Politics

Screw all the important stuff Bill Maher says ... his interview Friday night with Jiminy Glick was howlingly funny ... and you are hereby dared to watch and not lose it with laughter.

The 'Real Time' host turned the tables during the one-on-one interview segment of the show. Bill wanted to plug his new, New York Times best-selling book, "What This Comedian Said Will Shock You," so he decided to be the interview subject.

He chose to be interviewed by Jiminy Glick (we know, it's really Martin Short,) which is a funny idea. After all, a little plug, a few laughs ... at least that was the plan.

Chris Cuomo isn't a fan of Presidential debates, dismissing them as pageantry -- but he says that's not the case with the face-off next week between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Cuomo was on "TMZ Live" Friday ... and his take is the debate will be a major test for Biden, not on policy issues but on cognition.

The NewsNation anchor breaks it down like this: If Joe steps onto the debate stage and performs well, then Trump's gonna regret all those digs, like comparing him to cartoon characters and mocking his cognitive abilities.

Stormy Daniels has gone from testifying in open court to speaking her truth onstage ... 'cause she's dived head-first into stand-up comedy -- and, TMZ's got the video.

The porn star-turned-key Trump trial witness took the stage in New Orleans Wednesday night for her show "Stormy Daniels' One-Night Stand" ... and it seems to have gone well based on the crowd reaction, who sounded psyched to see her.

SD got a rousing ovation at AllWays Lounge & Cabaret in the Big Easy -- much appreciated, 'cause she jokes she needs the love ... saying even though NOLA's one of the most dangerous U.S. cities, it's the first time she's gone bulletproof vest-free in public in months.

Russell Brand's production company got paid a nice chunk of change for performing at a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. event earlier this year ... and we're talking tens of thousands.

TMZ pulled Team Kennedy's FEC filings ... and it shows the campaign shelled out more than $68,000 to Russell's production company for "Event Entertainment - Travel Expenses" after he appeared at a campaign event for RFK Jr. and his running mate Nicole Shanahan.

Russell performed at RFK Jr.'s event in May out in Nashville -- and it was called "Night of Comedy," alongside other comedians including Rob Schneider, Dave Landau, Jim Breuer, Katherine Blanford, Jeff Dye, and Mike Binder. Russell reportedly did a filmed set where he went after legacy media and scoffed at coronavirus mandates and vax requirements.

Senator Ted Cruz is getting serious about tackling deepfake AI-generated porn with his latest bill ... which is all about forcing tech companies to do the right thing, and swiftly too.

The Texas senator came on "TMZ Live" Thursday ... telling us how the "Take It Down Act" will federally charge individuals who publish non-consensual content online -- and more importantly, mandate big tech companies to take down such content within 48 hours.

TC tells us he got the idea to propose the bill after jumping in to help a Texas high school girl whose deepfake pics ended up on Snapchat for 9 months due to a boy at her school.

Taylor Swift's private jet ended up in the crosshairs of a political protest -- environmental activists tagged multiple planes at an airfield she'd landed at ... but missed the target.

Just Stop Oil -- a British environmental activist group focused on human-caused climate change -- took responsibility for the vandalism Thursday ... confirming they were specifically going after Taylor's private plane.

The org says protesters Jennifer Kowalski and Cole Macdonald entered the private airfield at Stansted airport around 5 AM ... and sprayed paint on PJs using rigged fire extinguishers.

Louisiana's getting back to basics in its education system, 'cause a new law requiring schools to display some of the oldest written rules in every class just kicked in ... and holy cow!

The new law demands a poster-sized display of the Biblical laws hung in every public classroom in large, easy-to-read font. The bill went into effect Wednesday after the period for Governor Jeff Landry to sign or veto the bill lapsed.

The posters -- which will also include a four-paragraph statement to put them in context by explaining how the Ten Commandments used to be a core tenet of American education -- must go up in the classrooms by the start of 2025.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun got grilled on Capitol Hill this week ... and he just admitted the aerospace giant has a history of retaliation against whistleblowers.

The Boeing boss was in D.C. Tuesday -- where he was appearing before U.S. senators for a hearing meant to address all the issues at Boeing lately -- and he was asked straight-up about whistleblowers speaking truth to power ... acknowledging for a fact retaliation happens.

