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Alec Baldwin, Chris Matthews, Garry Shandling on Maher HBO finale

By April MacIntyre Oct 15, 2009, 5:19 GMT

09/20/2009 - Alec Baldwin - The roundtable guests this week include actor Alec Baldwin, anchor Chris Matthews and Md. Gov. Martin O’Malley; Fla. Rep. Alan Grayson and comedian Garry Shandling are interview guests. © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

The finale of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" is this Friday, Oct. 16.

The show concludes its seventh season in prime time on HBO at 10 p.m., with an instant replay at 11:00 p.m.  The show's format gives Maher a platform to perform stand up, and act as moderator giving his perspective on contemporary issues.

The show includes an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with panelists, and interviews with in-studio and satellite guests.

The roundtable guests this week include actor Alec Baldwin, anchor Chris Matthews and Md. Gov. Martin O’Malley; Fla. Rep. Alan Grayson and comedian Garry Shandling are interview guests.

Maher was the creator and host of “Politically Incorrect,” which was produced by HBO Downtown Productions and debuted on Comedy Central in 1993.  The series moved to ABC in 1997, where Brad Grey Television joined HBO Downtown Productions as producers, and ended its run in 2002.

A favorite of HBO viewers since his first special on the network in 1989, Maher’s other HBO credits include six hour-long specials:  2007’s “The Decider” (nominated for an Emmy® in the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special category), “I’m Swiss,” “Victory Begins at Home,” “Be More Cynical,” “The Golden Goose Special” and “Stuff That Struck Me Funny,” plus “30 Seconds Over Washington,” two half-hour stand-up specials, and “Comic Relief VI™.”  His most recent book, “New Rules:  Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” made the New York Times best seller list, as well as best seller lists across the country.  He is also author of the books “When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden:  What Government Should Be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That?  The Best of Politically Incorrect” and “True Story:  A Novel.”  Maher also starred in the recent feature film “Religulous.”

Other HBO playdates:  Oct. 18 (1:00 p.m., 1:15 a.m.), 19 (8:00 p.m.) and 21 (11:05 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Oct. 16 (2:45 a.m.), 17 (10:00 a.m., midnight), 18 (7:00 p.m.) and 20 (10:00 p.m.)