Last Thursday night we attended the Bill Maher concert at the Bob Carr Center in Orlando.  The night began with dinner. Gary, Karen and Mark ate at India Village while I nibbled at Chili's for Danielle's exit party.  She's leaving the company and going over a window manufacturer as an account manager.

Below is a review of the Bill Maher show.  Please be advised that this review is PG13.   Since Bill Maher is an R rated show, I had to significantly censor the material so it is acceptable for all audiences.

CAUTION THIS IS A PG13 Rated Review

Bill Maher Website
http://www.safesearching.com/billmaher/home.shtml

Bob Carr Website
http://venueguide.com/orlando/data/t101463.htm

The Review

Bill Maher arrived on stage to a standing ovation.  Although not until 7:45, I have to assume it was right on time.  The tickets said 7:30, however, I would imagine there is a built in cushion. 

His opening quip was that he loved coming to the red states that there were inevitably blue people in red states.  The audience quickly confirmed it's left leaning stance.  If there were any reds in the audience they remained silent for the entire show.  

He immediately started on W and called him a cowboy with learning disabilities and proceeded to ponder how there could still be 32% of the people behind him.  After the loss of 2 towers, several airlines, the surplus, stem cell research etc etc... and New Orleans, how could there still be 32% approval ratings. When Bill claimed that W was like Pig Pen, the audience went wild.  

The Cronies:  One memorable offense was when Bill mentioned John Roberts.  He claimed John was obviously gay and teased the republicans for not even realizing they elected the gayest supreme court judge of all time.  Bill also associated the Supreme Court nominee and New Jersian, Alito, to the other mafia dons in his home state.  Bill continued to rag on the appointees from the right and enlightened everyone to the plight of Dr. David Hager, GYN,  the #2 guy for the FDA who is a bible thumping, scripture-toting nut.  Dr Hager claims that to ease menstrual cramps one need only to turn to prayer. Sounds like another freak afraid losing patriarchal control.  Like many of the Bush appointees, Doctor Hagar was indicted, but this time for attacking his wife (against nature...after all this is a PG site).  When DOCTOR Hager, (GYN), was given a chance to explain, he claimed he couldn't find the hole.

 The Repugs: I especially loved his argument that the republicans simply can't associate with the poor and misfortunate in America.  He used his Katrina joke about republicans believing everyone should have been able to escape harms way by simply jumping in their SUV's and trekking up to their summer homes.  He later elaborated that the republicans feel the same way about education.  He drove the point home that standardized testing just doesn't work b/c it is based on the assumption that all kids start on equal footing. Bill of course was more colorful in his explanation that republicans simply can't understand that every kid in America doesn't arrive at a clean, tidy school, with working facilities, a full belly, and parents whom love and support them.  This joke got the LOUDEST applause of the evening.  There must have been an extraordinary amount of teachers in the audience.  Perhaps Floridians know the horrors of education better than most b/c of the atrocious situation of our educational system. Bill seemed surprised that this rant received the fiercest response. 

Another great moment was when Bill recalled that Katrina relief was such a screw up, and he emphasized the absurdity that Fidel Castro offered us aid and Mexico offered us clean water.  In the typical Maher manner, the irony about clean water and Mexico was made abundantly clear. 

Probably the best metaphor was that the electorate in this country is like a male organ, and that the Dems, instead of stroking the centrists, need to 'energize the base".  This got roars of laughter, but I'm afraid on a PG site it really isn't very funny. 

Some repeat gags were his bit about republicans winning the white house b/c they stick to their wives and that the Dems couldn't say that.  Also that Gore lost for just being associated with a B.J. (hey this is a PG rated site).  He also repeated his bit from real time about bird flu and that he was more concerned about the fungus under his big toe.  Another repeat joke was the use of "bee keeper suits" when talking about Iraqi women and the typical jibes about Bush's 7 minute delay on 911 reading "My Pet Goat."  This time however Maher took a twist and ragged on the media for giving Bush's excuses credence.  

The overriding theme of the show was how Americans seem unable to distinguish between inconsequential fluff and substantial news information.  Bill ranted repeatedly on the inability of the media, the electorate and the politicians to espouse the truly meritorious issues.  The poster child example being the republican’s witch hunt of Clinton. However, also on defense were the Terry Shiavo crusade, avian flu, and the numerous other wag the dog escapades. Come on people, why do we get so easily distracted.