William Shatner Tells Bill Maher It’s OK to Say His Age, ‘But When They Clap…’

A feisty William Shatner was the highest of the present visitor on Friday’s episode of “Actual Time With Invoice Maher.” The “Star Trek” legend gave the impression to be having plenty of (good-natured) enjoyable at Maher’s expense, leaning into being 93 years previous.

However on the finish of their chat, when Maher remarked on how good Shatner appears to be like at 93 — he isn’t improper, the Captain’s beauty surgeon (WE ASSUME) is clearly a genius — the viewers cheered. At that, Shatner quipped, “I don’t thoughts when you say my age, you understand. However after they clap…” Which naturally drew enormous laughs from the viewers.

Earlier than that was Maher’s monologue, which lined a spread of matters from the week — we all know you’re accustomed to them. One of many funnier bits got here when the comic introduced up the draconian abortion ban in Arizona.

“Gotta watch out along with your love life, I really feel like that’s the theme of the present this week,” Maher stated as he launched into the topic. “As a result of I don’t know when you noticed what’s occurring in Arizona — anyone right here from Arizona of birthing age? As a result of the Arizona Supreme Court docket, they breathed new life, paradoxically, into a really previous regulation.”

A quick catch-up: on Tuesday, Arizona’s ultra-conservative Supreme Court docket dominated that all the state’s abortion legal guidelines are void — besides one, a complete ban that was handed into regulation in 1864. Sure, 1864. The regulation doesn’t make exceptions for victims of rape or incest — and why wouldn’t it? On the time the regulation was handed, baby rape was authorized in Arizona.

Maher defined how the regulation “says mainly, abortion, completely no means, no how. That’s been a Republican slogan on abortion.”

Then he quipped, “Life begins at Reconstruction. As a result of the regulation is from 1864. 1864. Lincoln was months away from getting shot. Girls and minorities couldn’t vote. The age of consent was 10. Lastly, we’ve got a solution to the MAGA nation query: When was America nice?”

As for the Shatner interview, their chat was ostensibly about Shatner’s new documentary, “William Shatner: You Can Name Me Invoice,” in addition to a brand new album of music he’s releasing. However it was primarily an opportunity for him to drop quips in response to Maher’s questions. And sure, he additionally appeared at instances to lose the thread a little bit. However who cares — he’s 93, proper?

It usually wasn’t clear if Maher was getting politely and respectfully exasperated with the expertise or if he was taking part in alongside — we generously assume the latter. Shatner was usually fast with bon mots and made the gang snicker repeatedly.

In addition they mentioned a few of Shatner’s “Trek” historical past, together with the episode through which he and Nichelle Nichols kissed, which was the primary interracial kiss in American TV historical past. You possibly can watch William Shatner and Invoice Maher talk about that specific level on the high of this web page.