Apology not accepted, Bill Maher. At least not by Al Sharpton.
Maher, who went into apology mode this weekend after using the phrase “house n—–” on his HBO series “Real Time,” was raked over the coals this week by frequent “Real Time” guest Al Sharpton, who told TMZ that Maher’s use of the racial slur was “disgraceful.”
Sharpton also said that Maher’s apology was “not enough” unless the TV host is also subjected to some form of accountability.
“I feel it was disgraceful. I have a lot of respect for Bill, he’s my friend, I’ve been on his show many times, but he is totally wrong,” Sharpton said. “This is outrageous; he must be held accountable. There is no joke using the N-word. I’ve attacked rappers for it, I went after [Don] Imus when he denigrated those young women at the Rutgers basketball team, we went after Rush Limbaugh …”
Sharpton added that he’s “very disappointed” in Maher, noting, “I think that to say it and apologize and not have some kind of accountability is not enough.”
Maher came under fire after dropping the N-word on Friday’s episode of “Real Time.” Maher referred to himself as a “house n—–” on the weekly show, after his guest Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) invited him to “work in the fields” of his home state, Nebraska.
The TV host apologized the following day.
“Friday nights are always my worst night of sleep because I’m up reflecting on the things I should or shouldn’t have said on my live show,” Maher said through a spokesperson.
“Last night was a particularly long night as I regret the word I used in the banter of a live moment. The word was offensive and I regret saying it and am very sorry,” he concluded.
In the wake of Maher’s use of the N-word, Sen. Al Franken pulled out of a scheduled appearance on this week’s “Real Time.”