Bill Maher's Halloween costume

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
Make no mistake.

I think Bill Maher is one of the cleverest and wittiest political pundits we've got but his costume as the late Steve Irwin was just in poor taste.

Bill Maher attends the Playboy Mansion Halloween Party.


-tacky and not in the least funny Bill. Bad form.
 

fratpack

Legendary Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2005
Posts
7,256
Media
6
Likes
1,974
Points
333
Location
nyc
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
South Park also had their Halloween episode with someone wearing that same costume. It wasn't funny there and it certainly wasn't funny with Bill Maher.
 

Eric420

Expert Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Posts
74
Media
7
Likes
197
Points
178
Location
Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley
Sexuality
90% Straight, 10% Gay
Gender
Male
I hope someone stabs that prick with a real barb through the heart. What a fucking prick, I will never contribute anyting to his viewership again. Though I agree with MANY of his views, this is intolerable. Steve Irwin was loved, and his death is nothing but a tragedy. I feel sad when I think of a guy who had such energy and love for life no longer blessing us with his presence. It is also a bummer to lose a man who is such a strong proponent for protecting the planet and its animals from harm. FUCK!!!

fuck bill maher. i fart in his gereral direction.
 

mephistopheles

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Posts
1,292
Media
51
Likes
142
Points
208
Location
Hell
Sexuality
69% Gay, 31% Straight
Gender
Male
I've always really loved Bill Maher.

And being some one who doesn't find mortality somber, or least bit sad, I thought the costume was funny with good timing. I guess thats one of the many, many reasons I am considered a bad person.

I give Bill Maher's costume a 8/10, while it was funny, it wasn't very well done. (Remember, No publicity is bad publicity!)

:crying:Suck it up!
 

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
'Bad person'.... oh. All right.

Being glib is fine. Being arrogantly disrespectful is just common.

It's not that I don't find mortality 'not sad'. I don't think it's a big deal personally for the one who's bitten the dust.

What I do find reprehensible is the lack of respect for those especially in his immediate family who valued the man as a human being.

Tasteless is tasteless and being "cool" or arrogant about a family's real grief has nothing to do with 'sucking anything up'.

Maher lost several strong points with me by doing that. He also lost a couple for being at a costume party at the Playboy Mansion.

But back to the thread premise; Bill only made an ass of himself.

Your "18" is showing....
 

titan1968

Loved Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Posts
876
Media
5
Likes
748
Points
313
Location
Montreal (Quebec, Canada)
Sexuality
50% Straight, 50% Gay
Gender
Male
This is the first I hear of this. What can I say that hasn't already been said?

What Bill Maher did is to trivialise Steve Irwin's death, which is revolting.
Two words come to mind when I look at that costume: disrespect and shame. What a bad publicity stunt! :mad:

P.S.: I wonder how he would have reacted had I appeared at that party
dressed as a Holocaust survivor.


'Bad person'.... oh. All right.
Being glib is fine. Being arrogantly disrespectful is just common.

It's not that I don't find mortality 'not sad'. I don't think it's a big deal personally for the one who's bitten the dust.

What I do find reprehensible is the lack of respect for those especially in his immediate family who valued the man as a human being.

Tasteless is tasteless and being "cool" or arrogant about a family's real grief has nothing to do with 'sucking anything up'.

Maher lost several strong points with me by doing that. He also lost a couple for being at a costume party at the Playboy Mansion.

But back to the thread premise; Bill only made an ass of himself.

Your "18" is showing....
 

mephistopheles

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Posts
1,292
Media
51
Likes
142
Points
208
Location
Hell
Sexuality
69% Gay, 31% Straight
Gender
Male
Your "18" is showing....

I deserve to act like a child every once and a while.

Death is an every day occurence, a lot of people feel grief, so it doesn't bother me. In many cases, such as this one, I actually find enjoyment in mortality.

And I'm allowed to act like a child, generally speaking, I still am a child.

And if I believed in a hell then I know that I would be going there.

There are very, very few people I actually respect, and even fewer who I would actually care about dying... And Steve Irwin wasn't one of them.

If we had more people like Maher I thnk the world would be a better place.
 

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
I deserve to act like a child every once and a while.

Death is an every day occurence, a lot of people feel grief, so it doesn't bother me. In many cases, such as this one, I actually find enjoyment in mortality.

And I'm allowed to act like a child, generally speaking, I still am a child.

