Real Time with Bill Maher

Real Time with Bill Maher
Created byBill Maher
Written byBill Maher
Scott Carter
Adam Felber
Presented byBill Maher
Theme music composerChristopher "Kid" Reid
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons24
No. of episodes716 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerScott Carter
Production locationsTelevision City, Fairfax District, Los Angeles, California, United States
Running time60 minutes
Production companiesBill Maher Productions
(2008–present)
(season 6–present)
Brad Grey Television
(2003–2020)
(seasons 1–18)
Home Box Office
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseFebruary 21, 2003 (2003-02-21) –
present
Related
Politically Incorrect
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

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. Prior to Season 20, the program aired live on Friday nights at 10:00 pm ET, however, it is now pre-recorded at 7:00 pm ET. In addition, a 10–15-minute "Overtime" segment quickly follows the show on YouTube live stream, which answers questions posted by viewers through HBO's online website for the show. The Overtime segment was added to CNN Tonight programming in 2023.

The twenty-fourth season premiered on January 23, 2026. In January 2026, HBO announced that the series had been renewed for two additional seasons, keeping the show on the air through its twenty-sixth season, which will run through the end of 2028.