Bill Maher has jumped to WME, months after a report surfaced noting he had grown disenchanted with his former agency, CAA, which had represented the iconoclastic comedian and satirist for years.
WME, part of the talent-and-sports consortium Endeavor, will represent Maher in all areas of entertainment. Maher is in the midst of hosting the 22nd season of his long-running HBO talk show, “Real Time,” and signed a two-year extension for the program in March, ensuring his voice will be heard through the current presidential election and through 2026. “Real Time” is seen on HBO and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service, and also airs on Saturday nights on sibling cable outlet CNN, a day after it debuts on HBO.
Maher continues to be managed by Marc Gurvitz of Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
His jump to WME may have been precipitated by a report in The Hollywood Reporter that noted a clash between the comic and CAA executives after Maher was not invited to CEO Bryan Lourd’s private Oscar party. But Maher, speaking to Variety in March, dismissed the imbroglio.
“I’ll quote Timothy B. Schmit in the Eagles documentary: ‘In my experience, all bands are always on the verge of breaking up at all times,’” Maher said. “You kind of feel that way, as much as you like your agent — and I’ve loved mine at CAA and maybe I will go along with him.”
He added: “Do people think about their other moves in showbusiness? All the time, and you should! You gotta earn your wings every day in showbusiness. But CAA has been nothing but great to me and for me. I have nothing but great things to say, and I like them personally.”
CAA could not be reached for immediate comment.
His arrival at WME will add some heft to a strong roster of late-night talent. WME in 2015 acquired Dixon Talent, the boutique agency run by agent James Dixon that represents Jon Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert. Dixon has been active in behind-the-scenes roles at both a new format for Comedy Central’s “Daily Show,” which relies on Stewart once a week, and the new 12:30 a.m. program “After Midnight” on CBS, led by up-and-coming comedian Taylor Tomlinson. Colbert is among the series’ producers.
Maher continues to be active in many forms of media. He released a new book in May, “What This Comedian Said Will Shock You,” and leads a weekly interview podcast, “Club Random,” that launched in 2022. His Club Random Studios produces podcasts from Sage Steele, Shane Smith, Fred Durst and others. Maher continues to lead regular stand-up dates across the country.
He has been a player in the late-night space for many years, previously hosting the roundtable series “Politically Incorrect” on both Comedy Central and ABC.
Source Agencies
