Overtime – Episode #681: Larry Wilmore, Erin Perrine

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Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates pet injuries and additional coverage and subject to policy terms. Welcome to an HBO podcast from the HBO Late Night series, Real Time with Bill Maher.
Okay, Overtime with the host, Larry Wilmore, back on the air, Larry Wilmore, and she's a Republican strategist, Axiom, and former Trump 2020 Deputy Communications Director, Aaron Perini. Okay, we didn't get to the Middle East, so let's do that right here on Overtime.
Does Trump deserve credit for the ceasefire agreement in the Middle East? Well, credit's a strong word, but I'll let you take the first crack at it. They both deserve credit.
Him saying he was going to unleash all hell, that certainly sped things up here. But I have a major concern.
This was the agreement that Biden reached over the summer. Trump has stepped in, that expedited it.
The difference now is this is not a permanent ceasefire. This is the opportunity for it to be temporary.
Because right now, the way this ceasefire, and bringing home the hostages, amazing, absolutely. This needed to be done to get people home, and I'm thankful we're doing that.
But having Hamas in the Gaza Strip, these organized terrorist organizations right at Israel's southern border, it would be like ISIS caliphate in Santa Monica bombing LA. It can't happen.
That's what concerns me. If this stays permanent, that's a big concern for Israeli sovereignty.
Yeah, that's what surprised me about it. Yeah.
It was like, I thought for sure they were not going to allow Hamas to remain as the governing... So that's the temporary portion, I'm hoping.
Well, it seemed like the part that Trump was responsible for was not scaring Hamas, which, you know, it seems like that was the case, but as much as convincing Netanyahu to do that. So maybe that's why that issue is there.
That seems a little... I'm not sure.
It reminded me a little of 1980. You might remember that.
Oh, yeah, Den of Spies. Well, what? Well, there's a book called Den of Spies right now about what you're about to say.
Yeah. I mean, as soon as Reagan came into office, this is when they had kept hostages for, I think, 444 days in Iran.
And as soon as the new guy came in, the Iranian regime let him go. Now, some people said, oh, Reagan, he's magic.
Or it's just, okay, let's turn the page. We have a new sheriff in town.
Yeah. Now, Trump is also a practitioner of the madman theory of statesmanship, which, you know, only works if they really think you're nuts.
Yes. So it really works for him.
I mean, they certainly do not want to be the country that's going to call Donald Trump's blood. You don't want to be the country that's going to have to fight out the hard way, but he wasn't joking around about whatever red line he drew.
But I think you're right, Bill. The threat is kind of scary, too.
Like, I always compare when Muhammad Ali, when he was Cassius Clay, and he fought Sonny Liston. Sonny Liston, he wasn't intimidated by Ali's, by Clay's ability.
He thought he was crazy. He showed up to his house at 6 in the morning and said, You're a big bear! Come on out! Bring that bear out of the house! He thought Ali was crazy.
Right. And so that's what intimidated him.
And so that's Trump. I think it should also be noted that they've already killed more than half the hostages.
Yeah. We're bringing bodies home to a lot of families.
To me, the double standard is always so amazing with Israel. What they have to do compared to what other people are allowed to do.
I mean, in 2024, I think that Israel was condemned 17 times and the rest of the world, six,

including Kim Jong-un, who starves his people.

Sudan just used poison gas on the run people.

Really? Nothing?

The war in Ukraine, nothing?

Okay, I'll cover that next.

Could it be perceived, someone wants to know,

as a sign of weakness that Trump has moved the inauguration inside?

Oh, yeah, I read this today. I said the cold due to freezing weather.
It's 25 degrees. I've been in Canada when people are in shirt sleeves.
Right. I'm not kidding.
In Canada, they go to the store in shirt sleeves when it's 25. I will say this.
One, the Capitol is always ready when they build out for inauguration to have a backup in the rotunda at all times.

So this is an easy transition.

They always have a plan B.

This is it.

Ronald Reagan used this plan B back in his second inaugural as well.

Listen, I will stand outside in the very, very cold,

but only for professional football games played by the Buffalo Bills.

Other than that, I will keep myself in my toasty warm house.

And for the record, it's the only time Republicans support Plan B, just for the record. Thank you.
Thank you very much. That's why I'm here, Bill.
Also, I think we all remember President William Henry Harrison.

Oh, yeah.

Numonia, months later.

Am I wrong?

No, you're not.

President William Henry Harrison, hello?

Larry, you want to explain?

WHH, right?

He got sick.

He gave the inaugural address without a top coat in 1840

and died a month later.

He was known as Tippecanoe.

Tippecanoe and Tyler too.

Yeah, Tyler was his vice president.

Because he won the battle of Tippecanoe

against the Indian Pontiac in 1806.

Yeah.

Yeah, I know.

It's shit you gotta know. You have to know these things.
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Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates Pet Injuries and Additional Coverage and Subject to Policy Terms. Thoughts on Trump.
I love this guy.com today. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates.
Pet injuries and additional coverage and subject to policy terms.

Thoughts on Trump.

I love this guy.

Just thoughts.

Sure.

Come on, get to it, people.

I'm busy.

Thoughts on Trump selecting Sylvester Stallone,

Mel Gibson, and John Voight

to be ambassadors to Hollywood.

Well, I'm trying to get the first two on this show,

so I'm for it.

And I'm getting...

Thank you. Well, I'm trying to get the first two on this show, so I'm for it.
And I'm getting it. I love that they're ambassadors.
Now they're going to be taking credit for the ceasefire. No, I think it just has to do with the fire.
Or maybe they are getting our entertainment around the world. You know, I don't know what they want to do.
But look, Sylvester, this is a better question, I think,

is can you like someone for their art and not have the same politics?

