Mr. Opinionated: Bill Maher Skewers the Right and the Left

If comedian Bill Maher wants a title, it could be "Mr. Opinionated." From his breakthrough role in 1993 as host of "Politically Incorrect" on Comedy Central to his current gig on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," the 58-year-old New York City native built his career on the strength of his often stridently liberal points of view.

Love him or hate him, Maher is informed. Between having a network news editor for a father and a double-major bachelor's degree in English and history from Cornell University, he's articulate on a wide range of topics. And he embraces controversy, which follows him around like a happy, drooling puppy. His snark might have you shouting at the TV, but it's unlikely to be boring.

Maher spoke with the Jackson Free Press in anticipation of his first appearance in Mississippi at Thalia Mara Hall Nov. 15.

Mississippi isn't exactly a bastion for liberal, progressive thought. What's the appeal?

I do love going to the conservative places in America, because I've yet to find a place so conservative that I can't find two or three thousand screaming liberals to come out (and) have a great time.

I don't think people understand how diverse America really is, politically, because what happens in most states is that a lot of elections aren't even contested. We just assume that certain places are not in the game, and so politicians don't go there. No politician campaigns in California because it's reliably blue. No politician (on a national level, of course) goes to New York or Texas. It doesn't really pay to try to win for the Democratic candidate in Mississippi. But the people are there. ... I've been to Alabama already twice this year; I've been to Mobile and to Birmingham. When you go to places like that and the progressive people come out, they're like doubly excited to see you, because I think they're gratified that I did not write off the whole state and went, 'Oh, you know, that's just a bunch of hicks down there.' Because I know better. It's not just a bunch of hicks. ... In this day and age, it's not really about region so much as it is about city versus country. When you're in a fairly large city, it's like everywhere else in America. They have Thai food. They have a Pottery Barn. It's not the 1950s any more.

I'm looking forward to coming to Jackson. This may be the last state that I've never played.

A lot of your fans here are upset over Alexandra Pelosi's video that depicted Mississippians as ignorant, toothless, hick rednecks.

She did a documentary ... called "Red (vs.) Blue America." I know what you're talking about. Yes, she absolutely talked tohow else could you put ittoothless hillbillies. But there are toothless hillbillies there!

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Mr. Opinionated: Bill Maher Skewers the Right and the Left