September 30, 2017
It took just seconds into "Real Time" on Friday for Bill Maher to diss President Donald Trump for his very public beef with the NFL and some of its players.
The HBO talk show kicked off his monologue by taking a knee, a move symbolic of recent racial inequality and police brutality protests around the league during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before games.
"Before we start the show, let's all take a knee, shall we ladies and gentlemen?" Maher quipped as he bent the knee himself.
He then gave his take on Trump's criticisms in the last week of anthem protesters among NFL players, saying the president has officially become "the drunk at the end of the bar, b******g about football."
"This is the world that we live in now," he said. "The stupidist asshole alive says something ignorant every three days and we have to debate it."
The president called out the league at a rally last week for since-defeated Alabama Republican Senate candidate Luther Strange, saying team owners should fire players for taking a knee during the national anthem.
He added that the owners should respond by saying, "Get that son of a b***h off the field right now, he's fired. He's fired!"
Trump further criticized protesting players and the league in follow-up tweets this week.
If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
...NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
Many people booed the players who kneeled yesterday (which was a small percentage of total). These are fans who demand respect for our Flag!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
The NFL has all sorts of rules and regulations. The only way out for them is to set a rule that you can't kneel during our National Anthem!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
Ratings for NFL football are way down except before game starts, when people tune in to see whether or not our country will be disrespected!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
The booing at the NFL football game last night, when the entire Dallas team dropped to its knees, was loudest I have ever heard. Great anger
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
Although the president did say he approved of players and league personnel standing with locked arms during the anthem.
Great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country. Standing with locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable. Bad ratings!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
The president's comments sparked both support and backlash.
Numerous team owners – including the Eagles' Jeffrey Lurie – immediately joined other athletes and figures around the sports industry in expressing their support for the players.
But the league's reputation has also suffered some since Trump's comments.
The New York Daily News reported Friday that a Morning Consult survey said 17 percent more Americans now view the league favorably than those who do not, down 13 percent from when Trump first called out the league at the Sept. 21 rally. The number is a new low since Morning Consult began tracking the league's favorability.
