Maher on Hiring New Writers: 'It’s Just Stunning How Uniform Their Points of View Are'

MAHER: “Just like in life, you don’t always agree with your friends on everything. So, it did turn out that it was okay because here I am 30 years later, still on. But I get every year when we are looking for — maybe we want new writers on our show. I love the writers I have, but you know what, I’m running a business here. I’m sorry, it’s brutal, but if I can find somebody better, that’s what I’m doing. I always serve the show first. So every year I read these packets of proposed writers and I read them this year as I do every year. It’s just stunning how uniform their points of view are.”
TAPPER: “And it hasn’t always been that way.
MAHER: “Exact — well, I don’t remember, but I don’t think it was every quite this bad. It’s the exact same point of view on every single issue. And it’s very predictable. I have a relationship with people who want to hear what I think is the truth, and I’m going to present both sides. And they may not be fair and balanced, there may not be equal weight put to each side because that’s not what the truth is. Truth isn’t always 50/50.”
TAPPER: “Right.”
MAHER: “So, I live with that. But, it’s — it gets more difficult because we’re so tribal now.”