Club Random with Bill Maher

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Michael Rapaport | Club Random with Bill Maher

Nov 3, 2025

Guest

Michael Rapaport

Michael Rapaport, an actor and comedian known for his bold New York commentary, joins Bill Maher for an animated discussion. They dive into the decline of R-rated comedies due to cancel culture and debate crime and safety in NYC. Rapaport passionately critiques policing and politics while reminiscing about acting legends like De Niro and Stallone. They also touch on the impact of social media on privacy and the challenges of fame today. It’s a blend of humor and thought-provoking insights, uniquely infused with Rapaport's chaotic charm.

01:28:51

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Episode notes

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ANECDOTE

Defending Free Speech Amid Controversy

Bill Maher describes defending Jimmy Kimmel while criticizing a specific inaccurate claim he made.
Maher emphasizes the right to be wrong and objections to firing hosts for bad takes.

insights

INSIGHT

Ideological Capture Reduces Credibility

Maher notes partisan late-night hosts alienate half the country by offering a single predictable viewpoint.
He argues ideological capture reduces accuracy and audience trust.

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ANECDOTE

Rant On Mayoral Candidate's Evasions

Rapaport rails against leading mayoral candidate's evasive responses on violence and Palestine.
He criticizes the candidate's reluctance to answer direct questions and calls him "full of shit."

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Improv Roots and Early Comedy Careers

02:04 • 2min

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The Death of the R-Rated Comedy

04:10 • 2min

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Stallone, Rocky, and Holding on to a Role

06:11 • 39sec

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Stallone in Tulsa King and Comfort TV

06:50 • 4min

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Jimmy Kimmel Controversy and Free Speech

10:30 • 4min

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New York Mayoral Race and Candidate Concerns

14:37 • 2min

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Press Toughness and Follow-Up Questions

Apology Culture and Cancel Critique

26:35 • 6min

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Diane Keaton, Privacy, and Declining Publicity

32:20 • 3min

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Drinking, Late Night, and Show Habits

35:13 • 4min

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Dating, Fame, and Social Media Surveillance

38:52 • 4min

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Athletes' Dating Networks and the Underground Railroad

Missed Romantic Opportunities and Hollywood Choices

48:51 • 3min

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Stallone, Rocky Dialogue, and Iconic Lines

52:20 • 4min

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Political Reactions and Cultural Performance

56:30 • 1min

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What If a Mayoral Success Improves the City?

58:00 • 2min

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Women's Safety and Personal Stories in NYC

59:52 • 4min

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Law, Policing, and Civic Safety Trade-offs

01:03:40 • 8min

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Assessing Political Authenticity and Backgrounds

01:12:04 • 3min

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Immigration, Assimilation, and the Melting Pot

01:14:36 • 2min

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The Godfather Legacy and Franchise Critiques

01:16:30 • 4min

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Acting Craft: Pacino, De Niro, and Process Secrets

01:20:49 • 7min

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Directors' Control and Actors' Influence

01:27:52 • 1min

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Joe Pesci, Typecasting, and On-Screen Intensity

01:29:21 • 1min

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Closing Remarks and Farewells

• Mentioned in 72 episodes

The Godfather

Mario Puzo

Published in 1969, 'The Godfather' by Mario Puzo is a crime novel that follows the story of the Corleone family, one of the Five Families of the New York Mafia. The novel spans from the early life of Vito Corleone to the rise of his youngest son, Michael, as the new Don. The story explores themes of loyalty, power, and violence as the family navigates internal conflicts, external threats, and the transition of leadership. Michael, initially reluctant to join the family business, becomes deeply involved after an assassination attempt on his father and eventually succeeds Vito as the head of the family. The novel is known for its realistic portrayal of organized crime and its impact on the characters' personal lives.

Bill Maher welcomes Michael Rapaport for a raw, hilarious conversation about comedy, culture, and chaos. They revisit their Improv days, debate the death of R-rated comedies, and unpack the rise of cancel culture. Rapaport gets fired up about crime and safety in New York City, policing, and politics, while Bill breaks down media hypocrisy and apology culture. They trade stories about acting legends – De Niro, Pacino, Stallone, Scorsese – and dive into fame, dating, and how social media ruined privacy. It’s pure Rapaport: one part comedy, one part chaos, all New York.

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ABOUT CLUB RANDOM

Bill Maher rewrites the rules of podcasting the way he did in television in this series of one on one, hour long conversations with a wide variety of unexpected guests in the undisclosed location called Club Random. There’s a whole big world out there that isn’t about politics and Bill and his guests—from Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld to Jordan Peterson, Quentin Tarantino and Neil DeGrasse Tyson—talk about all of it.

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ABOUT BILL MAHER

Bill Maher was the host of “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC) from 1993-2002, and for the last fourteen years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 40 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous.”

Maher has written five bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” and most recently, “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass.”

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