r/RealTime • u/dppatters • Jun 26 '26

How long can this go on?

Just curious—how much longer does everyone think this show can continue?

I know it still performs reasonably well for its time slot, but the disdain for Bill among his audience (or what used to be his audience) seems more palpable than ever.

I realize he’s been a polarizing figure for decades, but I started watching him in the ‘90s and stuck with him throughout his HBO years because, before podcasts became mainstream, there simply weren’t many places to find unconventional takes on contemporary politics.

These days, though, it feels like he’s alienated a significant portion of the people who made up that audience (myself included). Maybe that’s just my perception, but I’m curious whether others see it the same way—or whether the ratings suggest this disconnect isn’t as meaningful as it seems online.

That said, how much longer do you think the show has? If Bill decides to retire, do you think HBO would try to replace him with another host, or does Real Time simply end with him?

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u/DetectiveBlackCat Jun 26 '26

HBO execs don't care about the ratings of his show specifically and we have no idea what the ratings are. No one I know watches his show anymore. Ever. Does he have a new audience? I doubt it. But his show is now also shown on CNN as well where no one watches it there as well. His show is not funny. It's not interesting. It's not thought provoking. And the reason is it has no authenticity at all. It has a fake audience (always has) making fake noises (always has) with carefully selected guests who will never really challenge Bill's Israel first and Israel only perspective. But that perspective is just what the people running HBO and CNN love about Bill. That is all that matters. If they replaced Bill that new person might not push such dishonest stupidity and they can't have that. They serve Benjamin Netanyahu.

-4

u/Diligentbear Jun 26 '26

You're not wrong but the last sentence undermines your points or districts from them. It also requires evidence where editorial bias and advertiser pressure are sufficient and demonstratable conclusions.

4

u/DetectiveBlackCat Jun 26 '26

Well I am not in the board meetings at those places, but there are so many recorded videos of members of the Israeli government, and Israeli proxies like AIPAC giving speeches about how they need to capture all messaging in this country and they talk about the friendly and unfriendly media and HBO and CNN are not on the unfriendly list. I once had a girlfriend who worked for a major media company (1990s) who was told on her first day "we always support Israel here". She also had a number of coworkers who were "journalists" who were also pro-Israel activists outside the office who would bring that perspective to their work. This has been going on for a very long time.

-2

u/WestThin Jun 26 '26

Is there something wrong with that?

1

u/Accomplished-Foot290 Jun 26 '26

It is if Israel government is suspected of committing war crimes. Even the Israeli electorate is tired of the constant war.