticism that would define his television career.

Much of the material is tied directly to mid-nineties headlines. He riffs on the media circus surrounding the O.J. Simpson trial, mocks voters who expect Bill Clinton to fix their emotional lives, and needles nightclub bouncers wearing communication headsets just to guard a velvet rope. Between the topical barbs, he works through conventional club routines about aggressive New York cab drivers and modern dating.