"My Dinner with Adolf": Larry David roasts Bill Maher's meeting with Trump in satirical NYT essay
"My Dinner with Adolf": Larry David roasts Bill Maher's meeting with Trump in satirical NYT essay
Bill Maher has come in for tons of criticism since he opted to have dinner with Donald Trump, but none of it was as biting as a recent takedown by "Seinfeld" creator Larry David.
In an essay for the New York Times called "My Dinner With Adolf," David took Maher to task for attempting to soften the image of a fascist strongman. While David never mentions the "Real Time" host by name, the timing of the piece and its main character's need to hear out all sides past the point of ludicrousness make the target clear.
David's fictional meeting with Adolf Hitler echoes many of the points that Maher has made in the days since he dined with Trump. Maher, a crochety liberal-leaning comic who has grown more crochety and less liberal as societal norms have passed him by, marvelled at the fact that he could make the commander-in-chief laugh.
Paywalled, but here is the piece:
Imagine my surprise when in the spring of 1939 a letter arrived at my house inviting me to dinner at the Old Chancellery with the world’s most reviled man, Adolf Hitler. I had been a vocal critic of his on the radio from the beginning, pretty much predicting everything he was going to do on the road to dictatorship. No one I knew encouraged me to go. “He’s Hitler. He’s a monster.” But eventually I concluded that hate gets us nowhere. I knew I couldn’t change his views, but we need to talk to the other side — even if it has invaded and annexed other countries and committed unspeakable crimes against humanity.
Two weeks later, I found myself on the front steps of the Old Chancellery and was led into an opulent living room, where a few of the Führer’s most vocal supporters had gathered: Himmler, Göring, Leni Riefenstahl and the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. We talked about some of the beautiful art on the walls that had been taken from the homes of Jews. But our conversation ended abruptly when we heard loud footsteps coming down the hallway. Everyone stiffened as Hitler entered the room.
He was wearing a tan suit with a swastika armband and gave me an enthusiastic greeting that caught me off guard. Frankly, it was a warmer greeting than I normally get from my parents, and it was accompanied by a slap on my back. I found the whole thing quite disarming. I joked that I was surprised to see him in a tan suit because if he wore that out, it would be perceived as un-Führer-like. That amused him to no end, and I realized I’d never seen him laugh before. Suddenly he seemed so human. Here I was, prepared to meet Hitler, the one I’d seen and heard — the public Hitler. But this private Hitler was a completely different animal. And oddly enough, this one seemed more authentic, like this was the real Hitler. The whole thing had my head spinning.
He said he was starving and led us into the dining room, where he gestured for me to sit next to him. Göring immediately grabbed a slice of pumpernickel, whereupon Hitler turned to me, gave me an eye roll, then whispered, “Watch. He’ll be done with his entire meal before you’ve taken two bites.” That one really got me. Göring, with his mouth full, asked what was so funny, and Hitler said, “I was just telling him about the time my dog had diarrhea in the Reichstag.” Göring remembered. How could he forget? He loved that story, especially the part where Hitler shot the dog before it got back into the car. Then a beaming Hitler said, “Hey, if I can kill Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals, I can certainly kill a dog!” That perhaps got the biggest laugh of the night — and believe me, there were plenty.
But it wasn’t just a one-way street, with the Führer dominating the conversation. He was quite inquisitive and asked me a lot of questions about myself. I told him I had just gone through a brutal breakup with my girlfriend because every time I went someplace without her, she was always insistent that I tell her everything I talked about. I can’t stand having to remember every detail of every conversation. Hitler said he could relate — he hated that, too. “What am I, a secretary?” He advised me it was best not to have any more contact with her or else I’d be right back where I started and eventually I’d have to go through the whole thing all over again. I said it must be easy for a dictator to go through a breakup. He said, “You’d be surprised. There are still feelings.” Hmm … there are still feelings. That really resonated with me. We’re not that different, after all. I thought that if only the world could see this side of him, people might have a completely different opinion.
