New Rules

Polite Musings from a Timid Observer

By: Bill Maher

Narrated by: Bill Maher

Length: 2 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Bill Maher first came to national attention as the host of the hit Comedy Central and ABC-TV program Politically Incorrect, where he offered a combustible mixture of irreverence and acerbic humor that helped him to garner a loyal following, as well as a reputation for being a hilarious provocateur.

Now, his popular new HBO television show, Real Time with Bill Maher, has put him more front and center than ever. In particular, one of the show's segments entitled "New Rules" has struck a chord with viewers. It's within his rules that Maher takes serious aim, bringing all his incisiveness, wit, and his signature exasperation to bear on topics ranging from cell phones ("I don't need my cell phone to take pictures or access the Internet. I just need to make a phone call. From everywhere! Not just the places it likes!") to fast food ("New Rule: No more McDonald's in hospitals. I'm not kidding!") to the conservative agenda ("Stop claiming it's an agenda. It's not an agenda. It's a random collection of laws that your corporate donors paid you to pass."), Maher brings these brilliantly conceived riffs to audio for the first time, along with some singularly Maher-ian "editorials", editorials nothing like the standard fare found on the pages of the local newspaper!

©2005 Bill Maher (P)2005 Phoenix Audio

Critic reviews

• Grammy Award Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album, 2006

No one is spared!

Right, left, center, red state or blue state, no one is safe from the cutting wit of Bill Maher! He didn't wait to get old to become grumpy - - thank goodness.

Maher's message

Maher targets the Christian Right's legion of hypocrites and they are unhappy at the exposure. They don't want activist judges unless the activism is the type practiced by the latest Supreme Court nominee. They consider Iran's theocracy bad but crave a Christian Right theocracy in the USA. Maher calls them on this sort of double-standard and does so in an amusing and very blunt manner. Maher does a great job of returning fire back at the Christian Right and they clearly cannot take as well as they give. Meanwhile, Maher is smiling that knowing smile.

Original and Reasonable Hialrious Sarcasm

I never watched Bill's TV show much but I really enjoyed this book. He is a bit more radical than me, but puts a good case for various libertarian and left wing views. Actually I am a George Bush supporter but I still thought Bill's book was good value. Classic chapters were press coverage of the olympics, safe sex in US teenagers and various jibes at all the religions. Devilishly funny!

Funny as Heck

Maher is hysterical and this book is no different. I got a great laught out of it and it's educational at the same time!!

Funny

This is pretty funny, but you should know that it really is just a list of humorous observations, each preceded with "NEW RULE:" A whole book of these 30 second pronouncements gets a little old, however, there are a few gems in the list.

Very Funny

I laughed all the way through it. He can certainly cut to the chase.

Hysterical!

Cynical, mean, vicious and... hilarious! Humorless, rightwing, gun-toting, narrow-minded Bible-thumpers will not enjoy. Everyone else - buy this audiobook and laugh - it's all we have left.

Bill, New Rule...

New Rule ? You can?t print the transcripts of you old TV shows and call them a book. But, the material was catchy, funny and I enjoyed the nostalgia of remembering what I was doing when I first heard each of his new rules. If you missed seeing Bill?s New Rules on his HBO program, get the book. If you have seen them before, you may be disappointed.

New Rule: All Comedy Must Be This Funny!

I love Bill's show on HBO, "Real Time with Bill Maher". My favorite segment is New Rules. It's so cool he did a whole book on these condensed, funny as heck ideas.

NEW RULES is just more ranting from Bill maher

I used to like Bill Maher when he thought he was a talented comedian. Now he thinks he is the voice of not only reason but of wisdom and common sense. What is so sad is that many people are so lazy, they actually get a good deal of their news from "info-tainment shows" like the comedy channel's daily show and (which I do like after the news not in place of it) And Bill Maher First in Politically Incorrect, and now in HBO's Real TIme. The irony of the names of both his new show and this book are funny though not intentionally. Trully Bill Maher can be really funny but I am so tired of him being preachy instead. his show pretends to have real debates. In truth they are little more than folks that are on the traditional or Republican side of current issues set up as targets for the anti-bush Guests or anti-Bill maher's point of view. While every once and a while a person is allowed to make a point mostly it just Bill Maher ranting, joking, or lecturing the audience. If you agree with what he believes and love biting sarcasm in mass quantities or If you want pot legalization to be a constant issue you will like him too. If you want comedy and social satire that is fair minded and not totally cynical on every subject, his shows or this book are not for you. Do not get me wrong Bill Maher can be funny, and if you wonder why I mention his shows? It's because this book is nothing more than an written extension of a segment he does every episode on his HBO show. A compilation of "New Rules" that will reflect both the reality of his lifestyle as a hollywood favorite at the playboy mansion and a devout advocate for pot legalization. In billl's world you can be libertarian as long as you are his kind of hypocritical libertarian. But my main issue with this book is that his "New Rules" are less about humor and more about the art of entertainment as a means to demagoguery. he was better when he was focused on being funny rather than a self righteous inlfuence peddler