Bill Maher appeared at a sold-out performance at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Saturday night in Clearwater, where the political satirist tore apart Republicans, "Teabaggers," organized religion and the idea of American exceptionalism in a 100-minute performance.
Coming less than 48 hours after the GOP closed out its convention across the Bay in Tampa, fans expecting to hear plenty of bashing of Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and company were not disappointed as the HBO comic eviscerated Republicans as essentially non-thinking white people afraid of changes happening in a multicultural America.
Referring to the "bullshit" that took place across the Courtney Campbell Causeway, Maher immediately seized in his opening moments on the bizarre Clint Eastwood performance at the RNC.
He said the scene was a metaphor for the entire Republican Party when it comes to judging Obama: "An old white guy arguing with an Obama that does not exist."
This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2012.