Two hours later, the dinner was over, and the Führer escorted me to the door. “I am so glad to have met you. I hope I’m no longer the monster you thought I was.” “I must say, mein Führer, I’m so thankful I came. Although we disagree on many issues, it doesn’t mean that we have to hate each other.” And with that, I gave him a Nazi salute and walked out into the night.
This is a work of art, genius level.
And will go completely over the head of almost every average American.
"Wait, I don't get it..." They will say as they read the ChatGTP summary, which will be shorter and easier to read. "Is Hitler still alive then? Why did this guy have dinner with him? What does this mean? So like, Hitler ain't so bad?"
They will try to ask these questions on Reddit or Facebook but the question will get shadowbanned because the topic is too controversial for advertisers. Or the only ones who answer will be bots programmed to deliver specific replies.
Doesn't seem like the popular the American writter's piece, written sarcastically in their familiar voice, published in the popular American newspaper is going to go completely over everyones head.
Archive just because
Awe thank you for this!
i watch Real Time with Bill Maher regularly and watched his monologue about his meeting with Trump (it disgusted me). this essay is beautiful because it hits many of the same points Maher made and i just know that Bill must be embarrassed and livid.
Bill Maher owes us all (his viewers) an apology. but of course we will never get it.
I stopped watching Maher when I realized all the anti-religous humor was soley directed at Catholics and Jews and he reserved actual vitriol for Muslims. Then the mean spirited dismissive language about women and just constantly talking over them. And then he got twitter...
Ugh, my mom was telling me how great it was for Bill Maher to meet with Trump. I told her humanizing Trump wasn't gonna help anyone, but she insisted it was great.
Bill Maher is a textbook reactionary centrist: he'd sell out any minority for the sake of his own influence and pocketbook.
From the constant digs on trans people to the time he was ready to scab (until it became clear that it would diminish his influence), he'd step on every person he views as beneath him to get powerful people to think he's smart.
And he's not half as smart as he thinks he is— he ends up platforming the absolute worst people and letting them run rhetorical circles around him.
His recent interview on Pod Save America was so off putting, so filled with his own narcissism, that I simply couldn’t finish listening to the interview. There was little of substance there; just a very out of touch very rich guy loving the smell of his own shit.
I don't listen to the show very much, but I was tempted out of masochistic curiosity.
Dude is like a boomer Joe Rogan— he buys into the dumbest bullshit because he thinks being a contrarian is a cheat code for the truth.
Wait. The "we get it. We happily moved to the right like we always do, and we totally get it, that sucks, but..." podcast had the only person other than Joe Manchin that typifies all they have ever been about as a guest?
How many ads per ep are they up to by now? 20? 30?
I genuinely liked how he brought Bill Burr on there and tried to act like he was smarter than Bill Burr, who rightfully called him out on his bullshit.
or get stupid people thinking hes smart, republicans are the only that agrees with him
For those interested here is the letter.
It is a good read and not that long.
Text for those that do not have nytimes subscription
Larry David: My Dinner With Adolf
Imagine my surprise when in the spring of 1939 a letter arrived at my house inviting me to dinner at the Old Chancellery with the world’s most reviled man, Adolf Hitler. I had been a vocal critic of his on the radio from the beginning, pretty much predicting everything he was going to do on the road to dictatorship. No one I knew encouraged me to go. “He’s Hitler. He’s a monster.” But eventually I concluded that hate gets us nowhere. I knew I couldn’t change his views, but we need to talk to the other side — even if it has invaded and annexed other countries and committed unspeakable crimes against humanity.
Two weeks later, I found myself on the front steps of the Old Chancellery and was led into an opulent living room, where a few of the Führer’s most vocal supporters had gathered: Himmler, Göring, Leni Riefenstahl and the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII. We talked about some of the beautiful art on the walls that had been taken from the homes of Jews. But our conversation ended abruptly when we heard loud footsteps coming down the hallway. Everyone stiffened as Hitler entered the room.