And if I believed in a hell then I know that I would be going there.

There are very, very few people I actually respect, and even fewer who I would actually care about dying... And Steve Irwin wasn't one of them.

If we had more people like Maher I thnk the world would be a better place.

'deserve to act like a child'? Odd way of phrasing it but... ok.


Well I guess. No question it's unavoidable.

I do not for one minute deny you your inalienable right to be glib and think that death isn't something that directly effects you. Perhaps it never truly has.

What I'd like you to understand is that the things people do have impact on others most particularly when that sentiment is based in unkindness and decidedly unhuman behavior. Such is the nature of Maher's Halloween costume to me.

I'm sure you and I share many common beliefs. You seem awfully bright in a general sense.

Those beliefs will diverge however if you think that it's "cool" to be unkind.

mephistopheles said:
Death is an every day occurence, a lot of people feel grief, so it doesn't bother me.

I'm not speaking of you. I'm speaking of those people for whom you appear to have an overt distain and youthful arrogance. I would ask you then, mephistopheles, what does 'bother you'? Anything of the heart?

Remember the most appealing form of intelligence is that intelligence tempered with love, understanding, and most of all kindness. It has been my experience for what it's worth.

Bill Maher's costume was a study in poor taste. I don't necessarily expect you to understand that at your tender age where death has - perhaps - had no real presence in your life. But when it inevitably does (and make no mistake it will) I would ask you to call back to this discussion and perhaps then you will have an idea of how "uncool" I've most recently found Mr. Maher's judgment and action.

Enjoy the arrogance of youth as long as you can. It's appealing to your contemporaries I'm sure.

When it's ripped from you by inevitable circumstance you'll want someone with a modicum of compassion to be right there to catch you as you're falling "mephistopheles". Be willing to fall and trust.

It's a good thing. The compassion of the human heart may well save your life one day.
 

mephistopheles

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Posts
1,292
Media
51
Likes
142
Points
208
Location
Hell
Sexuality
69% Gay, 31% Straight
Gender
Male
But when it inevitably does (and make no mistake it will) I would ask you to call back to this discussion and perhaps then you will have an idea of how "uncool" I've most recently found Mr. Maher's judgment and action.

Enjoy the arrogance of youth as long as you can. It's appealing to your contemporaries I'm sure.

When it's ripped from you by inevitable circumstance you'll want someone with a modicum of compassion to be right there to catch you as you're falling "mephistopheles". Be willing to fall and trust.

It's a good thing. The compassion of the human heart may well save your life one day.

You make it seem like I act the way I do to look cool to my friends, and if thats what you think then you needta get a new deal, because thats not the way it is at all. I am the way I am for me, and no one else.

Why does every teenage have to be doing something to please someone else? I'll have you know I've never made life easier, or better, for anyone in my entire life. Keep that in mind.

Well then, I guess I would be a little more qualified to comment on this than I originally thought. Not only have I had 8 grandparents that have died(four grandparents, 4 great grandparents) but I've lost 2 of my good friends in the last 3 years:

Michale "Pup" Wilderman was killed at the beginning this year in a car accident, T boned by some jackass going 70 in a 25.

And the year before last year, in june, Gary "Goldman" Allen choked to death on his own vomit while laying in the backseat of his car.

And thats probably the reason I feel this way, becuase when they died I had nobody to lean on, no one to say "Oh, it'll be alright." I had to deal with it on my own. And after thinking about it, it didn't really matter anymore.

People live, people die, people are paralyzed by freak accidents and all that shit; it's really nothing special. It's not special because it was Steve Irwin, and it wasn't specal because it was two of my best friends.

There are only to people that matter to me enough so that I would be sad if they were to die: Glenn Danzig and my Father. It will happen, thats clear, but it wont be anything special.

I've yet to see this "compassion"; I've been kicked, punched, spit on, dragged through the dirt, and through it all I was alone.

Who was there for me when I was persecuted for not being a christian? No One.(and don't think it doesnt happen, because it does happen, and it happened to me)

Who was there when my friends were all dying? No one.

Who was there when I was being punished for speaking freely last year? No one.

Who has ever been there for me? No one, nothing but music.

I may only be 18 but I know more than most people will know before they're 40.

Edit: Also, dont take this in a hostile manner, that's not how I mean it, if that is how it seems to come off.
 

