Real Time with Bill Maher - Ep. #720: Paul Anka, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), TX State Rep. James Talarico

Episode Date: February 21, 2026

Bill’s guests are Paul Anka, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), TX State Rep. James Talarico (Originally aired 2/20/26) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Late Night series Real Time with Bill Ma. Today, the Supreme Court has finally said no to Donald Trump

on side. The Supreme Court said they struck down his request to have emergency powers to impose tariffs.

They said yes to pretty much everything he wanted to do, but here they finally said, you know what, don't fuck with the money. Trump took it very well.

I'm joking, of course. He went bad shit about it, of course, that it was a disgrace of these fucking courts. He's such a Karen. You know, I mean, everything he doesn't do, everything is always, I want to speak to the manager, and the Supreme Court said,

we're the manager. So, after, after this whole, year of tariffs that we've been going to, have you been thinking to yourself, you know, why didn't other presidents think of doing this and not confiding in Congress when their constitutional says they have to? They did think of it. They thought it was illegal. So they didn't do it. Now, the president says there are other ways he can get what he wants with the tariffs. I don't know what they are. But if you've ever into Washington, D.C., and you've seen that

majestic Supreme Court building, it's going to make a lovely ballroom. It's all I can tell you. Or maybe when he says that, it was just a joke. We don't know. No, that's the thing. I found this out this week. Oh, boy, did I find it out?

You have to know when he's joking. And it's not that easy. This week, for example, he was talking about Melania's movie, which actually did better than people thought. And he said, you know, she's going to be a big movie star. and there's not room in one family for two stars. Joke.

Joke. Okay, that's a joke. I think that's... Okay. Because now... See, now... Because now it's our job to tell which are the jokes

and which are the things that are just part of this sometimes bat-shit agenda, okay? We have to know this. And I didn't know. See, like, I woke up Saturday morning to... A blistering social media text from him went on and on.

Valentine's Day, by the way. He was very mad at me because I didn't get his joke about how China is going to make Canada give up hockey. I didn't. I think we're going to have to workshop that one for a while. So he went off on me

and said, you know, the dinner we had was a waste of time. Well, I didn't think it was. And then I'm a jerk, and I'm a low ratings, lightweight, and all this shit. Because I never stopped criticizing him. I never said I would. And I know how women feel now. A guy buys you dinner and then expects you to put out.

Okay? I'm not that guy. And, of course, he accused me of having Trump derangement syndrome. Okay, we're off next week. The next week our show, I think March 6th, we come back. I'm going to address this at the end. His whole long screen, yes. And prove that I don't have Trump derangement syndrome.

And a lot of other stuff, he said that wasn't really true. That, you know, I immediately asked for a dream. Okay, he immediately wanted a vodka. Okay, it was a margarita. It was not a vodka, and it wasn't immediately. I had a drink before dinner, as people do. He said, I was nervous and scared, no confidence. Bullshit.

It's so funny because, you know, I got so much shit from the left from reporting honestly that in person he was very different, very nice, very gracious. And then he says, no, he was scared. I can't... I'm like the Democrats with an election. I just can't win. can't win.

You know, I... But... President has bigger things on his mind. All the ships are in place now around Iran. Do you know this? For this, what looks like an imminent attack on Iran. Interestingly, right where we're doing this, he had the first meeting of his...

You know, he has this new Board of Peace. He had a meeting of the Board of Peace. And he told them, make this snappy. I got a war in the oven. Which I'm not against. See? I don't have trump or entrance in there. We'll see how it goes. And boy, this war, though, of this Iran thing has people very nervous. The price of gold, you know, this always happens when people went through the roof. It's over $5,000 for an ounce of gold. The other day, Sidney, was wearing gold earrings. And you had to tell somebody, my tits are down here. The other big story, I'm sure you saw this, the artist formerly known as Prince Andrew.

was arrested and held for a few hours, then let go, unlike the girls on Epstein Island. Unlike the girls on Epstein Island. And this is so interesting. They got Prince Andrew for giving trade secrets away. Child sex ring, well, whatever, but you crossed the line with trade secrets. That's apparently, Prince Andrew tipped off Epstein

that there were lucrative mining deals. to be had in Afghanistan? Oh, funny mix-up. There was a party on Epstein Island, and Prince Andrew asked if he could bring a bunch of minors. All right, we've got a great show. We have Representative Lauren Boberg and Texas State Representative James Tullerico.

But first up, he is a legend, pure and simple. If you don't believe me, watch the Paul Anka His Way Doc on HBO Max and his new album is Inspirations of Life and Love, Paul Anka. It's a major. Again, I'm seeing you.

Yes. How you doing? All right. That never gets old, does it? Never. Yeah, we do, but not that. You do. Well, that's true. I mean, people, half your age are half as busy.

