What To Know
- Bill Maher confronted California Governor Gavin Newsom for “imitating” Donald Trump.
- Newsom defended his $787 million lawsuit against Fox News and Jesse Watters.
- He also called out the hypocrisy of Fox News criticizing his trolling.
Bill Maher just called out Gavin Newsom to his face for “imitating” President Donald Trump and suing Fox News.
On the Friday, May 1 episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, 70, the late-night host spoke with California governor, 58, about his trolling antics.
“To me, that’s the biggest reflection of this moment, just the sewer that we’re living in because of Donald Trump,” Newsom said. “And he’s allowed all of us to feel free to shove again.”
That’s when Maher pointed out, “But many people would say that you are imitating him. Among all of the people who may or may not be running [for president], you’re the one who kind of imitates his style with the trolling. You’re suing Fox now, I understand.”
Newsom insisted, “Fox better look to settle right now or apologize for defamation.” To that, Maher replied, “OK, but that sounds exactly like what he does. Suing media?”
Since taking over as POTUS for his second term in 2024, Trump has sued both Disney and Paramount— forcing them to settle for millions—in addition to targeting other major corporations.
“Well, don’t defame, don’t lie,” Newsom said of his Fox News lawsuit, to which Maher acknowledged, “That does sound like him.”
In June 2025, the Democratic governor filed a lawsuit against Fox News and host Jesse Watters for $787 million. Newsom alleges that Fox knowingly aired false claims about a phone call with Trump regarding Los Angeles. A Delaware judge rejected Fox’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit in April 2026, allowing it to proceed with discovery.
“Here’s the point: I try to put a mirror up to Donald Trump,” Newsom explained. “And I think it’s important, with a sense of humor, as well. The deviation of normalcy is off the chart. This is a guy cosplaying as the Pope, dressing up as Jesus. This guy [is] putting his face on Mount Rushmore, doing it in all-caps. None of this is normal.”
He continued, “When I first started doing this, the folks on Fox said, ‘This is so unbecoming of the governor of California. He should wash out his mouth with soap and water.’ With no situational awareness that their dear leader has been doing this for years and years and years. He’s a manchild. And so I think it’s important to call that out.”
Real Time With Bill Maher, Fridays at 10/9c, HBO