Maher Addresses Kirk Shooting, Rising Political Violence and Gen Z’s Troubling Views
A disturbing rise in political violence and a deeply divided nation were central themes on Bill Maher’s “Real Time” Friday, following the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and amid heightened tensions surrounding the upcoming election. The HBO host, along with guests Ben Shapiro and Tim Alberta, dissected the incident, its aftermath, and the broader implications for American society.
The shooting, which occurred Wednesday while Kirk was speaking to students at Utah Valley University, sparked a national conversation about the escalating polarization of American politics. Maher highlighted the fractured state of American politics.
Maher also criticized former President Trump’s response to calls for national unity. “Today, they asked the President, ‘what are you going to do to bring the country together?’ and he said, ‘I know this is going to get me in trouble, but I could care less,'” Maher relayed to audience laughter. “He’s a different kind of cat. his message is, ‘let the healing stop.'”
The conversation then turned to the alarming attitudes toward political violence, particularly among younger generations. Ben Shapiro presented polling data revealing that only 57% of Gen Z beleive there is no excuse for violence in response to speech.
“There are at least 42 percent that believe that there are some times that the violence ought to be a response to speech, which is deeply terrifying,” Shapiro asserted. “I never, honest to God, thought that we were going to get to this point. Even the assassination of political figures is not the same thing as just being shot in the throat for the crime of debating issues in the public square. And I thought wrong.”
Tim Alberta,who described himself as a “sparring partner from a distance” to Kirk,echoed Shapiro’s concerns. He noted that the response to the shooting hasn’t been one of widespread shock and condemnation, but rather a normalization of such events, especially among younger voters.
Maher pointed to the role of social media in exacerbating the problem. “The governor of the state said, ‘Social media is a cancer,’ which I think is true,” he said. “When you read some of the comments from people, they really are in such a bubble that they don’t understand that it’s happening on both sides.” He argued that a crucial step toward de-escalation requires both sides to acknowledge their own contributions to the escalating divisiveness. “The only way this starts to get better is if both sides admit, ‘OK, let’s not have this debate about who started it. Let’s not debate about who’s worse as, plainly, both sides do it now.’ And the right has done it to. A lot.”
The 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson of Utah, is currently in custody. Trump announced the arrest Friday morning on Fox, stating he had just learned of it “five minutes before I walked in.” During the “Real Time” discussion, Maher and Shapiro debated the premature reporting on Robinson’s political leanings.
Initial reports suggested the suspect was politically left-leaning, with Shapiro citing articles from Tablet Magazine and The guardian. However, The Guardian subsequently issued a correction on September 12, 2025, retracting quotes from a source who could not accurately recall details of their relationship with Robinson.
Maher offered a cautionary note on the rush to judgment. “It’s two days out. we don’t know shit. The internet is undefeated in getting it wrong to begin with.”
Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA and a frequent guest on Maher’s “club Random” podcast, dedicated his career to promoting conservative values on college campuses. His death serves as a stark reminder of the increasingly volatile political climate and the urgent need for dialog and de-escalation in American society.