Yeah, of course.

I agree.

Oh, of course.

I'll play R. Kelly tonight if I want to.

Yeah.

But here's the thing.

And no one can say boo to me.

Mel Gibson is going to have the toughest job. You know, it's like, you're going to have to talk to a lot of Jews.
But it's going to be okay. It's going to be okay.
I think he's talked to a lot of Jews in his life. And who does he love more than anybody else? Jesus, a Jew.
That's true. That's true.
And he's a great filmmaker.

Jesus? Oh, no.

Well, I don't know.

I mean, Passion of the Christ

is a great movie. I mean, I didn't agree

with it. You know, I'm not a Christian.

Oh, Braveheart's a great movie.

A lot of movies. I'm a Republican,

so me enjoying most of entertainment

means that I'm enjoying people who I like their content

but don't like their political beliefs. Great point.
Exactly. Welcome to being a Republican.
Speaking of which, should they postpone the Oscars or turn it into a fundraising telethon, how about neither? How about just go on with life? Don't make, I mean, if you're talking about the football games, I watch the football games. It's like, look, I'm all...
This is my home. I'm dug in here.
I ain't leaving. I told Rick, I'm going to defend this shit, okay? I'm going to thug it out here.
But I don't need to hear it all the time. I wanted to watch those games and get away from it.
We heard it 24-7. I mean, I haven't been out of my house

for a bad reason, at least,

for a very long time.

I don't need to hear it

24-7. I got it.
It's bad.

And it's going to stay bad.

And rebuilding is going to be rough.

But we need a break. Sometimes we just need a break.

Sometimes I just want to see

these people, the beautiful

people who are the people who are 10 and then somehow on Oscar night they crank it up to 11. I want to see them oiled and you know, I want to have the colonic sized and golden sized, all that shit that they do and just come out here and be stupid for me for three hours.
Yeah. Thank you, Todd.
I do think, though, the sports is in a slightly different category because it's always had the community aspect to it, you know. The Blue Angels.
No, yeah. You've got to mix the patriotism with it.
I don't like that either. You do the national anthem.
You do all these things, you know. And I actually think it's a time, this is an opportunity because the Olympics are coming to Los Angeles.
And I applaud Trump for defending not moving the Olympics from Los Angeles. He's a big supporter of it staying here.
And I think this is a time when both parties can come together or just drop all the party shit. And people can really be focused to not only rebuild Los Angeles for the people that live here, but for the people that are coming to.
And for this event that's coming out, which is in a few short years. It's not that far from now.
You know, there's a lot of work to be done for so many things. As a former Hill staffer, Aaron, what were your thoughts about progressive staff on the Hill asking for a 32-hour work week? I missed that story.
Oh, yes. They sent out a letter asking for a 32-hour work week.
I have two thoughts about this. One, sure, progressives, if you want to work less on Capitol Hill, make it easier for Republicans to do their jobs.
We're all for this. And two, working on Capitol Hill is a public service, and they try to make it available to those who don't make a lot of money.
You can get your federal student loans repaid by working on Capitol Hill. That was something that started under Nancy Pelosi's speakership to try and stop the brain drain off the Hill.
Because it's much easier to make money not working on the Hill. But if you have the privilege to work on Capitol Hill, yes, the hours suck.
Yes, you will be working all of the time. But you know what? It's worth it.
It was the best career I had. I was on the Hill for six and a half years.
I met incredible Democrats, Republicans. I love the rotunda.
I'm a dork for the Senate floor. If you can't appreciate the opportunity you are given to serve your fellow countrymen in the Capitol in whatever fashion you can, because you think you work too much, you shouldn't be here.
I agree. And especially at that age.
Pete Hegseth. No funny stuff? No, I've met Pete Hegseth a couple of times.
He's always been great to work with. Okay.
Sorry. Well, my take on Pete Hegseth, I love what he wants to do with the Department of Defense.
First thing, he wants to root out DEI, even if he has to get a DUI to do it, Bill. He's going to root it out.
I just had to get that joke. That's a good one.
Yeah. Well, I mean, I see that they are fetishizing the number 47.
They ask Pete Tegseth, as you always do in a confirmation hearing, how many push-ups can you do? I mean, it's just de rigueur.

This goes back to the beginning of the Republic

when you're confirming someone,

you ask them how many push-ups they can do.

Yeah, it tripped up RGB, I think.

Instead of just saying the number,

he said, I can do five sets of 47.

Yes.

And he's kissing Trump's ass at the end of every one.

That's what really makes these push-ups so impressive. We went around.
Here's my thing about that. I said this at the end of last year.
This stuff is comedy gold. Oh, yeah.
And I go where the gold is. Right, right.
I tell this to the progressives, too. Leaders got to loot.
You make fun of liberals more than you used to. Yeah, fuck I do, because they're funnier than they used to be.
They do more stupid shit. That's what my special's about.
But I'm not going to chase every stupid thing like it matters. This doesn't matter.
It really doesn't matter. Pete Hexas doing 47 push-ups five times, or, you know, we're going to buy Greenland, or we're going to invade Greenland, you know.
When the Marines are up there raising the flag like the Okinawa pose on Greenland, I'll get worried about it. Right.
Until then, are you on that page that, like, I don't, I'm not losing my... I mean, Trump has so many distractions.
You can't. He just can't.
What are you going to chase? If you chase the car, you might get hit by, you know. When bad shit happens, and that'll be in three weeks.
All right. Thank you very much.
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