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Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy
Promotional art for The Decider
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The Decider

Bill Maher

HBO · 2007 · 60 min

Acerbic political commentary aimed at the late-Bush era.

Bill Maher treats the late-Bush era as a massive, slow-moving target. Performing when his disdain for the 43rd president was at its peak, he spends the set tearing into the rationale behind the Iraq War and the strange cultural dominance of pharmaceutical advertising. A standout stretch on Cialis commercials highlights his talent for pulling apart media messaging, while his extended material on religion previews the arguments he would later expand into his documentary film Religulous. He paces the stage with exasperated energy, delivering structured arguments as much as punchlines.

Filmed at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston in 2007, this was his eighth special for HBO. He was four years into hosting Real Time and fully settled into his rhythm of blending monologue mechanics with long-form commentary.

The broadcast earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

The set list

4 bits

  1. Attacking George W. Bush's intelligence and executive blunders

    Unbending twisted political logic across extensive diatribes targeting the administration's missteps.

  2. Republican border policy

    Mocking the logic of constructing a 700-mile wall along a 2,100-mile long border.

  3. Conservative sex education and abstinence clubs

    Critiquing government funding for abstinence programs instead of genuine sex education.

  4. Rape joke closer

    Concluded the stand-up set with a controversial routine joking about someone being raped.

How it plays

Tone
Topical, biting, cynical, unfiltered, and political.
On stage
Cynical, sharp-witted, confident, and foul-mouthed political satirist performing in jeans and an Ed Hardy shirt.
Pace
Whizzes by at a fast clip with sustained topical diatribes.
About
George W. Bush administration, The Iraq War, Religion, Immigration, Lobbying, Sexuality and relationships

What the critics said

DVD Talk's Jamie S. Rich recommended the special as right on the money with incisive bravery and wit, though noting its heavy reliance on topical politics means its shelf-life might be short and enjoyment depends heavily on the viewer's political leanings. Audience reviewers on Letterboxd found it biting and topical, while some felt it grew tiresome and mean-spirited.

In the room: A receptive live theater audience in Boston engaged with sharp political satire.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, letterboxd.com, allmovie.com, thetvdb.com, dvdtalk.com, rottentomatoes.com, mail.michaelgiltz.com.

Backstory

Filmed in the later stages of the George W. Bush administration during public fatigue with the Iraq War and leading up to the 2008 presidential election; the title satirizes Bush's moniker for himself.

Details

Released
Taped
Berklee Performance Center, Boston
Runtime
60 min
Where
HBO
Director
John Moffitt
Topics
Before
I'm Swiss (2005)
After
But I'm Not Wrong (2010)

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