I mean, you have a new album out. You have a tour. A tour you're going to go on. You're doing a Broadway show about your life. You've meddled in the Olympics, I believe, last week. Yeah. You're dating Doja Cat. Is that correct?

That's over. That's over. But she did put out your song on TikTok. Did she not? She did. Put your head on my shoulder. Put your head on. That's unbelievable.

But she didn't sing the original version the way I wrote it, which was put your legs on my shoulders. I was 17. You can relate to that, Bill. I think we can all relate to that. That sounds like more of like a doja cat song. That's pretty funny. Did you ever think you'd be on TikTok?

I mean, can you have even... I never thought I'd be on TikTok, and I never thought I'd be sitting here talking to you. When I started out as a kid, all I wanted to do was write. And I worked at a local newspaper. I was in school for grade 10 for a couple of years, unfortunately. And I started writing, and when it hit for me, once I went to New York, and I said,

this can't last. I mean, the dream just came true, and I was for four years wondering, what do I do from here? Because I really didn't believe that it was going to last for me. But the gravitas of being the writer kicked in for me.

And I realized that if you were the writer, you had a chance to last. And that's what I did. I focused on the writing. Yeah, I think one thing you do not get credit for is, you know, there was a revolution in the music industry at some point. I mean, before they said,

say, Dylan and the Beatles. That's usually who they think the revolution started with. And the revolution I'm talking about is back in the day, nobody ever thought a singer was the person who would write the songs for themselves. It just wasn't done. There was songwriters, and there were singers who did them. Frank Sinatra never wrote a song. Elvis never wrote a song.

I think he took credit on one. I don't think he wrote it. I'll leave that alone. Okay. Well, there's an old adage. when we started. Write a word, get a third. Yeah. So all of the young writers that started, anybody that added a word or two, they ripped them off and took a third. But you were writing your own material before

Dylan and the Beatles. Well, nobody would listen to me, so I was forced to writing. Right. But... And I was writing, and I realized early in the game bill, that the writer was everything, in anything. Without the writer, there are no singers, there's no lawyers, there's no agents, there's no record, companies, there's nothing. So I respect those that write and create, because without them, there wouldn't be anything that we see.

I mean, there's a few reasons why you're still out there doing it. And people say to you know, why have you lasted? Why have you? I think I can answer that. One, you can still sing. Now, I'm not going to mention names. Please do. No, because

it's not flattering. But there are some of the heroes of my youth, musical heroes of my youth, who are, you know, 70 and up. Yeah. I'm sorry they can't sing, which is unfortunate because they still sing. You can still sing. The latest album, it sounds just like you always did. I saw in the documentary, you did the new version of my way at the, it was New Year's Eve. Yes, on Times Square.

Time Square. We wrote it for the event that day. it out just like you always have. You know, you take care of yourself. And it pays off later in life, and I've always lived a certain lifestyle. I did not, you know, hanging out with the rat pack in Vegas, as I did, I learned things, what not to do and what to do. So between the drinking, the gambling, the women, and everything else, I had a choice.

And I realized those guys who were the best, Sinatra, they were the best. I learned from them. You know, every night it was cigarettes and smoking and women and everything. The women I liked, I hung in there. That's not bad for you. I loved it because as a teenager, I got really short change. You know, I was unattractive. I was shy.

I couldn't get with girls. And as soon as I had my first hit record, the floodgates opened, you know. And when you work in Vegas, there was an enormous amount of, lumbering going on that manifested itself with girls that were just incredible. They were all show girls, and it was a fun fest all the time. How did we get on to this from staying in good shape? I'll tell you why. Because I continue to do it and it keeps me in good shape.

Right. Listen, I don't want to get into ageism, but, folks, don't live whatever your age is. Forget about it. Keep the old man out. If you feel good, you take care of yourself. Just live your life, live the moment. Time is your asset. Forget about age. Do whatever you want.

Yeah, you're single now, right? Pardon? You're single now. I am single now. Single and ready to mingle? I'm, uh, are you, uh, I've always been a mingler. I mean, you... It's funny, you know, you've had so many lives when I watched this documentary.

I mean, I knew all of them, but the documentary is so great because it puts them all together. I mean, of course I knew that you were the teen idol guy. You were the put your head on my shoulder guy. And then my favorite period, because it was when I was in my 20... The 70s rat pack guy with, you know, all those great songs, good morning yesterday that time's your life having my baby oh having my baby which I could relate to

not at all but I still love the song and how about I'll never get married right what a terrible way to say what I thought but hold me till the morning yeah comes what

this guy has got it on his brain didn't But, I mean, so many great songs. But, you know, then you were also the guy who wrote my way, you know, which is... Well, Sinatra was inspiring. You know, what happened there was I had dinner with him in Florida. He was doing a film, late 60s, called Lady and Cement. I remember it.

