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HBO 'Real Time' guest David Carr apologizes for sloping forehead remark in states slag

By April MacIntyre Jun 26, 2011, 16:49 GMT

05/17/2011 - Bill Maher - "Hardball" Interview with Bill Maher at Exposition Park in Los Angeles on May 17, 2011 - Exposition Park - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Claudio Uema / PR Photos

A guest of Bill Maher's show is under some heat about his response to Maher's estimation that his home turf of New Jersey trumped Alabama and Kansas for sophistication.

His guest, New York Times columnist David Carr, asked Maher why he was so critical of Gov. Chris Christie, asking Maher if it was because he "was fat."

"I take it very personally that I got a nice public education there," speaking of New Jersey and his upset with Gov. Chris Christie. Maher then castigates Alabama and Kansas in comparison to the Garden State for educational standards.

David Carr says, "If it's Kansas, Missouri, no big deal. You know, that's the dance of the low-sloping foreheads. The middle places, right? [pause] Did I just say that aloud?" He then tries to compose himself from laughing out loud.

RealClearPolitics has a snippet of the June 24 HBO show which reveals their exchange.

Carr took to Twitter to express his apologies.

nytimes David Carr @carr2N says:"Middle Places" Home Of "Low-Sloping Foreheads" on Bill Maher.

carr2n replies: yep. Stuck in the naughty corner for the foreseeable future. #MyBad

Statistically, Maher is 100% correct in saying his state is smarter than Alabama.

Morgan Quitno ranks 21 separate factors, both positive and negative, when determining the smartest state.

Positive factors contribute to the “smartness” of a state, while negative factors reduce the score.

Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine, Minnesota, Virginia, Wisconsin, Montana and New York rounded out the top ten for the smartest.

The top ten states tend to be in the Northeast and upper Midwest on a consistent basis.