Bill Maher Hits Back After ‘AGT’s Howie Mandel Makes ‘Offensive’ Comment

America’s Got Talent judge Howie Mandel told Bill Maher to his face that they’re not the same, saying they have different attitudes toward offending others.

Maher invited Mandel onto the latest episode of his Club Random podcast and told the 70-year-old comedian that he should feel free to express himself however he wants. The Real Time host said Mandel has so much money that he is “set for life,” adding, “I guess my point is like even if they all canceled you tomorrow, you’re not going to be driving an Uber.”

“So, isn’t the freedom to say whatever the f*** you want, at 70… shouldn’t we be allowed?” Maher, who is also 70, continued. “There’s a lot of bad things about being older. You know what’s the great thing? You’re allowed to be cranky. It’s almost expected.”

Mandel, who, in addition to 17 seasons of AGT, also hosted Deal or No Deal from 2005 to 2019, said he agreed with Maher to an extent. However, he added, “Here is where you and I are different. I really am concerned with how I affect others.”

Maher laughed and replied, “That’s kind of offensive to me.”

“Is it?” Mandel asked.

“‘Here’s how we’re different: I care about others,'” Maher mocked.

Mandel tried to defend his point, explaining, “No, but if you are right, you don’t care if you have offended somebody…”

“True…,” Maher responded. “It’s not my aim, but it doesn’t supersede being honest. Correct.”

Mandel said that isn’t how he operates, stating, “For me, if somebody says they were incredibly offended, their kids were watching, and they don’t want me to represent their product anymore—it’s not about the money or losing the account. It’s more about losing their respect for me or trust in me.”

“I lost a fortune in a campaign. I’m not going to mention the company or anything. They walked away from me,” he continued.

Maher tried to claim that Mandel’s story proved “cancel culture is not dead,” adding, “Why do you worry about these people if they can’t take a joke? They’re not your kind of people.”

“But they don’t know it’s a joke. I need to get to everyone and tell them it’s a joke,” Mandel responded. “My feeling inside is I’ve let somebody down, or I’ve given them an impression that is not true—is so far from who I am.”

You can watch the segment in the video above.