And by that title, the guys that we worked for, it could have been a documentary. But... So he took me to dinner, and he said, I'm quitting show business. Had enough. Rat packs over. Right. I'm tired. But I'm doing one more album with Don Costa.

You never wrote me a song. Now, Costa was the guy that found me. I gave him all the credit. And I introduced him to Sinatra. And I said, really? He said, couldn't he? You never wrote me a song. You know, when I hung with him,

I wasn't going to give him puppy love or lonely boy. He would have thrown me out a window, you know. And I went back to New York, and I'm in my apartment, midnight, and I start writing metaphorically, and now the end is near. And it wrote itself. It wrote itself. Five hours later, I called him at Caesar's Palace. I said, sir, I've got something for you.

He said, bring it out. I flew out. The next night I sang it to him. He said, kid, it was my nickname, kid. He said, I love it. I'm going to do it. Two months later, he called me from a studio in Los Angeles.

He said, kid, listen to this. He took a phone, and he put it next to a speaker, and I heard my way for the first time. And it was such a hit for him, he stayed 10 more years. It always struck me... I mean, you're Canadian.

Yes, sir. It struck me on that a Canadian would write that lyric, though. Why is that? I did it my way. It's so Trumpy. You know, I did do a My Way version for Trump at Mara Lago. I used to work for him. And I wrote it for him as part.

I think it was his birthday, but there was something going on. And he announced back then he was thinking of becoming president. So I rewrote this lyric of My Way for him, which I've done all over the world from Putin, the White House. And it's something that I do with my way. So it's a song that I have fun when I rewrite it. And I'll do it for you when you get it. get married. Which means I don't have to write anything.

No, you're safe on that. But I also love the stuff you did with Michael Jackson. You know, I remember when that song came out. Yeah. Love Never Felt So Good. Well, this is It was the first one. Okay. Before Love Never Felt So Good. But Love Never Ferd is the one that I, when I said, why didn't they release that?

Michael must have been, it's high on the propofall that day. Because, oh, shut the fuck. up. Because it's such a great record. Yeah. But it's because you and he wrote it together, and then they put it in the vault, right? Well, what happened was I wrote it with him prior, and we were supposed to finish it together, but he chose to not finish the project because Thriller took off, and he, I don't want to say

stolen, he borrowed the tapes out of the studio, and I couldn't get my music back until finally we got it together. in a drawer for many, many years. When he passed, they went into his house and found all of these songs, one of which was, this is it from his special,

which was the first one. Then they called me up and said, we found another song called Love Never Felt So Good. I said, well, I wrote that also. It's, oh, then Drake heard, I had another one called it, Don't Matter to Me,

which was Michael's last record. And he came to my house and he said, I'd like to finish it with you. we finished, it don't matter to me, and that was the last record we did with Michael. So on the new album, I noticed you do three Sinatra songs. Yes. You do when I was 17. Correct.

Right. And you do, what was the other one? Let me try again. Let me try again, which I didn't realize until I read it. You wrote that with Sammy Khan. Yes. Also from a French song. That's great.

Right? Like my way. Correct. And then you redo, I mean, one of Frank's big hit, that's life. But you change the last line. This is my last question. I'll let you go. No, I don't want to go yet.

Good. But if you don't remember the single, you know, when of Franks Biggs, I've been a puppet, a pirate, a poet, I've been a pawn and a king, I've been up and down, over and around, I know one thing. That's my sex life.

Right. What I did, Bill. What I did, Bill. This album is about, Life and Love. I listened to a bunch of songs that I could put in this very special mood with a large orchestra.

The lyric of that's life, when you strip it from the rhythm and blues vibe that it had, it really played well, and we did it with the symphony in Budapest, and it's one of my favorite tracks because it's so off the wall of the chance that I took with it,

and I really like that track a lot. You changed the last line. It's iconic that last line. aren't shaking this July, I'm going to roll myself up in a big ball and die. Correct. And what did you change it to? I didn't do anything. Yes, you did.

I left it out. No, you... I said... I'm going to get on a big bird and fly. Yes, I'm going to get on a big bird and fly. Well, that's different than die. And not the... But I didn't want to end it on that kind of a note.

Okay, good. Do you really listen to that album? I love it. I love all your stuff. Thank you, sir. I appreciate your being here. We'll see you again. I hope soon.

All right. Paul Mika, ladies and gentlemen, let's lead our panel. Okay. Hey. How you doing? All right, here's our panel. He is a Texas state representative

who's currently running in the 26 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, James Tala Rica. James, wasn't a lot of information. And she is a Republican congresswoman who represents Colorado's 4th District. Lauren Bobart is here with us. How you doing?