He was wearing a tan suit with a swastika armband and gave me an enthusiastic greeting that caught me off guard. Frankly, it was a warmer greeting than I normally get from my parents, and it was accompanied by a slap on my back. I found the whole thing quite disarming. I joked that I was surprised to see him in a tan suit because if he wore that out, it would be perceived as un-Führer-like. That amused him to no end, and I realized I’d never seen him laugh before. Suddenly he seemed so human. Here I was, prepared to meet Hitler, the one I’d seen and heard — the public Hitler. But this private Hitler was a completely different animal. And oddly enough, this one seemed more authentic, like this was the real Hitler. The whole thing had my head spinning.
He said he was starving and led us into the dining room, where he gestured for me to sit next to him. Göring immediately grabbed a slice of pumpernickel, whereupon Hitler turned to me, gave me an eye roll, then whispered, “Watch. He’ll be done with his entire meal before you’ve taken two bites.” That one really got me. Göring, with his mouth full, asked what was so funny, and Hitler said, “I was just telling him about the time my dog had diarrhea in the Reichstag.” Göring remembered. How could he forget? He loved that story, especially the part where Hitler shot the dog before it got back into the car. Then a beaming Hitler said, “Hey, if I can kill Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals, I can certainly kill a dog!” That perhaps got the biggest laugh of the night — and believe me, there were plenty.
But it wasn’t just a one-way street, with the Führer dominating the conversation. He was quite inquisitive and asked me a lot of questions about myself. I told him I had just gone through a brutal breakup with my girlfriend because every time I went someplace without her, she was always insistent that I tell her everything I talked about. I can’t stand having to remember every detail of every conversation. Hitler said he could relate — he hated that, too. “What am I, a secretary?” He advised me it was best not to have any more contact with her or else I’d be right back where I started and eventually I’d have to go through the whole thing all over again. I said it must be easy for a dictator to go through a breakup. He said, “You’d be surprised. There are still feelings.” Hmm … there are still feelings. That really resonated with me. We’re not that different, after all. I thought that if only the world could see this side of him, people might have a completely different opinion.
Two hours later, the dinner was over, and the Führer escorted me to the door. “I am so glad to have met you. I hope I’m no longer the monster you thought I was.” “I must say, mein Führer, I’m so thankful I came. Although we disagree on many issues, it doesn’t mean that we have to hate each other.” And with that, I gave him a Nazi salute and walked out into the night.
Very helpful of you thank you. I even have a subscription and is just easier to read it here, ha. Many thanks.
i watch Real Time with Bill Maher regularly and watched his monologue about his meeting with Trump (it disgusted me). this essay is beautiful because it hits many of the same points Maher made and i just know that Bill must be embarrassed and livid.
Bill Maher owes us all (his viewers) an apology. but of course we will never get it.
Is there a non-paywall/no-sub version anywhere? Maybe paste here?
i watch Real Time with Bill Maher regularly and watched his monologue about his meeting with Trump (it disgusted me). this essay is beautiful because it hits many of the same points Maher made and i just know that Bill must be embarrassed and livid.
Bill Maher owes us all (his viewers) an apology. but of course we will never get it.
A bit ironic that he wrote it in/for the NYT, the Bill Maher of newspapers.
As a non-native this is a remarkably helpful analogy.
It’s more the Harvey Weinstein or the Nancy Pelosi of newspapers.
Larry David's humor is perfect for this. what a mensch.
sort of über in mein opinion
I want Bernie to read this all out loud on the Senate floor.
This is a play on "My dinner with Andre" which I have yet to watch: https://youtu.be/ccXU7s694kg
Bill Maher is a cheap comedian and at his core he is an arrogant snob who has no clear idea of the essence of what he is talking about. He advocates for the abolition of woke culture (which I agree with him 100%), and has never once condemned the genocide that Netanyahu is committing because "it is not fashionable to condemn anything that comes from Israel". He always condemns and mocks Donald Trump (with great jokes) but when he was at dinner with him he "twisted his tail" and suddenly "the monster is actually a cartoon character, funny and harmless".
I used to look forward to his shows with pleasure, now I can't watch even 5 minutes. I guess you can't be good all the time.