WASHINGTON, January 24, 2026 – As of january 24, 2026, over 7.1 million deaths worldwide have been reported as COVID-19 related, and the pandemic’s handling continues to be a subject of intense debate, with comedian Bill Maher revisiting the issue on the season premiere of his HBO show, Real Time.
A Reckoning With Past Responses
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Maher questioned the widespread policies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting some measures may have caused more harm than good. “We were told to trust the science,and they were right,” he said.
The Lab-Leak Debate
The host also revisited the theory that the virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. He referenced a 2021 article that labeled his previous discussion of the theory as a “conspiracy,” stating, “Of course, it wasn’t a conspiracy theory, and it wasn’t owned by Steve Bannon.”
Maher continued, “And now everyone, including the Biden management, admits ther’s at least a 50-50 chance that the virus could have begun in the lab in wuhan that was doing gain-of-function research on that virus. Duh. But I don’t see a lot of retractions being printed.”
however, a 2023 report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) indicated that intelligence agencies remain divided on the origins of the virus. The report, available online, stated that all agencies assessed both natural and laboratory origins but could not reach a firm conclusion. The report also noted no hard evidence supporting laboratory involvement or indication the virus existed in a lab before the pandemic.
A Look Back at Pandemic Life
maher didn’t shy away from poking fun at some of the more unusual behaviors adopted during the pandemic. “Ubers looked like those Orthodox Jews who wrap themselves in Saran Wrap in case their plane flies over a grave. We washed the mail. We played baseball in front of cardboard cutouts. And ate in parking lots or with inflatable dolls? They closed the ocean. We banged pots and pans to show our love for nurses and our hatred for people trying to get a baby to sleep.”
He also questioned the logic of lockdowns and mask-wearing, quipping, “Because the last thing you would want to do when a disease is afoot is get fresh air and sunshine and vitamin D. No, much better to stay locked up, stressed out and day drinking.”
Maher criticized the dismissal of natural immunity acquired through infection, stating, “If you do get COVID, remember, natural immunity is always the worst kind. So, even if you’ve had the disease, you need a shot.”
What is natural immunity,and how does it compare to vaccine-induced immunity? Natural immunity develops after exposure to a disease,while vaccine-induced immunity is created through vaccination. Both aim to provide protection against future infection, but the strength and duration of immunity can vary.
Real Time With Bill Maher airs Fridays at 10/9c on HBO.