BarebackJack

Sexy Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2006
Posts
309
Media
25
Likes
76
Points
173
Age
63
Location
Los Angeles
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
Topical is topical, even if in bad taste.

Back in 1999 I went dressed as a throat-slashing victim to a club where 2 weeks earlier there had been a throat-slashing incident in the club's parking lot. Mixed reactions ranged from outrage to humor... thankfully the club owner thought it was not in bad taste.

And as for Maher's costume... I thought he was dressed as the guy from Alien who had the creature pop out of his chest. The 'spike' is centered on his sternum and not looking as though it goes through the heart...

Me in '99:
 

Attachments

D_Herin_Ghan

Account Disabled
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Posts
671
Media
0
Likes
4
Points
163
Sexuality
No Response
I've always found Maher to be a bit annoying myself. He makes a lot of jokes in bad taste, and just like an O'Reilly is ridiculously biased.

Bad costume, I hope people gave him shit for it. What a dick head.
 

horny8

Sexy Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Posts
69
Media
9
Likes
43
Points
238
Location
brooklyn, ny
Sexuality
90% Gay, 10% Straight
Gender
Male
Come on. It's halloween. Maybe it's just that living in NYC my whole life and seeing the outrageous parade every year makes me numb to a, to me, harmlessly irreverent costume, but I really don't think Bill Maher was out of line. In the Time Out New York Halloween issue, they were guessing what the most popular costumes would be and one of them was Steve Irwin. At the party I went to there was another Steve Irwin. It was topical and a pretty easy costume. I'm more offended that he couldn't do a better job. That costume looks like shit. Heard he has a really big dick, so that would make it all better...
 

D_Herin_Ghan

Account Disabled
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Posts
671
Media
0
Likes
4
Points
163
Sexuality
No Response
Why does every teenage have to be doing something to please someone else? I'll have you know I've never made life easier, or better, for anyone in my entire life. Keep that in mind.

Maybe you should try that sometime. I spent the entire weekend with my fraternity brothers and our partner sororities raising money for PSU dance marathon (four diamond fund), and met one of the children we were raising money for. This sixteen year old girl with leukemia, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life so far. To see her face after we raised money for her is a feeling I hope most others get to experience in their lifetime.

Well then, I guess I would be a little more qualified to comment on this than I originally thought. Not only have I had 8 grandparents that have died(four grandparents, 4 great grandparents) but I've lost 2 of my good friends in the last 3 years:

Michale "Pup" Wilderman was killed at the beginning this year in a car accident, T boned by some jackass going 70 in a 25.

And the year before last year, in june, Gary "Goldman" Allen choked to death on his own vomit while laying in the backseat of his car.

Sorry for your loss, but that has nothing to do with you being a pompous asshat..nor the acceptibility of Maher's costume. My buddy lost his parents at the same time in a car crash, a grandparent the year after, an aunt and an uncle three months after that to cancer. He is a great, well liked kid who never complains. He never, ever talks about his situation because he doesn't like people to consider him strong just because of hardship he experienced. He is far from condescending, arrogant and pompous, which cannot be said for you.



And thats probably the reason I feel this way, becuase when they died I had nobody to lean on, no one to say "Oh, it'll be alright." I had to deal with it on my own. And after thinking about it, it didn't really matter anymore.

People live, people die, people are paralyzed by freak accidents and all that shit; it's really nothing special. It's not special because it was Steve Irwin, and it wasn't specal because it was two of my best friends.

Would you go to a halloween part dressed up as your friends mangled body after the wreck?

If not, your point is invalid, hypocritical and pointless.

There are only to people that matter to me enough so that I would be sad if they were to die: Glenn Danzig and my Father. It will happen, thats clear, but it wont be anything special.

I've yet to see this "compassion"; I've been kicked, punched, spit on, dragged through the dirt, and through it all I was alone.

Who was there for me when I was persecuted for not being a christian? No One.(and don't think it doesnt happen, because it does happen, and it happened to me)

Who was there when my friends were all dying? No one.

Who was there when I was being punished for speaking freely last year? No one.

Who has ever been there for me? No one, nothing but music.

Try being a Jew in the holocaust, try being a child in Sudan, try being a tutsi in Rwanda in the 90's. You havn't had it the worst, and you shouldn't go parading around like you have.

