Bill Maher took aim at news media’s evolving approach to the term “terrorism” during Friday night’s Real Time With Bill Maher, arguing that the language surrounding the word has become unnecessarily fraught.
The HBO host devoted part of his September 11 broadcast — airing on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that claimed 2,977 lives — to examining how public and journalistic terminology has shifted in the decades since.
“There was a war on terror, and we won. And yet, so much has changed since 9/11. For example, back then, we were against the terrorists,” Maher said in the “New Rule” segment that closed the episode.
Maher specifically criticized media organizations and journalism groups that have advised reporters to use caution with the word “terrorism,” citing concerns that it may be politically charged or emotionally loaded.
“Now a lot of media outlets don’t even want you to say the ‘T-word’ on the 25th anniversary,” Maher said, referring to guidance from journalism associations that he said recommended placing terrorism in quotation marks because of its political and emotional weight.
Maher’s answer to that advice was characteristically blunt.
“Yes, so is the World Cup, but we don’t put soccer in quotes,” he quipped.
He then displayed an image of the 19 hijackers responsible for the September 11 attacks.
“They shared something. Oh, let’s call it a worldview — and it wasn’t astrology,” Maher said.
The comedian also cited the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, which had advised journalists not to characterize the 9/11 attacks as terrorism before subsequently withdrawing that guidance.
“What should we call it then — unruly passengers,” Maher joked.
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“A wrong turn, taken at the Chrysler Building,” he added, prompting applause from the audience.
He wasn’t finished. Maher also singled out the BBC for its argument that calling someone a terrorist can be a “barrier rather than an aide to understanding.”
“You know, it’s really a barrier to understanding lying,” Maher said.
Maher did not make clear during the segment which U.S. news associations he was referring to.
The terminology is the subject of an ongoing debate in journalism. The Poynter Institute has outlined several approaches to using the word “terrorism,” particularly when authorities themselves have used the term.
The Associated Press Stylebook, for example, states that “AP generally avoids labeling someone a ‘terrorist’ on its own, preferring to cite competent law enforcement officials or other credible authorities. Instead, we describe the specific actions we are reporting on and what we know about the perpetrators’ motives.”
For Maher, though, the debate over terminology was another opportunity to revisit how dramatically the conversation around terrorism has shifted since 9/11.
And, naturally, to make a few jokes about it along the way.
You can watch the full segment above and catch new episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher on Fridays at 10:00 p.m. ET on HBO.