Comedian and political commentator Bill Maher tore into what he called the smug, self-satisfied culture of Hollywood after the Golden Globes unveiled a new Best Podcast category without nominating one of the most popular shows in the world, The Joe Rogan Experience.
Maher vented his frustration during the latest episode of his Club Random podcast, joined by fellow comedians Dana Carvey and David Spade. The conversation kicked off with Maher expressing disbelief over the nominations announced by the Golden Globes.
Maher asked his guests whether they had seen that the Globes had added a podcast category, before immediately criticizing the selections. He said the nominees appeared to skew heavily toward what he described as “super woke stuff,” leaving out Rogan’s show despite its massive audience and cultural reach.
After some back-and-forth joking, Maher zeroed in on what he saw as the most glaring omission. He said that while he was sure there were good shows nominated, it was impossible to ignore that Rogan was left out. Carvey chimed in, confirming they were talking about the Best Podcast category, and Maher responded by pointing out the obvious popularity of Rogan’s program.
Carvey agreed, saying Rogan’s show is widely known, a sentiment Maher echoed. Carvey went further, praising Rogan as “absolutely brilliant” at what he does. Maher agreed, saying Rogan is very good at his craft, which made the snub even harder to justify given that this was the inaugural year for the category.
Maher suggested the omission reflected what he called the “Bluesky bubble,” a reference to an insular cultural and political mindset he believes dominates elite media circles. He said Hollywood needs to get out of that bubble, adding that while he considers himself part of the same general political tribe, figures in that world are increasingly difficult to defend because of their smugness.
In one of his sharpest remarks, Maher said the town itself is the epicenter of the problem, accusing Hollywood insiders of being out of touch and self-satisfied. Carvey asked how many other liberal Democrats there are who speak as openly as Maher does. Maher responded that there are not many.
Carvey joked about a hypothetical shoe store owner in Des Moines, underscoring how rare such voices are. Maher then mentioned having dinner with comedian Andrew Schulz the night before, describing him as another example of someone who doesn’t fit neatly into the Hollywood mold. Maher said Schulz is a bit more “bro” than he is, but still a very smart guy.
The discussion underscored Maher’s broader frustration with what he sees as ideological gatekeeping in entertainment, even as new categories are introduced to reflect changing media habits.
The Golden Globes’ nominees for Best Podcast include Good Hang with Amy Poehler; Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard; Call Her Daddy hosted by Alex Cooper; The Mel Robbins Podcast; SmartLess featuring Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes; and NPR’s Up First.
For Maher, the absence of Rogan from that list spoke volumes. In his view, it was not just a snub of a single podcaster, but another example of an entertainment industry he believes is increasingly driven by ideology rather than popularity, influence, or merit.
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