Your bitching about free speech in high school? Are you fucking kidding me? Why the hell should not being able to speak up in high school have ANYTHING to do with the social acceptibility of that costume? Do you want a fucking medal for christs sake? Why are you parading this around like it is an accomplishment, man? I may be overly harsh right now, but COME ON dude. My dad had to take care of his entire family with a night job at the age of 19 while atending classes. (His family has 5 people in it). He went through it alone as well. He never asked for people to recognize this, and certainly didn't parade it around asking for sympathy.

I may only be 18 but I know more than most people will know before they're 40.

You are a senior in high school. That's all that needs to be said on this comment.

You think so lowly of others that you thrust yourself up on a pedestal above them. Where do you get off proclaiming this? Your arrogance is just absolutely astounding.

Guess what, I go to the number one meteorology school in the nation (Penn State) and am holding a 3.3 right now.

I know nothing compared to most of my elders.

The same applies to you.
 

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
I may only be 18 but I know more than most people will know before they're 40.

Oh dear mephistopheles. ... that quoted is proof positive you don't.

Edit: Also, dont take this in a hostile manner, that's not how I mean it, if that is how it seems to come off.

I can deal with hostility, anger, idiocy, and kindness simultaneously if need be. I also can recognize all of those adjectives at a moment's glance (or reading as this case may be).

No proviso required.

aside:

I read your entire post with great interest meph and I'd encourage you to (as Lion has illustrated) ingest these experiences and learn from them rather than to become hardened and callous from them.

I recognize the latter for what it is yet I can assure you it will not bode well for good interpersonal connections for you in the future.

I happen to like how LINitannyLion thinks given the similarity in your ages.

In essence? Glib anger and detachment serves self. Kindness and empathy serves not only to heal the self but others in the human family to boot.

The latter seems the better deal, no?

horny8 said:
Come on. It's halloween. Maybe it's just that living in NYC my whole life and seeing the outrageous parade every year makes me numb to a, to me, harmlessly irreverent costume, but I really don't think Bill Maher was out of line. In the Time Out New York Halloween issue, they were guessing what the most popular costumes would be and one of them was Steve Irwin. At the party I went to there was another Steve Irwin. It was topical and a pretty easy costume. I'm more offended that he couldn't do a better job. That costume looks like shit. Heard he has a really big dick, so that would make it all better...

Point taken horny8.

Difference is? At your NYC Halloween party there was no one as celebrated publically as the tasteless Mr. Maher.

In many areas I find him detached and arrogant much as I agree with his politics. It's not the first time I've encountered it among my "own" liberal set either. I think it's a rather unfortunate plank in our platform this arrogant detachment too.

Beyond that - and in this particular instance - I only fault Bill for his public display of poor taste. What you do with your friends in that lovely city isn't going to get splashed across the airwaves and the internet.

Wait!

You're not Andy Warhol are you? I've heard rumors he's not really dead. :33::tongue:
 

mephistopheles

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Posts
1,292
Media
51
Likes
142
Points
208
Location
Hell
Sexuality
69% Gay, 31% Straight
Gender
Male
Glib anger and detachment serves self. Kindness and empathy serves not only to heal the self but others in the human family to boot.

The latter seems the better deal, no?

I'm not saying it's better to be a bastard, an "asshat" as Lintanny to intelligently put it, I'm sure its a great thing to have people giving you condolences, and apologies, and I'm sure the all healing power of a good family is great... I'm not saying its bad.

All I'm saying is that it's not something I can do, or give to anyone. At this point it would be almost impossible, besides, I don't want to.

I've done just fine all these years all on my own. I'm a jerk, I'm an "asshat", I'm a bastard, I'm a sadist, and the list could go on and on. Let me worry about me, and what I am, and you can keep what you think about me all bottled up in your neatly wrapped minds, because I've heard it all before, and I don't care to hear it again.
 

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
While I respect your sentiments just recently stated "meph". I cannot help but read behind the words a "fuck 'em I can make it on my own" sort of detachment which is inevitably born of pain an injury.

It's no stranger to me I can assure you.

The only reason I put this thread (and Maher's photo) out there for public this board's consumption was because I could physically (PHYSICALLY) feel the pain that the inevitability of his family's seeing it must have brought to them.

Foul I say. Foul.

I have (without going into any detail) my own personal history with just this sort of callous uncaring inhumanity and I can tell you it inflicts real pain where there's been enough already.

I'd only ask that you consider others in all things you undertake.

One's actions do not only resonate in the individual. What we do (Bill Maher or any of us) has a ripple effect in this life. I don't think any real good can come of being comical or glib at the cost of another's grief.

