Latest news with #BillMaher
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Woody Harrelson and Bill Maher's cannabis shop hit in overnight burglary
The Woods WeHo, a cannabis dispensary and lounge co-owned by Woody Harrelson, Bill Maher and John McEnroe, was targeted in a smash-and-grab burglary. On Saturday, May 17, around 4:30 a.m., surveillance footage, shared by Elliot Lewis, the founder and CEO of Catalyst Cannabis, on Instagram captured five masked individuals smashing through the glass entrance of the West Hollywood, California, store. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed with Fox News Digital that the hooded burglars stole approximately $2,000 to $3,000 worth of merchandise from the cannabis storefront before fleeing. "Does nobody care about the people trying to build something up and they seem to only care about those trying to destroy," Lewis wrote in the caption of the video. "Make it make sense. Please bring back some common sense." Los Angeles County Da Says Nine Charged With Looting Homes In Wildfire Zones, One With Arson The following night, the same group attempted to burglarize ERBA Markets, another dispensary partially owned by the same group, police said. The group of five suspects were confronted by an armed security guard who opened fire, prompting the suspects to flee without stealing anything. Read On The Fox News App "Shots fired! Shot fired! Shots fired! That's the only way to defend what's yours in the city of L.A.," Lewis said in an Instagram reel. "Years of bad policy have led us to this. There have to be consequences for the Jack Boys. Somebody is going to get hurt. Somebody is going to get killed. Let's get some common sense and bring back some deterrents." The sheriff's department said that the five suspects were wearing similar clothing and had similar stature. Santa Monica Police Release Mugshots Of Suspects Accused Of Trying To Loot During California Wildfires The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating both incidents, and the suspects remain at large. As of now, neither Harrelson nor Maher has publicly commented on the burglaries. Fox News Digital reached out to the Woods article source: Woody Harrelson and Bill Maher's cannabis shop hit in overnight burglary
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bill Maher sparks backlash over Cassie and Diddy comments as trial continues
Bill Maher has ignited fury over his latest comments about the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial. To close out Friday night's Real Time With Bill Maher episode, the host delivered a monologue about the music mogul's ongoing trial and his thoughts on abuse and stardom. Combs is facing is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. He was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims 'to fulfill his sexual desires' between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing. 'Diddy is a bad dude, really bad,' Maher began. 'And we should lock him up and throw away the baby oil,' he continued in his signature satirical style. He then segued into discussing the trial in the context of the post-Me Too movement era, saying: 'Things have changed enough so that moving forward, the rule should be if you're being abused, you gotta leave right away.' 'Now I completely understand why in the past women often did not do that,' Maher continued. 'I understand, as counter-intuitive as it seems, why an abused woman would send complementary texts or emails to her abuser after the abuse. And that everywhere, women felt, for good reason, that O.G. predators like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein would never be held accountable. Why not at least get something out of it?' He continued, noting that the alleged perpetrators of abuse were 'surrounded by all sorts of enablers' who 'lured women into unsafe spaces,' and 'cowards who knew what was going on but didn't dare expose the person who signed their paycheck.' 'In that scenario,' Maher continued, 'it was not illogical for an abused woman to say, 'Well, if I can't get justice for my pain, can I at least get a receipt?'' Maher went on to point out that aforementioned abusers Cosby and Weinstein went to prison, with the latter expected to die behind bars. He also pointed out that post-Me Too movement reporting indicates women are more likely to speak up against mistreatment and abuse. Still, he reiterated being 'aware that it can be difficult to leave an abusive relationship.' He then said that women should go to the police right away instead of journaling in the aftermath of experiencing mistreatment or abuse. 'And most importantly, don't keep f****** him,' he said, seemingly referring to Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura's pattern of repeatedly returning to the music mogul despite the alleged abuse she experienced. After brief applause, he continued: 'Your only contemporaneous notes about what he did should be the police report. It's not victim shaming to expect women to have the agency to leave toxic relationships. Quite the contrary, to not expect that is infantilizing them.' Maher then noted that if Combs were to walk free, it could be due to the alleged text messages from Ventura 'expressing what's often called enthusiastic consent to their sex life.' Ventura's texts were cross-examined as part of Combs's trial. 