Bill Maher said Monday that Ben Affleck has rejected yearly invitations to return to HBO’s "Real Time" since the actor branded Maher and Sam Harris’ comments about Islam "gross" and "racist" during a heated 2014 discussion.
Maher said on his "Club Random" podcast he had invited the Oscar-winning actor back every year and still hoped nearly 12 years later that a private conversation could resolve their disagreement.
"I love him, but we just are going to disagree on that one," Maher said. "I don’t know. Maybe if I talked to him privately, or it’s been, you know, 12 years, maybe I think there’s a middle ground."
Affleck's representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Maher's account or whether the actor would consider returning to the show. His October 2014 appearance remains his most recent visit to the HBO program.
Affleck later explained in a 2017 interview that his response came from his opposition to stereotyping people by race or faith, according to The Guardian.
"I love a good debate and I get very energized by it," Affleck said. "On ‘Real Time,’ I think people could tell I had a genuine emotional response, because I strongly believe that no one should be stereotyped on the basis of their race or religion. It’s one of the most fundamental tenets of liberal thought."
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The original "Real Time" discussion included author Sam Harris and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. Affleck rejected what he viewed as sweeping claims about Muslims after Harris said criticism of Islamic doctrine was often mischaracterized as bigotry.
"How about more than a billion people who aren’t fanatical, who don’t punch women, who just want to go to school, have some sandwiches, pray five times a day, and don’t do any of the things you’re saying of all Muslims?" Affleck said. "It’s stereotyping."
Maher defended his criticism during the same exchange by citing threats and violence tied to blasphemy and dissent.
"It’s the only religion that acts like the mafia that will f---ing kill you if you say the wrong thing, draw the wrong picture, or write the wrong book," Maher said.
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Affleck also called the characterization gross and racist. Harris said liberal critics had confused his criticism of religious beliefs with hostility toward Muslims. In a response published days later, Harris said he had distinguished among jihadits, Islamists, conservatives and other Muslims during the discussion.
Harris said during a 2022 appearance on "Club Random" that he and Affleck had privately reconciled after the broadcast. Maher said in the new podcast episode that he had not had a similar conversation with Affleck.
Maher said the enduring attention surrounding the exchange exceeded its significance as an episode of television.
"More people mention that episode to me than anything," Maher said. "It wasn’t the best episode we ever had, but it got emotional with a movie star. That’s America."