Smallscreen News

Bill Maher hosts John Avlon, Rep. Darrell Issa and Sebastian Junger Friday

By April MacIntyre May 12, 2010, 21:43 GMT

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (R) speaks wtih Republican Representative Darrell Issa (L) of California before testifying at the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on \'Factors Affecting Efforts to Limit Payments to AIG Counterparties\', on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, USA, 27 January 2009. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Bill Maher's Friday night salon continues May 14 as Maher brings politicians to the table for "Reak Time With Bill Maher" - now in its eighth season.

This Friday  (10:00-11:00 p.m. live ET/tape-delayed PT) on HBO with an instant replay at 11:00 p.m., will see Maher host roundtable guests columnist John Avlon, Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker and commentator S.E. Cupp; Cal. Rep. Darrell Issa and journalist Sebastian Junger are also booked as interview guests.

Last week's show featured Sara Silverman who shared her TED kerfluffle with Maher explaining why she and organizer Chris Anderson were warring on Twitter.

“I know I shouldn’t say this about one of my own speakers,” Anderson said on Twitter, “but I thought Sarah Silverman was god-awful…”  Anderson subsequently deleted his tweet, but Silverman shared with Maher that she hit back saying “Kudos to @TEDChris for making TED an unsafe haven for all! You’re a barnacle of mediocrity on Bill Gates’ asshole.”

Maher's 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 the 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 the novel “True Story.”  Maher also starred in the 2008 feature film “Religulous,” the seventh most successful documentary of all time.

                Other HBO playdates:  May 16 (12:45 p.m., 3:40 a.m.), 17 (8:00 p.m.) and 19 (11:10 p.m.)

                HBO2 playdates:  May 14 (2:40 a.m.), 15 (9:30 a.m., midnight), 16 (7:00 p.m.) and 18 (10:00 p.m.)