Okay, let's get to... This was a big story today. Trump, I said a few weeks ago, I said, we're going to find out about the Supreme Court went to the tariff issue. If they go along with this, then we really do not have three branches of government. Well, I think it's good news for America, but I want to get

your opinion on that. You know, both sides change definition of words all the time. I mean, the left changed violence to anything we don't like. They change woman to... I'm not sure what, but they change that one. No one's been able to answer that.

Yeah, that's been a tough one. Trump changed emergency to anything I want to do and not have to get Congress involved. And the Supreme Court said, no, that is not how it works in this country, including two people who he appointed. Good day for America? I think absolutely. I would agree with the Supreme Court's ultimate decision here.

I don't think that comes as too much of a surprise. But the three branches of government are not supposed to work symmetrically. I don't believe that they have equal powers. They are separate and not equal. There are different functions and different roles. I do think they got it. You are right. Article 1 is Congress.

And I do think that we have a role in this. But President Trump is stopped by the judiciary branch very often. And I think this could harm America. We were seeing great results from the tariffs. But if we're going to just change the names and the terms, well, let's do what the left this politicians do what Democrats do, especially in my home state of Colorado, and call it something else, like a fee. We have taxes that these citizens vote on. However, on top of that is fee after fee after fee that no one ever takes a vote on, yet we are forced to pay whatever

that fee is. So maybe instead of- Yeah, we live in California. You don't have to tell us. Yes. So maybe President Trump just needs to start imposing these fees. Okay. You can unilaterally stop any trade that he wants and prevent anything from coming in. I think that he should be able to dictate the terms and not allow America to take an advantage of. And now for an opposing view. Well, I'm really glad that we're starting to see checks and balances in our government again. And the only thing I'll disagree with is, at least in Texas, these tariffs have been driving up prices.

A lot of people in our state voted for President Trump for one reason and one reason only, they thought he would lower costs. And people took a chance on him because they thought he would get the economy back on track. And a year later, he's done the exact opposite. And I think in large part because of these crazy tariffs, we have seen the price of food going up in our state, the price of groceries. And you add that on top of the rising cost of child care and prescription drugs and higher education and housing. it is locking people out of the American dream. And so I don't think this tariff regime has been productive. I don't think it's been useful.

And I think it's hurt a lot of people, including a lot of people who voted for the president in 2024. Administration certainly prices went through the roof. And inflation was unbearable. And President Trump has done a great job of getting the economy back to a more stable place. It's not where it needs to be by any means. And you talk about child care going up. Well, maybe that's due to some leering centers here and there.

But, you know, we've got to get this under control in a reasonable way. And gas prices are down. Food prices are going down. It was so much higher under the Biden administration. I mean, the studies have shown, maybe it's fake news, you know. They did cost the average American $1,000, the tariffs, which would make sense. And certainly there were goods that were more expensive because of that, because there are tariffs involved

or we're charging people more money. But look at the tariff on China. President Trump said, well, one of them, I'm going to charge you 20% tariffs on your goods because you are making money sending fentanyl into our country and killing American citizens. So I'm going to tariff you more than what you are making on the fentanyl

that is killing Americans. And we have seen a huge decrease in the fentanyl poisoning that was taking place. Colorado was number two in the nation for a long time. Well, like many of things he does, I mean, the idea behind it is not always bad. But you can't do it without consulting the Constitution. I just want to say one more thing, and then we'll move on to something else.

But this idea, because a lot of people stop me all the time, Bill, the world is so insane now. Well, it always has been, and yes, there is. There's a lot of insanity going on. But just to calm yourself down a little about the checks and balances thing. This is from the New York Times. Hundreds of judges around the country have ruled more than 4,400 times since October

that Donald Trump's administration is detaining immigrants unlawfully. Four thousand hundred times. Then this is from the New York Times. Lawmakers have systematically brushed off many of Trump's most severe cuts. The result is a set of annual government expenses that do not appear radically different

than what he inherited a year ago. EPA, they wanted to cut it 55. It's cut 4%. HUD, they wanted to cut at 44%. It's plus 9%. CDC, they wanted to cut at 41%. Minus 1%. Education. They wanted to get rid of it all together.

It has a 1% increase. So things are not quite as crazy as you think they are. And apparently our system is still somewhat still working. The boat is leaky, but it ain't sunk. All right, I want to ask about Marco Rubio is in Munich. This has become a big thing every year. They all go to Munich, boy.

It's like the new Iowa primary. And he said, we are part of one civilization, Western civilization. Now, I want to, first of all, say something about Western civilization. Kids, you don't know what the fuck it is. They think Western means white, and white means bad.

Kids, first of all, everything bad that white people did, people have color did it too. The Japanese before World War II and during World War II and Genghis Khan, and I could go on and on, you know. The left is very down on America, very down on the West. And it's ironic because the West has also given us everything that makes your life good here. Don't ask Billy Elish or Chapel Rhone about what the Western values are, because they'll just say it's about oppression. But it's not about oppression. It's about war. It's about rule of law.

