Bill Maher Slams ‘The View’ For Staying Silent On Jimmy Kimmel Suspension – But Whoopi Goldberg’s Quiet Move Left Even Kimmel Speechless

Bill Maher has never been one to bite his tongue, and this week he took aim at one of television’s biggest daytime institutions. The outspoken host of Real Time with Bill Maher blasted The View for failing to mention the shock suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after Jimmy’s controversial comments about Charlie Kirk’s death. But while Maher was rallying against silence, there was a behind-the-scenes twist: Whoopi Goldberg had already made a discreet move that stunned even Kimmel himself.

On Friday, September 19, Maher, 69, devoted a large chunk of his HBO show to ABC’s decision to pull Kimmel’s late-night program. Maher vented his frustration not just at the network, but at another of its flagships – The View. “I’m friendly with the ladies on The View, but they didn’t say anything about this, this week. Nothing,” he fumed, his voice thick with sarcasm.

He went further, mocking the panel’s light-hearted tone. “You know, because it’s never been their thing to weigh in on the issues. It’s just an upbeat party show. That’s why they hired people named Joy and Sunny and Whoopi.”

Maher then turned directly to the women of The View: Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Goldberg, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, and Alyssa Farah Griffin. “Girls, go out strong, OK? It won’t kill you, I promise,” he said, with his trademark smirk. “It’s happened to me, and I may go out after this show. We don’t know.”

Maher, of course, has lived through his own cancellation drama. In 2001, ABC axed his late-night series Politically Incorrect after his infamous remarks about the 9/11 hijackers. On Friday, he brought that history back to the surface. “This intimidation on the right is just so hypocritical,” he declared. “Everyone is scared now and they’re all trying to kowtow.”

From there, he riffed wildly, taking aim at ABC’s other franchises. “Good Morning America is changing its name to Good Morning America, Even the Scum Who Didn’t Vote for Trump,” he quipped. He joked that The Golden Bachelor would be replaced with Rudy Giuliani, and mocked CNN’s Wolf Blitzer as “broadcasting live from the Capitulation Room.”

Maher even predicted the FCC might target The View next. “They got a new show lined up, it’s going to be great. It’s called Morning Wood with James Woods,” he laughed, to mixed groans from his audience.

The row erupted after Kimmel, 56, made waves on September 14 when he reacted to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. During Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host suggested that the shooter was linked to right-wing extremism. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” Kimmel said.

The backlash was fierce, with Republican figures and online commentators piling on. ABC, facing mounting political pressure, swiftly suspended his show – a decision that shook Hollywood and split opinion across America.

Yet while The View kept quiet on camera, Goldberg wasn’t standing still. According to production insiders, she quietly reached out to Kimmel with a private gesture of solidarity. No fiery speech, no public post – just a discreet call and a promise of support that left the late-night comedian floored. “Jimmy didn’t expect it,” said one insider. “He thought everyone would distance themselves, but Whoopi was there in her own way.”

The subtle move has fueled whispers that Goldberg was playing a longer game – backing her ABC colleague without drawing fire onto her own show. With Maher urging her to “go out strong” and millions of viewers watching closely, Goldberg’s balancing act could prove one of the most shrewd moves in daytime television.

For now, ABC remains caught between the fury of political backlash and the loyalty of its top talent. Kimmel is said to be weighing his next step, while Maher continues to fire from the sidelines. As for Whoopi? She’s keeping her cards close, but her quiet intervention may prove more powerful than any on-air rant.