Bill Maher is facing fierce online backlash over a joke about Dolly Parton’s death during his HBO monologue.
The comedian, 69, opened Friday night’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” by weighing in on the flood of tributes that followed the country legend’s passing last week at age 80. Maher questioned why Parton’s death had dominated headlines while major international stories were unfolding, including tensions in Iran and the U.S.-Canada trade dispute.
“All this was going on and all America could really talk about this week was how sad it is we lost Dolly Parton,” Maher said on the HBO show.
“Everybody around the country, even around the world – London, they’re doing things, the Santa Monica Ferris wheel is lit up with hearts, the Empire State Building was put up in pink.”
Maher then delivered a punchline that drew particular scorn: “The Sphere in Las Vegas added a nipple.”
The reaction online was swift and unforgiving. One social media user described the talkshow host as “bitter,” while another called the joke “disrespectful.”
“After America’s beloved country singing Angel passed, he has to be a complete d**k about it? We LOVED Dolly Parton, THAT is why it was big news,” one person wrote. “She was kind, generous, and didn’t attack our most vulnerable communities, unlike YOU, Bill Maher. @HBO, WHY does he still have a show? Who the hell still watches him?”
Author Tara Dublin shared on X: “Mocking our grief over losing Dolly Parton is just more proof that Trumpsimp @billmaher is a soulless ghoul who wants his own Maher-A-Lago.”
Jason Levin, founder of Memelord.com, fired back at Maher’s approach. “Bill Maher trying to get edgy about Dolly Parton is wild,” he wrote.
“Buddy, you’re not ‘telling hard truths’, you’re just the guy who looked at a national treasure and said, ‘How can I make this about my bitterness?'”
Another critic added: “We can always count on Bill Maher to say something utterly stupid and in the worst taste possible!”
Not all responses were negative. Some social media users suggested the backlash was overblown, with one claiming Parton herself would have probably “laughed at the joke.”
The controversy comes as tributes to the “9 to 5” singer continue to pour in from across the entertainment world. Parton died following a brief battle with cancer, prompting memorials ranging from the Empire State Building illuminated in pink to landmarks across the globe honoring her legacy.
Among those mourning is her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, who shared a deeply personal message following the loss. “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,” the “Hannah Montana” alum penned.
“Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.”
Cyrus continued: “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”
“I will always love her and want to make her proud,” Cyrus added. “My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
Maher’s representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment on the growing criticism.