'I get it. Part of the allure of the music industry is you wanna be a star,' Maher continued. 'And music is, to begin with, highly sexualized.' 'But if we're going to have an honest conversation about abuse, we also have to have an honest conversation about what people are willing to do for stardom,' he added. 'If you want a number one record on the charts so bad you'll take a number one in the face, some of that is on you.' Maher continued: 'If you're literally being held captive, that's one thing. But if you're putting up with whatever for love or for your career, then you need to have a little more honesty and accountability about that.' The Independent has contacted a press representative for Maher's show for comment. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, nearly 1 in 3 college women say they've been in an abusive relationship, and, on average, it takes a woman about seven tries to leave an abusive relationship for good. Maher's monologue prompted intense backlash from women for failing to understand the difficulty in leaving abusive relationships, with several citing the 2016 hotel surveillance video that captured Ventura attempting to flee Combs while participating in one of his 'freak offs.' 'That's insanely ignorant, we have seen in the video that she tried to leave… yes women will be believed way faster than in the past, but still the abuse is not black and white,' one woman wrote on Facebook. 'Like she tried to leave the hotel? Don't be a pig, Bill,' someone else wrote. 'Until people are in a domestic violence relationship. They had no understanding of how hard it is to get out of one. It's not as easy as it seems,' another said. 'Floored by people who do not understand abusive relationships. You don't know what was actually going on. To say she stayed for the money is probably the crulest thing to say. Bill Maher is just a jerk,' someone else chimed in. 'Of course a man would make this comment. You have no idea what it is like to be in an abusive relationship and to get out of it. You need to just shut up about something you no nothing about,' someone else wrote on X. Another shared: 'Obviously, doesn't know anything about grooming, domestic violence abuse or keeping his f****** mouth shut!' The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men's advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via
Fox News
3 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Democratic rep calls on party to tolerate dissenting ideas on controversial issues
Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., urged the Democratic Party to be more tolerant of dissenting opinions on controversial issues — such as transgender athletes competing in women's sports — during a conversation with Bill Maher on "Real Time" on Friday. Moulton argued that one of the Democratic Party's biggest problems is its intolerance of internal dissent, which has led to Republicans winning over the public on hot-button issues. The Massachusetts representative faced calls for his resignation last November after he challenged the left's stance on transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports during an interview with The New York Times. "Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face," he said at the time. "I have two little girls. I don't want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I'm supposed to be afraid to say that." Maher brought this up during his conversation with Moulton and praised him for speaking out, claiming that Democrats need to stop taking the unpopular side of "80/20" issues. The late-night host also mentioned that Moulton's campaign manager quit over his statement on transgender athletes and that people like his former campaign manager "are the problem." "The point is, we can't have disagreements in the party," Moulton claimed. "That was actually the latter half of my juicy quote to the New York Times. I just said, 'I don't want my daughter getting run over,' but as a Democrat, I'm not allowed to say that." He continued, saying, "That's the problem: we can't even discuss these issues. We can't even have a reasonable policy on trans people in sports because we're not allowed to talk about it, and Republicans just run away with the issue, and they're very extreme." Maher told Moulton that while he appreciates him taking that stance, "it's got to go further than that." "You have to be able to talk about it, and also, that guy's wrong and you're right! How about that? You're right about this," he asserted. Later on in the conversation, the Democratic representative called out his party for slamming Republicans as "weird," while simultaneously requiring members to have their pronouns listed in their email signatures. "Look, if you want to be trans, go for it. It's a free country, and you can put your pronouns out there, but don't put that on me," Moulton explained. He reiterated that Democrats need to stop taking the "20" side of "80/20" issues and expect to win over the majority of the country. "We got to actually be real with the American people — just be honest — and it's okay if you disagree, I'm fine with that," Moulton stated. "But I get to speak as a dad, that's legitimate."
