Just watched Bill Maher's latest HBO Special, which is entitled "I'm Swiss," and which reruns often over the next few weeks. (It's on tomorrow night, to name one instance.) Mr. Maher has developed an annoying little giggle that punctuates many a line, as if to suggest he just thought of it and can't help cracking himself up. It's a bad habit that amateurs often apply to material of questionable mirth…a way of suggesting bogus spontaneity and implying, "Hey, even if you don't find this funny, I do." The special also has a couple of jarring edits in it. All taped stand-up specials are edited but it's usually not this obvious.
Those problems aside, I thought it was terrific. I remember Maher from his early days at the Improv. He took stage with smart material but if the audience didn't get with him by the fourth or fifth joke, he often turned on them. I think he's gotten better but he's also been discovered by a slightly brighter breed of audience.
The material is highly political and if Bush-bashing gives you gas, you might be happier watching something else. But I found myself laughing even at some stuff with which I didn't agree, and any political comic who can manage that has my respect.