It's about respect for minorities. It's about democracy. It's about scientific inquiry. These are all good things that came from the Western world. I wish the schools would teach that again. But Mr. Rubio said, we are part of one civilization, Western civilization, bound to another by the deepest bonds. And he mentions shared history, Christian faith, culture, heritage, language, common civilization. I want to ask about the Christian faith part, because you two are going to live.

line up against me now. I know you... You're ready for some Holy Ghost. I am... I know you two are very devout Christians. But I think we're going to find that that doesn't always mean

the same thing. I don't think Christian faith belongs in this list as much. Now, certainly, the Western canon comes through countries that had Christian faith. But it's not what brings us together. It's enlightenment values, the ones I just mentioned. I mean, I

know you disagree with this vehemently, because you think this should be a Christian nation, and Christian nationalism is now a big thing. And part of it, they've done surveys on this, and most Republicans say, we should declare a Christian nation, that this should be declared a Christian nation. I think this is absolutely not what the Constitution says.

Law is based on Christian values. Being a Christian is an important part of being truly American. I vehemently disagree with that. So, with all... Interesting. I do believe that we were founded on Judeo-Christian values, and certainly we don't need a religion as a whole to govern our country. Are you reading a quote from me?

I mean, well, yeah. You say the church is supposed to direct the government. Yes, I do believe that. I do believe that. I don't believe that... I'm tired of this separation of church and state junk. Yes, let's go there. So that is not in the Constitution, as so many people think, the separation of church and state.

No. This is Jefferson. No, this is in the federalists. This is in letters that Jefferson had written. This is not in the Constitution. And I'm not talking about the first. No, I'm not talking about the First Amendment. It does not say separation of church and state there. Not in those words.

And so we don't want a church state and say this is the religion you must follow. I absolutely believe in freedom. of religion, but where are we going to, as a whole, get our morals from? And that's what our country being founded on Judeo-Christian values, gave us a sense of agreement of these are the values, the moral standards, that we will be governed by and govern ourselves by in this new country. And I think it had a great run. And then there are so many different flavors put on Christianity

and so many different viewpoints that it certainly has been diluted. and then you get a mix of other religions in, which is fine. So being Christian is an important part of being truly American. You would also disagree with that. I do believe that that goes to the roots of our foundation. Absolutely. Our founding fathers were Christians. But you can be truly American without being Christian.

You certainly can. And I do think that it's... It's a first one, Bill. Where do you stand on all this? Well, you know, my granddad was a Baptist preacher in South Texas. My faith is very important to me. He told me when I was real little that as Christians were supposed to follow Jesus' two commandments to love God and love neighbor.

And there was no exception to that second commandment. Love thy neighbor regardless of race or gender or sexual orientation or immigration status or religious affiliation. And so in Texas, I'm constantly battling Christian nationalism, a bill that forces every public school teacher to put up a poster of the Ten Commandments. A bill that replaces school counselors with untrained chaplains. A bill that would have taught Christian Bible stories as historical fact to our youngest students. And I always speak up on behalf of my Jewish-Muslim, Buddhist-seek, agnostic atheist neighbors, because I, as a Christian, we as Christians, are called to love them as ourselves.

And forcing my religion down their throats is not love. And one only thing I'll add. America is not a Christian nation. It is a nation where you are free to be a Christian, or any of those other faiths, or no faith at all. I just like that. And I recognize that the phrase separation of church and state isn't in the Constitution,

but the establishment clause and the free exercise clause in our First Amendment clearly create a separation between church and state. And many of our founders were DIA, which I think a lot of the far right, the religious right in this country would probably call them not real Christians, given their beliefs. And yes, they blended enlightenment thinking with a Christian background into something that I think a lot of far right Christian leaders would not recognize in this day and age. So I think it's just important that we remember our true history and we try to honor that promise of America of a melting pot of eating. pluribusunum out of many one.

It's a promise we obviously haven't ever fulfilled, but it is one that we're still trying to fulfill. Okay. I think we're done a good idea. You're battling legislation to have the Ten Commandments in school and certain biblical stories taught as fact. Well, when I went to school, there was Greek mythology that we were required to, you know, learn and study about.

Now in Colorado, we have comprehensive sex ed, where as young as kindergarten, I mean, children are taught to all of these things. You can be whatever gender you want to be, and that is being forced down their throats, the sexualization of our children. I would much rather my children see the Ten Commandments that basically just gives a moral standard rather than saying you can pleasure yourself and here's how to an elementary... Here's just what I would disagree, because I don't want indoctrination of any form, whether it comes from the left or the right in our schools. I want education, not in documentation.

