(Updated with more details from tonight’s show) “That is very sad news,” said Bill Maher tonight as the nation and the world learned of the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In front of a coronavirus socially distanced live audience on Friday, the Real Time host and his panel were informed of the passing from metastatic pancreatic cancer of the 87-year old trailblazer as they were in the middle of filming tonight’s show.
HBO posted a clip on social media of Maher and his comedian panelists Tim Miller and Trae Crowder reacting in true real time to the death of the icon known as the Notorious RBG to many:
“First of all, before we go on to the political part of it, she was just awesome.”
News of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing arrived in the midst of our live taping this evening with @BillMaher, @traecrowder, @Timodc and @JaneFonda. pic.twitter.com/sTOFnPyqff
— Real Time with Bill Maher (@RealTimers) September 19, 2020
“I’ve said it before, power begets power, this is why you cannot let a guy like Trump become President, because it’s not just about the presidency,” Maher went on to say, after having meekly joked that Happy Days alum Scott Baio could be the former Celebrity Apprentice host’s new SCOTUS nominee. “We’re going to move on, we’re going to get over it, hopefully we’re going to be OK,” Maher added with not the strongest of conviction in his voice.
Tonight’s Real Time with Bill Maher also features interviews with Donald Trump’s former legal bagman Michael Cohen and the pertinacious Jane Fonda.
The news of Ginsburg’s death came after the virtual chat with Disloyal: A Memoir author Cohen, so there was no reference to her there. However, coming after the panel where RBG’s passing was announced, Maher’s one-on-one with long time liberal activist, Oscar winner, and Grace and Frankie star Fonda did discuss the Justice’s departure, I hear.
“I’m still reeling Bill, I just heard that Ruth Bader Ginsburg died,” said Fonda in her live virtual interview from her home. “We have to be as tough as Mitch McConnell and not allow them to do one friggin thing until the election is over,” the icon stated of the GOP Senate Majority leader.
Having already stated tonight that he will move for vote if there is a nominee, the wilily Kentucky Senator holds the ability to allow or not allow Trump to appoint a new Supreme Court justice in the next 46 days before America votes.
The second woman to sit on the SCOTUS, avowed liberal Ginsburg was jokingly called the last hope of the Republic over the past years since Donald Trump became POTUS. Appointed by Bill Clinton back in 1993, the advocate and legal scholar was renowned for her dry wit and piercing court opinions, whether in the majority or the minority.
Lauded outside legal and political circle too, Harvard educated Ginsburg was the star of the Sundance debuting and Oscar nomination RBG documentary. The long serving Associate Justice was also subject of the 2018 bio-drama On the Basis of Sex with Felicity Jones portraying a RBG’s early career.
Maher was right in his blunt response tonight, Ginsburg was awesome in so many ways