Maher earned his first-ever Golden Globe nod this year for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television.

Bill Maher predicted Golden Globes loss, said ‘woke’ Hollywood ‘would never give it to me’

Maher earned his first-ever Golden Globe nod this year for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television.

By Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre

Mekishana Pierre is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on *Entertainment Tonight* and Popsugar.

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January 13, 2026 1:23 p.m. ET

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Bill Maher hosting 'Club Random With Bill Maher'. Credit:

Club Random Podcast/YouTube

Bill Maher went into the 2026 Golden Globes with no expectations that he would be leaving a winner — and he was right.

The *Real Time* host received a Golden Globe nomination this year for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television for his comedy special *Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?*, but according to a conversation he had with *Train Dreams* star Joel Edgerton — who was also nominated this year — his awards show history made his chances all too predictable.

Monday's episode of Maher's *Club Random* podcast was recorded before Sunday's ceremony, which the duo reference during their hour-long conversation. "How do you feel going in?" Edgerton asked the comedian and show host. "To me, and maybe it's because I've always set my ceiling quite low in life, like being nominated to me is a win."

"Sweetheart, I've been nominated for 33 Emmys, and they would never give it to me," Maher responded. "That's not a gag number. That's a real number. It's crazy."

Bill Maher in 2024.

Noam Galai/Getty

Maher has actually been nominated for 41 Primetime Emmy Awards across his work on *Politically Incorrect*, *Real Time*, stand-up comedy specials, and the HBO documentary series *Vice*. He's never won an award for his comedy or hosting *Real Time*, but he did win in 2014 for Outstanding Informational Series or Special for *Vice*.

This was his first time nabbing a Golden Globe nomination.

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"Obviously, it's something I said. Well, it's everything I said," Maher quipped, to which Edgerton pointed out, "Well, you said enough to get the nomination."

But Maher was adamant that his speaking "freely" had inspired a vendetta against him. "This woke town f---ing hates that," he asserted. "And that's okay. I've made my peace with that."

Maher continued, "But I know how this goes. This is not something I would ever... I have good standing, if I win this by some miracle, to [do] what people always say, 'I can't believe it, I'm shocked.' I really should be shocked."

The best and worst moments from the 2026 Golden Globes

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Maher's HBO comedy special lost out to Ricky Gervais' *Mortality, *which came with the extra gut-punch of Wanda Sykes using her time while presenting the award to call Maher out.

Jasmine Paige Moore and Bill Maher at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes in 2026.

Chad Salvador/2026GG/Penske Media via Getty

When Sykes went onstage to present, she preceded the announcement by roasting each of the nominees. "Bill Maher, you give us so much. But, I would love a little less. Try less," she said while the camera panned to Maher, who looked noticeably annoyed by the remark.

Multi-time Golden Globes host Gervais, who was absent from the 2026 ceremony, didn't escape the comedian's bit, with Skyes calling out the allegations of transphobia raised by his past material — particularly in his 2022 special *SuperNature.*

"Ricky Gervais, I love you for not being here," Sykes said. "No, I love you, Ricky, because if you win, I get to accept the award on your behalf, and you're going to thank God and the trans community. Ooh, Ricky!"

And when Gervais was revealed to have indeed won the category, she followed up on her promise, telling the audience that Gervais "would like to thank God and the trans community" for the honor. "Ricky Gervais could not be here, so we'll accept this on his behalf," she said, before walking off stage with her hands held out to the side as she stepped away.

Watch Maher chat with Edgerton on *Club Random* above.**

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Source: “EW Golden”