Yes, can we have reading, writing, maps? And my problem is seeing politicians in Texas force everybody to put up a poster the Ten Commandments when they don't even follow the Ten Commandments themselves. And that is the problem. To me, I just think, as people are faith, like, we should be trying to follow those Ten Commandments rather than trying to force people to put up a poster

because to me that indicates a dead religion. If you have to force people to put up a poster to prove your legitimacy, that means we don't have a living faith anymore. Sure. And so I think this is not just a threat to democracy. I think it's a threat to the church because that separation doesn't just protect the state. It protects the church.

Because when the church gets too cozy with political power, it loses its prophetic voice, its ability to speak truth to power. And that's what that separation is what it protects. And it's why Christians, including many Protestant Christians, fought for that separation because they believed it benefited them. We've got to get back to that in this case. So there was a very important development. This last week that I have to mention,

Robert Kennedy went on a podcast, and he said, I'm not scared of a... He said, I'm not scared of a germ. You know, I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats. Did I mention he is the Secretary of Health and Human Services? He didn't inhale. Bill, he didn't inhale. Even the worm in his brain went.

That's dude. That's gross, dude. So it's just pointing to this, I think, important fact, which is that this is the way politicians act nowadays. I don't know about you two, but it's like you have to get ahead. People like emo these days. They like you to be confessional. They like to know about your personal life.

It used to be you had to be buttoned down and deny and be this separate person. No, they don't like that. They like it just like we do in show business. Tell them everything. So we have found out that a lot of other people have been going on podcasts and giving their confessions. Would you like to see some of the ones? These are all people getting ahead of the game, boy.

Like Chris Christie took a page out of Robert Kennedy's book, and he said, I once ate half a jelly donut I found on a porta-potty floor. You see that? It's way ahead of this. The Pope said, I find communion wafers dry, but they're still better than Chicago-style pizza. Mondani, the mayor of New York, said, I always cry at the end of red dawn.

Oh, Hillary Clinton said, during the Benghazi attack, I turned my phone off to watch dance moms. Our governor, Gavin Newsom, said, anyone can be a sex addict in L.A. Talk to me after you've been a sex addict in Sacramento. Pete Hengseth said, I'll vote for AOC just because she used to be a bartender. Lindsay Graham, I dressed up like Mugger Robbie's character to see Wuthering Heights. Well, that could have been for any reason.

We don't know what that means. We don't know. Oh, the president, Donald Trump, said, sometimes I truth out long takedowns of my friends if they don't text me back quickly enough. Travis Kelsey said, I'm sick of finding cat hair all over every fucking thing. Kanye, this whole time I've had Jews confused with Italians.

And bad bunny, to be honest, I can't even understand what I'm saying. All right, so, on this. One more thing about religion. And before I do, I want to say, you know, people know you now. They are getting to know you. I'm just getting to know you. And you're just running in the primary.

You're just running in the primary in Texas. Not even the main battle. Why did you catch fire so much? And why are you not Beto 2.0? I mean, because people are always saying Texas is going to turn Texas and blue, and now you're the newest guy to do that. What is it? What do you think that has got to be?

everybody's so interested in you? Well, I'm an eighth-generation Texan, so my family's been in the state since it was Mexico, and we are seeing a growing backlash to the extremism and the corruption in our government all over the state. I have been traveling every corner of Texas. So many people have been coming out to these events, particularly a lot of young people, and I can't tell you how many people come up to me afterwards and whisper, I'm not a Democrat, like it's some kind of secret. And so we are, I think, trying to build a movement that includes Democrats, independents, and Republicans to try to take back our state and take back our country. And there are a lot of people across our state that really want someone who's going to focus on them for once. Because right now you've got people in high elected office who seem more concerned with patting their bank accounts or accumulating more power.

And no one seems to be trying to make life easier and better for people. And I've served for four terms in the state house in Texas as a Democrat, which is not an easy place to work in the Texas legislature. And I've stood up to my Republican colleagues when I feel like they're doing harmful things. But I also know how to work across the aisle that actually get stuff done. So if you get elected, you'll be working together. Can you work together? Yeah.

First I want to ask, do you ever stand up to your Democrat party? I do. Because sometimes that is the most difficult thing to do. And I have stood up to my own party on issues more than I have Democrats. Right. And, you know, and I do. want to congratulate you on, you know, the success so far in your campaign. Maybe I should endorse Jasmine Crockett so you could do a little better. Um, but, um, you know, just my official endorsement,

but that's who you're running again. Jasmine Crockett. Right. And I do think that is why he and the Democrat portion of this primary is doing so well, because his opponent is so radical, so extreme. Um, just a false identity, came from one place, pretends to be from another. And, and, And it's just so radical and extreme. Now, I want John Cornyn out. I do not want him in this Senate. He's not conservative enough for you. No.

