Bill Maher Dares Tucker Carlson to Face Him on-Air, Says the Pundit Is Too 'Afraid' to Show Up

Bill Maher insisted he "would love" to have Tucker Carlson on one of his shows, but claimed the right-wing pundit is too "afraid" to face him.

The comedian, 69, made the admission to reporter Maya Sulkin on the Monday, December 22, episode of "The Free Press," when she asked him how he decides who to have on HBO’s Real Time or his "Club Random" podcast.

The television host told Sulkin he has, in fact, tried to coordinate a Carlson appearance, but the political commentator's people were "very squirrely" and declared, "I think it was always bulls---."

"I mean I think he’s afraid. If I were him, I’d be afraid to talk to me too," he continued, to which Sulkin replied, "Of course."

"Not that I'd be mean, I'm not mean to anybody," he noted, citing that even "The Young Turks" commentator Ana Kasparian had a good time on his show when they debated the Middle East.

"There’s nothing you can do that’s more fun than getting high with me," Maher added.

Earlier on in the episode, Sulkin asked Maher what he thinks of Carlson’s career trajectory since his 2023 firing from Fox News.

"How did he go from a pretty normal Republican to, you know, spewing complete conspiracy theories?" Sulkin inquired. "I would argue he is more than a little bit dangerous."

Maher responded by saying he assumes Carlson's evolution is about getting "clicks," sharing he doesn't think the conservative commentator actually believes the conspiracies he peddles.

However, he does think Candace Owens believes in the claims she spouts, such as the alleged government orchestrated the assassination of late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Maher also told Sulkin he wouldn't debate white supremacist Nick Fuentes — who Carlson interviewed on his podcast in late October — dubbing him a "little p----."

The former Fox News anchor, 56, was forced to defend the interview after facing major backlash, and told Megyn Kelly on her show in November, "If you don't like it, don't watch."

"You know, do your own interview the way that you want to do it. You’re not my editor. Buzz off. I mean, I don’t know," he declared. "You want to go yell at Nick Fuentes? I’ll give you his cell. Call him and go sit and yell at him and feel virtuous or whatever. That’s up to you."

Maher's remarks about Carlson come after the latter deemed the comic "one of the most unwise people" he'd "ever met."

"I don't mean that as an attack," he told told BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock during an event in Nashville, Tenn., earlier this year. "I mean, I feel sorry for him. He's almost 70 years old and has accrued no wisdom in his life."

Discussing the Politically Incorrect alum's lack of faith, he said, "I feel like [Maher] has none of that at all, so I don't listen to a single word he says ever."