By the way and just so you know - I don't 'feel' any way about you. I think you seem like an intelligent fellow from what limited experience I've had with you on this board.

Take that for what it's worth or what it's not.
 

mephistopheles

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Posts
1,292
Media
51
Likes
142
Points
208
Location
Hell
Sexuality
69% Gay, 31% Straight
Gender
Male
While I respect your sentiments just recently stated "meph". I cannot help but read behind the words a "fuck 'em I can make it on my own" sort of detachment which is inevitably born of pain an injury.

It's no stranger to me I can assure you.

The only reason I put this thread (and Maher's photo) out there for public this board's consumption was because I could physically (PHYSICALLY) feel the pain that the inevitability of his family's seeing it must have brought to them.

Foul I say. Foul.

I have (without going into any detail) my own personal history with just this sort of callous uncaring inhumanity and I can tell you it inflicts real pain where there's been enough already.

I'd only ask that you consider others in all things you undertake.

One's actions do not only resonate in the individual. What we do (Bill Maher or any of us) has a ripple effect in this life. I don't think any real good can come of being comical or glib at the cost of another's grief.

By the way and just so you know - I don't 'feel' any way about you. I think you seem like an intelligent fellow from what limited experience I've had with you on this board.

Take that for what it's worth or what it's not.

What about those people who gain pleasure, gratification, from someone elses greif, and real pain?

And you can read anything I say anyway you want.

"Fuck them all, I can make it on my own." See, I'm being helpful, now you don't have to try to read between my words to see it.:biggrin1:
 

horny8

Sexy Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Posts
69
Media
9
Likes
43
Points
238
Location
brooklyn, ny
Sexuality
90% Gay, 10% Straight
Gender
Male
Point taken horny8.

Difference is? At your NYC Halloween party there was no one as celebrated publically as the tasteless Mr. Maher.

In many areas I find him detached and arrogant much as I agree with his politics. It's not the first time I've encountered it among my "own" liberal set either. I think it's a rather unfortunate plank in our platform this arrogant detachment too.

Beyond that - and in this particular instance - I only fault Bill for his public display of poor taste. What you do with your friends in that lovely city isn't going to get splashed across the airwaves and the internet.

Wait!

You're not Andy Warhol are you? I've heard rumors he's not really dead. :33::tongue:

I personally don't believe in that double standard for celebs. You can put them on blast if you think they're wrong, just as you should any regular joe at the party I went to.

The guy dressed as "Steve Irwin" was kind of cute and I didn't really think much of it. After all, Halloween is kinda the spirits coming to life holiday, so maybe that's his take. As I said before, maybe I'm a bit numb. Yeah, the Steve Irwin is probably a bit fucked up, but the way he died certainly invited visuals that are the fodder for Halloween costumes. I never dress up for halloween, but I did this year. I tried to post a pic, but it's too big. My bf and I dressed up as "He loves me," two daisies with one petal left. It was nauseatingly cute. I hate dressing up. Maybe it's from having to wear a mask for so much of my early life...
 

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
What about those people who gain pleasure, gratification, from someone elses greif, and real pain?

I'd say they are the very definition of misanthropic.

Further I'd say they are the enemy as I know it.

"Fuck them all, I can make it on my own." See, I'm being helpful, now you don't have to try to read between my words to see it.:biggrin1:

Since you invite me to read anything I like from your words I will.

I see an arrogance born of youth and disenfranchisement that while you may think elevates you above others your age - in fact makes you less valuable as I see you.

I wish you luck in 'making it on your own'.

You'll live an entirely unloved life and for that I can only feel profound sympathy for you.
 

B_Stronzo

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
4,588
Media
0
Likes
134
Points
183
Location
Plimoth Plantation
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Male
I personally don't believe in that double standard for celebs. You can put them on blast if you think they're wrong, just as you should any regular joe at the party I went to.

Why thanks.

I will put them on 'blast' and I do. There is a standard to which we're all held in this world. It has subjective standard (or double standard). It simply exists as a standard in my view of things.

Dress as Jon-Benét Ramsey garotted for all I care but remember you appear the ass you are for doing so. I despise this piece of queeniness.

The guy dressed as "Steve Irwin" was kind of cute and I didn't really think much of it. As I said before, maybe I'm a bit numb.

Perhaps you are. I dislike superflous gay fellows personally.