Wow. No, not at all. Me neither. And... But again, him out. You know, certainly, I want a Republican to win that, you know, a tip-you-old-a-G. But thank you for doing your best to get rid of Jasmine Crockett for the rest of us. Well, I just...

I mean, I am in a primary with Congresswoman Crockett, but she and I are friends. We've served together. We do have different approaches to campaigning and politics, but we are both trying to fight 30 years of one-party rule in our state, which has led to the extremism and the corruption I was just talking about. We're trying to do that here in California, too. Yeah.

And Bill, to your point, one-party rule, whether it's Democrats or Republicans, always leads to extremism and corruption. Absolutely. Absolutely. Okay. Last issue, because I know this is important to you, and it comes up every week. And I, by the way, again, talking about taking it on the chin, I do as much as I can hear. I apologize to Q&N a couple of weeks ago. I said, you know, when it comes to this Epstein stuff, you had it brighter than me. Now, they also believe a lot of real bat-shut nonsense. But when it comes- Well, now you think it's batshit, right?

They don't eat babies. Democrats don't eat babies. You think they eat babies? There is a lot of consumption talk in the stuff. Now, are there babies? I don't know. No, you can laugh all you want. But, I mean, there is some sick stuff in here that is implying... But that's not eating babies. Maybe.

Come on. I'm not saying they're eating babies. I'm saying there is talk of consumption and it ate pizza. And I'm not saying that I am Q and on by any means. But this is deep, dark, satanic, awful, sacrificial. And this stuff is gross. See, this is what I'm saying. I, here I am

sacrificing myself saying, you know what, I was wrong Q&ON and then you don't meet me halfway. You insist they might be eating babies. Okay. Here's what it is. QAnon said there's this vast elites around the world conspiracy

to, you know, traffic kids and pedophiles and they were more right than I thought they were. Okay, so that's what I'm giving you. And it wasn't just Prince Andrew in the parlor with the dildo, okay? Q and on was wrong about one big thing. They thought Donald Trump was the one to take down this secret pedophile ring. When he has mentioned 38,000 times in the Epstein files, he flew repeatedly on Epstein's private jet and then lied about it.

He sent Epstein a happy birthday card with a picture of a naked woman talking about their, quote, wonderful secret. So the fact that Q&N thought that guy was going to take down the secret pedophile ring when he's right in the middle of it, I think was clearly wrong. Who is the president right now? President Trump.

Who signed the order to release the files? President Trump did. There was a lot of pressure from folks like you to make him do that. And I'm proud to have done so, but he also signed it the same day it was passed. To be fair, to show I don't have Trump's arrangement syndrome, This also came out that the sheriff in Palm Beach testified that in 2006, Trump called and said,

everybody knows what's going on there. When I saw, I got the hell out of there, and you should stop doing this. So, like, Trump, he's his own worst enemy. Instead of, he should have just said that. Instead of saying, I never knew him. I have my picture taken with a lot of people. He could have just said that to begin with. It would have been a much better version.

I think everyone can agree. The roll out of this was all. awful, horrendous, damaging. And now we have, what we have, you know, even when I go to the DOJ, there's still redactions underneath the redactions that I'm supposed to view completely unredacted files. Now, do I want to see underage children images of the... No, but there are names that are still redacted, and we are still working to get that information. But, you know, I'm happy with the transparency so far.

I hated the rollout of it. Glad we're here, and we're finally getting accountability. there's arrests happening, Prince Andrew to start, and I hope there's more to come. Okay, thank you very much. You guys were a lot of fun. Time for New Rules. Okay.

New Rule, the Pennsylvania Girl Scout, who shattered all records by selling over 81,000 boxes of cookies has to tell us her secret. Oh, am I kidding. We already know what it is. Location, location, location. Even more impressive, six of them were thin mint. Okay.

New World, the women who keep putting up billboards and buying ads on taxis and holding up signs in public about how they want to find a husband have to try this. Hang out at a Comic-Card convention for five minutes. You want to meet a guy, he'll be happy to find a woman. I got you. Give these players a chance, because that is a lightsaber in his pocket, and he is happy to see you. Newell, since Navidia, CEO Jason Wong, is one of the richest people on the planet. He has to buy a second-day-old. outfit. Look, I know what you're trying to say that I'm one of the cool tech titans. And it's true. This does make you look cool. In Milwaukee in the 1950s. New Rule, I know Olympic skating is an art form, but can we all admit this guy is also thinking, and after, you're going to do me,

right? New Rule, now that meta has patented a way for AI to run a dead person's Facebook account so they can continue to post and chat from after they're dead. It has to not do that. You're dead. Let someone else talk. I miss the innocent days when the phrase the internet is forever just meant don't send pictures of your dick.

