What did Bill Maher say? Viral Cassie and Diddy comments sparks outrage online

The recent episode of HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher was televised on May 30, 2025, and made instant headlines for the host’s comments. In a monologue on Friday night, the comedian/TV presenter chose to give his viewpoint on the ongoing trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, as well as Cassandra 'Cassie' Ventura’s allegations against the hip-hop mogul.

Maher highlighted the upcoming eighth anniversary of the #MeToo movement to talk about the P. Diddy case. He started by saying,

“The MeToo movement, which turns eight years old in October, needs an actual new rule, an amendment, if you will.”

Bill Maher immediately mentioned the trial of Puff Diddy and its extensive media coverage. The Real Time host remarked that Combs is a “hard guy to figure out,” pointing out his alleged actions against Kid Cudi while drawing a contrast with the claims of freak-offs involving Cassie and male escorts. Bill Maher then criticized the Bad Boy Records founder by saying,

“Diddy is a bad dude. Really bad. Like the worst thing in rap since Hammer Pants. A violent sick f*ck. I'm sorry. I mean an alleged violent sick f*ck. And we should lock him up and throw away the baby oil. “

Bill Maher’s remarks against the controversial rapper got applause, but his upcoming comments got him backlash on social media. The Club Random Podcast host added,

“Things have changed enough so that moving forward the rule should be, ‘if you're being abused, you got to leave right away.’”

The Real Time anchor then explained his stance by citing the examples of influential figures getting imprisoned in recent years after getting convicted for s*xual abuse and other crimes.

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Bill Maher feels “a lot has changed” after Weinstein, Cosby, and R. Kelly’s incarceration

Sharing his opinion on the Cassie Ventura and Sean Combs’ case, the Politically Incorrect anchor talked about how it was difficult for women to open up in the past when influential people were the abusers. Maher said how women felt that predators, who were also prominent names in the entertainment industry,

“would never be held accountable.”

He added,

“These men were surrounded by all sorts of enablers, skeptical cops, assistants who lured women into unsafe spaces, cowards, who knew what was going on, but didn't dare expose the person who signed their paycheck.”

Bill Maher said that it was not “illogical” for the victims to stay quiet, but he also asserted that “a lot has changed.” The comedian-political commentator said,

“Cosby and R. Kelly went to prison. Harvey Weinstein is going to die in prison. Larry Nassar is serving 175 years.”

Maher also made a political joke, saying,

“Jeffrey Epstein was murdered in his jail cell by Hillary Clinton.”

The host then highlighted the increase in reporting of s*xual crimes and added,

“Many states have changed laws, making it easier for victims to come forward. We're not in the ‘no one listens to women or takes them seriously’ era anymore. Operators are actually standing by to take your calls.”

He asserted that it can be difficult for someone to leave an abusive relationship and continued,

“This should be society's new grand bargain. We take every accusation seriously. But don't tell me any more about your contemporaneous account that you said to two friends 10 years ago. Tell the police right away. Don't wait a decade. Don't journal about it. Don't turn it into a one-woman show. And most importantly, don't keep f*cking him.”

Bill Maher further explained,

“Your only contemporaneous notes about what he did should be the police report. It's not victim shaming to expect women to have the agency to leave toxic relationships. Quite the contrary, to not expect that is infantilizing them.”

Maher also presented his remarks on the Diddy case and shared how Cassie’s text conversations might be one of the reasons behind the record execs’ exoneration. Bill said,

“If Diddy walks free, it will be because his lawyers can point to an endless stream of texts from Cassie expressing what's often called enthusiastic consent to their s*x life.”

He referenced Cassie Ventura’s text messages shown by Sean Combs' legal team and remarked,

“If you're MeToo-ing someone, it doesn't help your case if you texted him,’Me too. I just want it to be uncontrollable.’ If you want us to think you weren't always ready to freak off, don't write, ‘I'm always ready to freak off’ or wish ‘We could have FO’ed before you left.’ You know, one sign you're pretty comfortable with something is when you call it by its initials.”

Bill Maher talked about the music industry and

"what people are willing to do for stardom.”

The host commented,

“If you want a number one record on the chart so bad you'll take a number one in the face, some of that is on you.”

He added,

“And if you're doing it for love, well, come on. Oprah and Dr. Phil and every podcaster in the world have done a million shows by now about how abuse is not love and abusers don't change. If it happened once, there will be more of it.”

The Real Time host gave the example of Tina Turner, who escaped from Ike Turner in

“an era where there was no movement to help her.”

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Bill Maher received online backlash for his comments on Cassie Ventura and Diddy

The Club Random Podcast host’s opinion on the abusive relationships and victims “got to leave right away” fetched plenty of online backlash.

“You need a deep education on abuse victims,” a user called out Maher.

“It kind of sounds like you're blaming the victims,” another user remarked.

“First off, not one funny joke. Not one. Second, terrible take. Do you not have any women on staff?,” someone lambasted Maher.

“Totally ignoring the mental side of it where the abuse happens slowly at first and the mental dependency is built up. Just an all-around ignorant point of view,” another criticized Bill for his take.

There were plenty of comments questioning Bill Maher for his judgment of abusive relationships. Some even took the opportunity to criticize the TV host again for his Trump visit, while a section of conservative supporters tried to defend him.