In honor of Earth Day, Bill Maher asked Americans to shut up about Mars and how cool it would be to live there and start civilization anew.
“This is a dangerous idea that our culture is already too taken with — that we can keep on trashing Earth because we’ve got Mars, this fun new happening spot,” the “Real Time” host said during his HBO show Friday night.
“We need to quash this stupid fantasy that Mars is a reasonable planetary back-up,” he went on. “Movies, TV shows, magazines, this constant drumbeat to get to Mars, explore mars, colonize Mars. To paraphrase Jan Brady, ‘Martians! Martians! Martians!’”
Maher pointed out that even Donald Trump seems to favor Mars over Earth. “His budget slashes the EPA, but last month he signed a bill calling for a manned mission to Mars by 2033, which NASA estimates would cost $450 billion. Here’s a crazy idea: If we’re going to take up the challenge to overhaul a planet, let’s do this one.”
Spelling it out in “terms simple enough for [Fox News Channel’s] Steve Doocy to understand,” Maher said, “Mars is an airless, lifeless, freezing s— hole. It’s Antarctica crossed with Casey Anthony’s trunk. Just for starters. I’m a big fan of Earth-only attractions… like breathing.”
Maher, who has been vocal about his concern about climate change added, “You want to explore something cold and hard? How about facts, facts that confirm climate change is killing us but completely doable policies could reverse it. We hear a lot about putting America first; let’s put Earth first.”
Softening his tone, he said, “You’re here. You’re home. Stop looking for the Goldilocks planet. This is it. Mars doesn’t have cool breezes or trees or mangoes or butterflies. There’s no kale for liberals, no opioids for conservatives. There’s no waterfalls, no hot springs, no
“In the greatest song ever about the environment, Don Henley sang, “There is no more New Frontier. We have got to make it here.’ I don’t want to be a multi-planet species. F— Mars!”
Slapping a red baseball cap on, Maher added, “It’s time to make Earth great again!”
Watch Maher’s video above.