Ain't that the truth.

Since I interpret the point of the comment to be that Maher is indirectly calling himself a pampered white man, this wouldn't be the best evidence of his bigotry. I can't tell from that if he has hate in his heart for black people or just poor judgment in humor.

Because he's Mr. "Politically Incorrect" and mistakenly thought it would be funnier that way in the moment.

Why did he use it? Because he blew it.

The word was also toxic then, which is why the sketch was so powerful and memorable. SNL had the balls at that point to risk a backlash, take a chance and do it anyway.

Only in that they are both attempts at humor. One well-written and funny, the other a dumb off-the-cuff quip.

Chase and Pryor's joke was well-written, brilliantly performed and made an important point. They also would never do it on SNL today.

Maher agrees with you that it was not appropriate to use a racial slur, which is why he apologized.

I'm not telling anyone it's OK or not OK. But it was an attempt at a joke, just like Chase using the word in an SNL sketch, which would never, ever be allowed to fly today.

The absurdity of a rich white man comparing his lot in life to slaves is why it was a joke, of which Maher himself was the butt.

So I guess Al also didn't care for a certain SNL sketch with Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor.

My recollection is they gave their high school.

Remember how for a few weeks, when pro football players did those self-introductions on televised games, they avoided saying they were from Penn State? After that, I guess the "too soon" manual said it was OK to admit it again.

A show on Showtime getting better. That's a funnier idea than any of the material in this episode.

Or the MADtv spoof of Cold Case, where the show took place in Philadelphia in 1976 and the murder weapon was a replica of the Liberty Bell.

That looks like a real pain in the ass, so Mike Score is probably grateful to be bald now.

Shit is good for you. Facebook, not so much.

Island native: "Boola boola!"

That seems strange, since that would give the stars of new hit shows free rein to hold up studios for huge raises.

I look forward to trying to ignore this as it plays at a way-too-high volume in my doctor's waiting room.