Marc Maron Slams Netflix and Bill Maher: “That’s How Fascism Works in Business”

Comedian Marc Maron isn’t holding back when it comes to Netflix and Bill Maher. Appearing on Pod Save America (via Vulture), the WTF podcast host doubled down on his sharp criticisms, accusing Maher of chasing relevance and blasting Netflix for prioritizing profits over community concerns.

Maron, who once appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher three times, said he can no longer stomach Maher’s approach. “I can’t do it,” Maron admitted when host Jon Lovett asked about Maher. “I always had a problem with his tone. With some of the boomers, there’s this desperate chasing of relevance that completely shifts how they approach what they do. It makes the whole thing feel desperate.”

He continued: “Maher has good writers who understand his voice, but I just can’t see past the desperation—and what he’s willing to do to stay in the conversation.”

This isn’t the first time Maron has gone after Maher. Back in May, on his WTF podcast with CNN’s W. Kamau Bell, Maron criticized Maher for siding with “some of the things” Donald Trump has done in his second term. “Are you going to be like Bill Maher, saying, ‘I’m going to agree with some of the things Trump is doing’? It’s like, dude, you’re a bitch,” Maron said.

Maron has long condemned comedians and podcasters who give platforms to far-right figures. When Trump appeared on Joe Rogan’s popular Spotify podcast before last year’s election, Maron published a fiery blog post slamming “comedians with podcasts” who casually “joke around” with self-proclaimed white supremacists and fascists. According to Maron, such appearances only serve to “humanize and normalize fascism.”

During his Pod Save America interview, Maron broadened his critique to Netflix, calling the streamer’s business strategy dangerous. “Fascism is good for business,” he said (via The Daily Beast). “Netflix will co-opt anyone who can serve the algorithm. I used to joke about it—Netflix can become ‘Reichflix’ very quickly.”

The tipping point, Maron explained, was Netflix’s decision to stand by Dave Chappelle despite backlash over his anti-trans jokes. “When they got pushback from the trans community about Chappelle, they realized that it wasn’t going to affect their bottom line. So they cut them loose. That’s how fascism works in business.”

Lovett pointed out that Netflix also produces a wide range of LGBTQ+ content, but Maron pushed back: “Sure, they throw a bone with some representation. But who gets the big deals? Which shows stay on the air? Which ones get repeated? That’s them saying, ‘We’ve got this other stuff for you, but shut up.’”

Maron’s full Pod Save America interview is available to stream now.