Pressed if Boeing fired any staffers who were responsible for the retaliation, Calhoun was unable to give any specific numbers ... but he said retaliation is a thing at Boeing and people have been fired as a result. He promised Senator Blumenthal to get him specifics.

President Biden's Secret Service keeps taking hits -- one of the agents on his detail was robbed at gunpoint during the president's fundraising trip to California.

While POTUS was rubbing elbows with celebs, Barack Obama and megadonors Saturday night in Hollywood, one of his off-duty Secret Service agents was hanging out in Tustin -- about an hour south in Orange County -- where he got a crash course in Cali crime.

Police say the agent had his bag stolen at gunpoint around 9:36 PM at a housing complex. The agent fired his gun during the incident, though it's unclear whether the robber was struck by that gunfire.

President Biden's age is once again a big talking point -- for his haters and his supporters -- after the Commander-in-Chief's awkward, and perhaps frozen, moment onstage during his L.A. fundraiser.

The prez was leaving the stage Saturday night with former President Barack Obama by his side, and Biden's detractors say his exit dragged on because he froze up ... forcing Obama to lead his once-vice president off the stage.

Biden, who had just wrapped up a 45-minute chat with Jimmy Kimmel and Obama at the Peacock Theater, was waving to the crowd, but seemed to have a blank stare ... until Obama intervened.

President Biden broke records Saturday night at a splashy, celeb-filled fundraiser in L.A..

The event -- which has already raked in $28 million -- was hosted by George Clooney and Julia Roberts, with lots of other big stars front and center.

Biden's former boss, Barack Obama was also there and sat with Biden to chit-chat about things on their mind, with the help of moderator Jimmy Kimmel.

Diddy's given back a major honor ... returning New York's Key to the City after Mayor Eric Adams requested it back in a letter, citing the Cassie assault video.

TMZ has obtained two letters -- one to Combs Entertainment LLC's office in New York and the other to his L.A. office -- addressed to Diddy from Mayor Adams saying he's "deeply disturbed" by the Cassie video.

Adams adds he stands with survivors of domestic abuse ... before noting the Key to the City is given to individuals who act as model citizens -- a standard the selection committee no longer feels Diddy meets.

Joe Biden's Los Angeles fundraiser is already attracting protests, and while law enforcement's not trying to be combative, they've got a message for protesters ... don't step out of line.

We spoke with sources in law enforcement who tell TMZ they're both ready for anything ... placing the president's safety as their highest priority.

A Secret Service official tells TMZ ... they plan meticulously for every scenario, and they've got a plan layered with redundancies to ensure President Biden's safety.

Hunter Biden has certainly been making the rounds in L.A. following his federal gun conviction ... first, he enjoyed a yummy Italian meal in West Hollywood – and now he attended the screening of a new Sean Penn movie.

That's right ... President Biden's son doesn't seem to have a care in the world – or at least that's the image he's publicly portraying -- despite facing up to 25 years in prison after a jury convicted him this week on three felony gun charges.

He's a first-time offender so he won't get anywhere near the max and there's a chance he'll get straight probation.

Father's Day should be a time to rethink parenting so kids aren't running the show at home ... so grouses Bill Maher!

The "Real Time" host bore in on the whole "Gentle Parenting" movement, where parents treat kids like right-thinking adults. Turns out cow-towing to children does great harm to the kids parents think they're nurturing. Bill notes the run-of-the-mill high school student has the same level of anxiety as a psychiatric patient in the early 1950s. Nuff said.

Mr. Maher argues the OG traditional dad, or trad dad, is the answer. Go back to treating kids like they are -- little people without judgment who need discipline and preparation for real life.

President Biden's campaign coffers are filling up with Hollywood money ... including $28 million and counting from a major upcoming fundraising event set to shatter records.

The Prez's reelection campaign tells TMZ ... 46's campaign has already raised $28 million from Saturday's fundraising event in Los Angeles, making it the single largest Democratic fundraiser in U.S. history.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us tens of millions of that figure comes from advance ticket sales for Saturday night's event, which is set to feature a star-studded lineup of celebs ... headlined by George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jimmy Kimmel, Jason Bateman, Jack Black, Kathryn Hahn, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and even Barack Obama.