Bill Maher Accused of Being 'Two-Faced' After Awkwardly Laughing About Celebrities Wearing Pins to Support Fatal ICE Shooting Victim Renee Nicole Good
Bill Maher didn't think the pins worn by Jean Smart and others had a place at the 2026 Golden Globes.
Jan. 12 2026, Updated 4:55 p.m. ET
Bill Maher wanted no part of the political debate around the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis while attending the Golden Globes, which resulted in the Real Time star being called out as "two-faced," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Maher, 69, was asked on the red carpet about Jean Smart, Wanda Sykes, and other progressive stars wearing "Be Good" pins memorializing Renee Good, who was shot as she drove her SUV into an ICE agent after using the vehicle to block and tail agents throughout the day on January 7.
'We're Here for Show Business'
Bill Maher didn't think political activism had a place at the 2026 Golden Globes.
A USA Today reporter asked Maher about Sykes and others "using the platform for activism," referring to the Globes, wondering, "Do you think that's effective or no?"
The HBO star let out a long chuckle before snarking: "Come on. We're just here for show business today.
"You know, it was a terrible thing that happened, and it shouldn’t have happened. If they didn’t act like such thugs, it wouldn’t have had to happen. But I don’t need to wear a pin about it."
Maher didn't make it clear who he was referring to as "thugs" when it came to the ICE agents or the agitators who have been protesting their actions while they go about rounding up people illegally in America for deportation.
Bill Maher 'Is a Cover Your A--' Guy
Bill Maher's 'thugs' reference drew mixed interpretations.
Maher's comments and the interpretation of "thugs" drew mixed responses from fans.
"You do realize how two-faced he is based on who's in power? Go back and listen to him when Biden was in power. He's a 'cover your a--' guy," one user snarked on X.
"Ever since the dinner he had with Trump and what happened to Charlie (Kirk), he's been spitting fire. He doesn't always hit the mark, but I think his eyes are opening more and more," a second, more conservative poster observed about Democrat Maher.
"The majority of Americans are sick of Hollywood, and everything that Bill Maher has said about the far-left whiners in Hollywood is correct," a third person cheered about the response regarding the pin.
"He had to throw in the thug comment referring to ICE officers. He’s a d---, always has been, always will be," a fourth person sneered, although a fifth heard the remark a different way, noting, "I hope the 'thugs' in this case he meant the WOMAN, & NOT ICE. Otherwise, he is a t---."
Wanda Sykes Drags Bill Maher at the Golden Globes
Bill Maher was not amused by Wanda Sykes trolling him from the stage at the Golden Globes.
Word must have reached Sykes, 61, who trolled Maher from the stage while presenting Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television, for which he was nominated.
"There's some people pissed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys. But first I want to give them some love," the Curb Your Enthusiasm alum sneered while wearing her "Be Good" pin on the lapel of her silver sequin suit.
When announcing the nominees, Sykes got to Maher for his Is Anyone Else Seeing This? special, and she brutally told him, "You give us so much. But I would love a little less. Just try less."
The Club Random podcast host furrowed his brow and slightly glared at Sykes.
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Jean Smart Makes a Political Statement
Jean Smart was criticized for being political at the Globes with her 'Be Good' pin.
Smart, 74, was one of the stars who wore a "Be Good" pin to the Globes and was slammed for using the awards as a political platform after remarks she made to Entertainment Tonight host Kevin Frazier on the red carpet.
"You know everything is a little bit overshadowed with what’s going on in the country," she complained.
"I feel like we’re kind of at a turning point in this country, and I hope people can keep their heads, 'cause that’s actually going to be the hardest thing... is to keep our heads."
While not stating exactly what she meant by her "turning point" reference, the Hacks star warned: "That's going to take a lot of courage and a lot of restraint. I feel like there are certain entities that maybe would like us to fight back, and possibly…it’s very concerning."
