Bill Maher Sort Of Defended Paula Deen On 'Real Time'

Last night on HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher discussed the stick of sunburnt butter known as Paula Deen with his guests, and unlike the rest of the world, which is ready to place her on a spit with a (chocolate-covered) apple in her mouth, he kind of, sort of, maybe defended her less-than-dignified, i.e. incredibly racist, actions. Maher later asked whether “we should ban rap records,” which is a surprise only because he didn’t say “hippity hop albums.” What Maher seems to forget is that it’s not just Paula’s use of the word n*gger that’s gotten the Internet riled up; it’s her slavery-themed wedding and how unapologetic and clueless she seems about why people are mad. I agree with Maher’s general point that we shouldn’t always purge everyone who does something we don’t like, but it’s not an isolated instance with Deen; it’s a habit, and her firing was richly deserved.