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Ivy League grad Bill Maher delivers unsettling truth bomb about Trump's war on Harvard
Bill Maher said he supports President Donald Trump's campaign to punish Harvard University during the latest episode of his HBO show. The Trump administration has decided to withhold billions of dollars in grants and contracts after Harvard's leadership refused to submit to a lengthy list of demands from the federal government. 'Trump has declared full-scale war on Harvard, and like so many things he does, there's a kernel of a good idea there,' he said. 'I've been sh****ng on Harvard long before he was.' It's a curious point of agreement considering Maher is a graduate of Cornell University, a rival Ivy League school. CNN host Jake Tapper was a guest on Friday's show and pointed this out to Maher. 'You went to Cornell,' Tapper said. 'That's not why,' Maher said, laughing. 'No, it's because Harvard is an a*****e factory in a lot of ways that produces smirking f**k faces.' In a rather awkward moment, it was then revealed that Maher's other guest, Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, is an alumnus of Harvard. 'He has three degrees from Harvard,' Tapper said. 'He's a f**k face times three.' Maher's glee at Trump taking Harvard down a peg is another instance of the liberal comedian cozying up to the man he once likened to an orangutan. Last month, he had dinner with Trump at the White House alongside UFC owner Dana White and Kid Rock, who organized the meeting. Maher confirmed that Trump was a 'different' person than he'd seen in the public eye over the last decade and even the night before, when the president publicly wondered if the meeting was even a good idea. 'The guy I met is not the person who, the night before, s***-tweeted a bunch of nasty crap about how he thought this dinner was a bad idea, and what a deranged a**hole I was.' Trump's war on Harvard has recently expanded to potentially revoking its tax-exempt status and limiting how many foreign-born students it admits. The Trump administration attempted to block all international students from obtaining visas to study at Harvard, an action that was blocked by a federal judge on Thursday. Trump said this week that the school should cut its population of foreign students - a fifth of whom are Chinese - from nearly 30 percent to 15 percent. This feeds into the White House's growing fear about Harvard's opaque links to the Chinese Communist Party. For instance, officials from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) have attended public health training sessions run by Harvard's China Health Partnership since 2020. That same year, the US government slapped the XPCC with sanctions for its role in alleged human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang. Another one of Trump's main accusations against Harvard is that university leaders have fostered a breeding ground for antisemitism, making Jewish students feel uncomfortable and unsafe. A large encampment of pro-Palestine students protesting the Israel-Hamas war formed on Harvard Yard during the 2024 spring semester and lasted for three weeks. The students wanted the university to divest from the Israeli government and Israeli businesses, but the administration did not acquiesce. Even before the encampment in April and May of 2024, there were widespread protests at Harvard immediately following the Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. One such protest descended into a confrontation where pro-Palestine demonstrators surrounded a Harvard MBA student and repeatedly shouted 'shame' at him. Claudine Gay, Harvard's president during much of this turmoil, resigned in January 2025 after she refused to condemn students calling for the genocide of Jews when pressed by members of Congress. Gay presided over billions of dollars in lost potential donations from wealthy Jewish families appalled by what took place on campus. That's now on top of the approximately $3.2 billion in grants and contracts Harvard has lost out on from the federal government since Trump took office. Harvard sued the Trump administration for the federal funding freeze and denies accusations of alleged bias against Jewish students. Lawyers for Harvard also argue that the attempted revocation of foreign student visas violates its free speech and due process rights under the US Constitution as well as the Administrative Procedure Act, a law that constrains what federal agencies are allowed to do. Harvard says the Trump administration is retaliating against it because it refused to obey the government's demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the 'ideology' of its faculty and students. The federal government sent a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber on April 11 claiming that the school has 'failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment.' The letter demanded university leaders adopt merit-based admissions policies, stop admitting students who are 'hostile to American values', enforce viewpoint diversity in all academic departments, and immediately end all DEI programs. Officials explained that they wanted what amounted to progress reports on these goals sent to them so they could ensure that their orders were being followed.
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
Woody Harrelson and Bill Maher's cannabis shop hit in overnight burglary
The Woods WeHo, a cannabis dispensary and lounge co-owned by Woody Harrelson, Bill Maher and John McEnroe, was targeted in a smash-and-grab burglary. On Saturday, May 17, around 4:30 a.m., surveillance footage, shared by Elliot Lewis, the founder and CEO of Catalyst Cannabis, on Instagram captured five masked individuals smashing through the glass entrance of the West Hollywood, California, store. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed with Fox News Digital that the hooded burglars stole approximately $2,000 to $3,000 worth of merchandise from the cannabis storefront before fleeing. "Does nobody care about the people trying to build something up and they seem to only care about those trying to destroy," Lewis wrote in the caption of the video. "Make it make sense. Please bring back some common sense." The following night, the same group attempted to burglarize ERBA Markets, another dispensary partially owned by the same group, police said. The group of five suspects were confronted by an armed security guard who opened fire, prompting the suspects to flee without stealing anything. "Shots fired! Shot fired! Shots fired! That's the only way to defend what's yours in the city of L.A.," Lewis said in an Instagram reel. "Years of bad policy have led us to this. There have to be consequences for the Jack Boys. Somebody is going to get hurt. Somebody is going to get killed. Let's get some common sense and bring back some deterrents." The sheriff's department said that the five suspects were wearing similar clothing and had similar stature. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating both incidents, and the suspects remain at large. As of now, neither Harrelson nor Maher has publicly commented on the burglaries. Fox News Digital reached out to the Woods WeHo.
