Bill Maher Defends 'Mischaracterized' Charlie Kirk: 'Everyone's a Monster Till You Talk to Them'

Bill Maher defended late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in a newly released episode of his podcast, admitting, "Everybody's a monster until you talk to them."

Maher revealed he has agreed to give an interview and appear in an upcoming documentary about the slain MAGA influencer, who was murdered while he was speaking at a Utah college in September 2025.

“I said, yes, I’m giving them five minutes after my taping Friday night … and I told them, don’t expect me to be just saying, you know, hagiography about Charlie,” the talk show host explained.

Maher noted that while he thoroughly researched Kirk's actual statements and still disagreed with many of his political stances, the media heavily mischaracterized Kirk.

“I’m glad I talked to him,” Maher said on an episode of his "Club Random" podcast on Monday. “I do not think he was a monster, and if you look at his statements, I’ve read the full statements.”

Kirk made numerous high-profile and polarizing comments regarding LGBTQ+ individuals and Black people throughout his media career. His rhetoric frequently drew sharp criticism from civil rights organizations, while his supporters defended it as standard conservative or biblical commentary.

Kirk vocally opposed Pride month celebrations and the public display of LGBTQ+ symbols. He explicitly posted on social media that "it should be legal to burn a rainbow or [Black Lives Matter] flag in public.”

Kirk drew widespread condemnation from lawmakers and civil rights groups for publicly criticizing mid-century civil rights legislation. He once stated, "We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s," arguing that the law created an intrusive federal bureaucracy and infringed upon private property and associational rights.

Following Kirk's assassination in September 2025, Maher frequently used his platform to praise Kirk's willingness to engage in open dialogue and civil debate across the political aisle.

“Of course, because everybody is only interested in getting points for their team, they mischaracterized them,” Maher said. “But even when I read the full statement, which were accurately characterized, I still disagreed with them but it wasn’t what they presented.”

Emphasizing that he did not agree with all of Kirk’s comments, Maher said some critics were especially harsh on him, adding, “Again, it’s always in the middle. It wasn’t as bad as they said, but I still disagreed. My little motto here is, everybody’s a monster till you talk to them."

Maher, who describes himself as an "old school liberal," faces a two-front backlash: conservative critics like Megyn Kelly label him a hypocrite regarding Israel coverage, while progressives condemn his defense of the Trump administration.

He also openly feuds with President Donald Trump, frequently clashing over Trump's approval ratings, Middle East policies, and the "America 250" concert boycotts.

Trump went to Truth Social to bash Maher as a "low-ratings" host using a "fake laughing machine." Maher hit back during his monologue by pointing out that Trump's approval ratings sit around 35 percent.