Bill Maher Says Harrison Butker Backlash Is Why He 'Hates the Far-Left'

Bill Maher says the backlash to Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in 2024 is one of the reasons he "hates" the far-left in America.

For background, Butker encouraged female graduates during a commencement address at Benedictine College to value motherhood over career ambition. He also thanked his wife for her role as a stay-at-home mom.

Speaking with comedian Adam Carolla on his "Club Random" podcast, Maher explained that he and Butker are polar opposites but that he detests that other Americans on the left can't tolerate differences of opinion. 

"I defended him," Maher said. "And I remember starting out saying, ‘I have nothing in common with this guy. He’s super Christian. He’s all about the family and the wife and having kids and blah blah blah.’ And all he was saying was, ‘Shout out to the ladies who want to have kids.’ It’s like, okay, that’s your view."

Maher then criticized the hostility directed at Butker during the ESPY Awards that year.

"And then people got on stage and went like, ‘Everybody here should be happy to be here except for you,’" Maher said. "And they literally pointed him out by name in the crowd. It’s that kind of thing that makes me fucking hate the far left assholes who do that and their fucking bad attitude."

Bill Maher, Harrison Butker via Getty.

This was my exact argument at the time. Whether you agreed or disagreed with Butker, what he offered was advice. Nothing more.

Butker expressed gratitude for his wife’s decision to prioritize motherhood, which allows him to focus on his career. In his view, that structure works best for their marriage, and he encouraged others to consider a similar path.

As Maher notes, many Americans agree with that perspective.

Others do not. Plenty of women prioritize their careers. Others prioritize both motherhood and professional ambition. There is no single path to happiness, for men or women.

Still, in a culture where it is increasingly normalized for public figures to discourage young women from having children, as seen with pop star Chappell Roan, there is nothing wrong with Butker offering an alternative perspective.

Of course, far-left Americans were never truly bothered by the advice itself. They were bothered that Butker and his wife chose a lifestyle that makes them happy, while they settled for lives of outrage and misery.