Veteran Comedian Bill Maher Quits Stand-Up Amid Safety Concerns

In a surprising move, veteran comedian Bill Maher has announced that he is quitting stand-up comedy. The Real Time host, who has been a fixture on the comedy circuit for over 40 years, revealed his decision during a conversation with fellow comedian Patton Oswalt on his podcast, Club Random.

Maher's primary reason for retiring from stand-up is the safety concerns he faces in the current polarized political climate. "I feel like it was a great choice, because I don't want to be out there in this country in this political atmosphere," he told Oswalt. "I could get shot by the left or the right. I mean, it's just, it's a good time to not be out there."

The 67-year-old comedian also pointed to other factors that contributed to his decision, including getting "tired of the travel" and being "twice as funny as people who were selling twice as many tickets." Maher noted that his HBO show, which he has hosted since 2003, has kept him in the public eye, reducing the need for extensive stand-up tours.

Despite his decision to retire from stand-up, Maher remains proud of his body of work, having just released his 13th HBO special, Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?, earlier this year. "I feel like that's a good body of work," he said, adding that he believes the latest special is the best of the bunch.

As Maher steps away from the stand-up stage, his fans can still catch him on his weekly HBO program, where he will continue to offer his unique perspective on the political and cultural landscape.