“The Comedian Who Said What Others Wouldn't”

Chosen for using one of America's biggest comedy platforms to confront antisemitism and defend Israel: Bill Maher has spent decades challenging political orthodoxy, but in 2026, his willingness to confront anti-Israel hatred on the American left became impossible to ignore.

Israel was founded on the idea that antisemitism made a Jewish state necessary because Jews would never be safe without one. Can you honestly listen to this rhetoric and not see why that turned out to be true?

Bill Maher, May

On Real Time, Maher delivered one of his strongest defenses of Israel yet, calling out Democrats and progressives for tolerating antisemitic rhetoric while warning that hatred of Jews was becoming increasingly normalized.

His influence goes beyond any single monologue. Maher has remained one of the few major Hollywood figures willing to criticize both sides of the political spectrum, including his own political camp, when he believes they are wrong. In June, he was awarded the 2026 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, recognizing a career built around saying the things other people are often afraid to say.

And when it comes to Israel, Maher has made his position clear. At a time when defending Israel can come with a political and cultural price, Bill Maher has chosen not to soften his voice. He doesn't simply make people laugh. He makes people think.

That is why Bill Maher is No. 29 on The 36.