I like a lot of what Bill Maher has to say about politics, especially when he's talking about the kind of folks — politicians, pundits — that he comes into contact with due to his show and speaking engagements. It's when he gets into talking about nutrition and medicine that he goes all Orly Taitz on us…or maybe worse because Ms. Taitz, at least, has the value of being consistently and obviously wrong. Maher sometimes sounds like he knows what he's talking about with regard to diet and health…and if you can do that and you have a TV show, you can be dangerous.
He's posted a lengthy, rambling blog post about vaccination, trying to walk back some of the stuff he's said about vaccinations, particularly the current flu shots. He says we need to have a discussion about this kind of thing and he's right. I had mine with my doctor. If you have a physician you trust, have one with that person. Don't listen to a professional comedian…or anyone else on TV, for that matter.
Just because someone can get on television doesn't mean they know what they're talking about. Years ago when I worked on a so-called reality show (I say "so-called" because nothing is less realistic than a reality show), I learned about Quote Whores. That's the industry term for them. They are, basically, people with some credentials who'll say darn near any damn thing you want if it'll get them on television. Today, if you and I were producing a show with even a modest audience and we wanted to have someone with a degree and impressive credentials come on and say that eating Tootsie Roll Pops will regenerate a severed limb, we could find one. We could get a doctor or some reasonable approximation of one to come in say that for our cameras.
And of course, even when someone who does know what they're talking about says it on television, that's generic advice they're giving out. It's not meant to apply to you, in particular. Just most people. And you're not most people. You're you. Take a look at your driver's license if you don't believe me.
You may not want to read the Maher piece. If you do, please remember that I'm not linking to it because I think he's right about most things. I just think it's interesting that he's dug himself into a bit of a hole here and he's throwing dirt in all directions, trying to get himself out. In that sense, I guess I respect the guy a lot more than the ones who dig themselves into one of those holes, realize it…and think they can get out by pressing on, trying to shovel their way to China.