Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) wrote Saturday that he wished he had been “quick enough” to condemn comedian Bill Maher when the host of HBO’s “Real Time” used a racial slur during an interview the previous night.
In a one-on-one interview, Sasse appeared to chuckle before suppressing a smile after Maher used a derogatory term for black people.
“We’d have to have you work in the fields with us,” Sasse told Maher, referring to his home state.
“Work in the fields? Senator, I’m a house n*****,” Maher responded. “It’s a joke,” Maher chided the in-studio audience, who applauded in response.
“You’re still working in the fields out there?” Maher asked again.
‘Yeah, we want our kids to suffer,” Sasse said. The interview continued without a beat.
Maher apologized in a statement mid-day Saturday, as quoted by several outlets: “Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show,” he said. “Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive, and I regret saying it and am very sorry.”
HBO released a statement as well, saying to various outlets: “Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless. We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.”
A few hours earlier, in a series of tweets Saturday, Sasse called himself a “1st Amendment absolutist” but said that freedom came with a “responsibility to speak up when folks use that word.”
Am walking off a redeye from LAX.
3 reflections on @billmaher
1. I’m a 1st Amendment absolutist. Comedians get latitude to cross hard lines.— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017
2. But free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn’t good enough.
(2of4?) https://t.co/e4Bw8s8tV2— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017
3. Here’s what I wish I’d been quick enough to say in the moment: “Hold up, why would you think it’s OK to use that word?…
(3of4?) https://t.co/mQL6wMEd7W— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017
(4of4)
"…The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It’s therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don't use it.” https://t.co/kEZm5vPFHK— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017
This post has been updated to include Maher and HBO’s statements.
