NTERVIEW – Bill Maher

The acerbic host of HBO’s Real Time... on how relationships are like airplanes, the most important thing he learned as a kid, and why he cannot look away from Temptation Island.

- By Larry Kanter

Who were your heroes growing up?

Anyone who was funny. And then as I got a little older, it was funny but also attractive to women. Like Dean Martin. I was too young to quite understand exactly what was going on, but I just knew that my mother really liked The Dean Martin Show. He was suave and great looking and tan and drunk— all the things I wanted to be when I grew up. So those were my heroes, before I began to understand how the world works.

How did that understanding change who you looked up to?

I look up to people who don’t play for a team. I love people who are just, “Look, I’m on ‘Team Me.’ I’ll tell you what I think and let the chips fall where they may.” There are not that many people like that.

How should a man handle criticism?

With grace and humor. If you’re good enough, you can laugh it off. I wish I was that person always. But I’m not.