On This Day

Bill Maher's political talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" debuts on HBO

Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least…

Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least since 2015. Much like his previous series Politically Incorrect on Comedy Central and later on ABC, Real Time features a panel of guests who discuss current events in politics and the media. Unlike the previous show, guests are usually better versed in the subject matter; more experts such as journalists, professors, and politicians participate in the panel, and fewer actors and celebrities are included.

Real Time is a weekly hour-long program with a studio audience, and is broadcast from Studio 33 (The Price Is Right studio) at Television City in Los Angeles.

Historical Significance

Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least since 2015.

Key People

Bill Maher

comedian and television host

American comedian and television host

– present

Events Before

  1. Euro banknotes and coins become legal tender in twelve of the European Union's member states

    There are eight denominations of euro coins, ranging from one cent to two euro (the euro is divided into a hundred cents). The coins first came into use in 2002.

  2. 29th American Music Awards: Janet Jackson and Lenny Kravitz win. Michael Jackson receives Artist of the Century award.

    29th American Music Awards: Janet Jackson and Lenny Kravitz win. Michael Jackson receives Artist of the Century award.

  3. US President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an "Axis of Evi

    US President George W. Bush in his State of the Union address describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an "Axis of Evil," which includes Iraq, Iran, and North Korea

  4. "Blue" country and pop singer LeAnn Rimes (19) weds backup dancer Dean Sheremet (21) at Perkins Chapel in Dallas, Texas

    "Blue" country and pop singer LeAnn Rimes (19) weds backup dancer Dean Sheremet (21) at Perkins Chapel in Dallas, Texas

  5. US invasion of Afghanistan: US conventional forces first deployed as part of Operation Anaconda

    Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational military operation against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

Events After

  1. After hosting the show for over 30 years, Casey Kasem steps down as host of "American Top 40" and is succeeded by Ryan S

    After hosting the show for over 30 years, Casey Kasem steps down as host of "American Top 40" and is succeeded by Ryan Seacrest

  2. Britney Spears has her surprise marriage annulled less than 55 hours after tying the knot with childhood friend Jason Al

    Britney Spears has her surprise marriage annulled less than 55 hours after tying the knot with childhood friend Jason Alexander at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas

  3. Mark Zuckerberg launches Facebook from his Harvard dormitory room

    Mark Zuckerberg launches Facebook from his Harvard dormitory room

  4. American singer-songwriter Solange Knowles (17) weds Texas Southern University football player Daniel Smith (19) at Old

    American singer-songwriter Solange Knowles (17) weds Texas Southern University football player Daniel Smith (19) at Old Bahama Bay Resort in Grand Bahama Island; divorce in 2007

  5. Luciano Pavarotti performs in his final opera, "Tosca," at New York's Metropolitan Opera

    Luciano Pavarotti (12 October 1935 – 6 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most...

More from the 2000s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on February 21, 2003?
Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least since 2015. Much like his previous series Politically Incorrect on Comedy Central and later on ABC, Real Time features a panel of guests who discuss current events in politics and the media. Unlike the previous show, guests are usually better versed in the subject matter; more experts such as journalists, professors, and politicians participate in the panel, and fewer actors and celebrities are included.
Why is Bill Maher's political talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" debuts on HBO significant?
Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least since 2015.
Who was involved in Bill Maher's political talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" debuts on HBO?
Key figures include Bill Maher (comedian and television host).

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