And finally, new rule, since the state of the union address is next Tuesday, let's get rid of the state of the union address before Tuesday. And here's why. Nothing has misled. the American people to the warped belief that the president can act like a king more than this stupid, boring,

performative after-dinner speech from hell, where the sergeant-at-arms announces the president like he's a king. Mr. Speaker, the president of the United States. And he walks into the room like Connor McGregor heading into the octagon with members of Congress

lining the aisle like mid-a-old. evil peasants hoping to touch the royal garments, and then he proceeds to tell Congress what he wants them to do, making it look like the president is in charge of everything, and it's he who sets the agenda. But that's not what it says in the operating manual. You know the Constitution? Article 1, Section 1, all legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, not mostly, not unless the president has a really bitching idea. Nearly half the words in our Constitution are in Article 1. That's the one about Congress and all the stuff they're supposed to be in charge of.

The exclusive power to make laws, declare war, tax, tariff, even organize the other branches. Congress creates the laws. The president is just supposed to execute them, execute, like the executive of a will. He doesn't decide the deceit wishes. He just makes sure they're carried out. But you'd never know that from the State of the Union speech, which has become the president's big Etsy wish list for America. For example, in his 2023 address, Joe Biden proposed the Junk-Fee Prevention Act,

a proposal that would ban excessive fees, tax onto concert tickets, outlaw airlines from charging families of fee to sit together, and put an end to resort fees. These are all great ideas, and totally not the president's job. to propose them. Again, he's just the enforcer. If Congress passes that law, and then we find out Delta is still charging families

to sit together, by all means, Pete Higgseth, send in the 101st Airborne to crack skulls. But don't get it mixed up. The star of this movie, we call American democracy, is Congress. The president is at most up for best supporting actor. No wonder America...

It's no wonder that Americans think the president controls the price of eggs. Nearly a third think he controls gas prices and the unemployment rate. One in four thinks he has control over interest rates and consumer prices. And the hosts of Fox and friends think he can change the paths of hurricanes. Well, what do you expect when we have this big Ballyhooed annual event that looks like the president's royal wedding to himself? It's everything George Washington did not want, because Washington knew the Constitution,

and nowhere does it say the president has to get up before Congress every year and bloviate on and on, like he's the slightly drunk best man at the rehearsal dinner. It only says that he shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information on the state of the Union. In other words, an occasional status report. like a Facebook update. Washington's first state of the union was 833 words.

It was hardly worth throwing his wig on for. It lasted all of 10 minutes. Chuck Grassley barely had time to get settled in his seat. Our third president, Thomas Jefferson, stopped doing it in person altogether. As did all the presidents for the next 112 years. They just wrote a brief report, because even they understood

nobody likes a meeting that could have been done by email. Jefferson didn't want a speech to Congress because he thought it was too much like the King of England's speech from the throne and that it sent the wrong message. It did. It still does. And I shudder to think where this trend will lead and hope it is not to a president so emboldened by our royal treatment of him

that he thinks he has the right to do whatever he wants. Then I have an article, too, where I have the right to do whatever I want. Yes, Trump acts like a king, but don't lay it all on him, because we have been moving in this direction for a long time. For example, the Constitution explicitly says only Congress can declare war, but we've effectively gone to war dozens of places in the last century, and Congress only declared it twice. Otherwise, Congress treats presidents intent to send troops to fight somewhere, like a user agreement. that pops up on your phone, just click it. Just click it.

You're not going to read it. And if you did, you wouldn't understand it. And if you did understand it, it'd still be tricking you. So just click it so you can get back to watching a TikTok of a toddler saying, motherfucker. Look, we are all collectively to blame here for allowing the very design of this country to slowly become inverted.

And we would be lucky in this age of imperial presidency if some president someday didn't come right out and say we need a dictator. Sometimes you need a dictator. Oh, that's fine. All right, I give up. I give up. Well, then how about this for a reason to get rid of the state of the union? It's embarrassing.

The stunt casting, the costumes, the heckling, the dick-sucking when he's making his way to the stage. And worst of all, the advertising to the whole world, The state of our union actually is hopelessly divided. That's the real state of our union. You can tell because neither party anymore could even clap for the other one, no matter how benign this statement.

Here's Biden in 2023 saying... Political violence has absolutely no place, no place in America. And here are the Republicans sitting on their hands. That's where we are. They're politicians, and they can't even give it up for shooting us is bad. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. We're off next week and back on March 6th.

I want to thank State Representative James Tilariko, Representative Lauren Bowbert and Paul Anka. The referendum drops every Monday on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. Now go watch overtime on YouTube, if you please. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. All right, thank you, guys. Catch all new episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher.

or watch them anytime on HBO On Demand. For more information, log on to HBO.com.