Unafraid and Uncensored

In the span of less than an hour on a recent episode of his HBO series Real Time, Bill Maher tore into college (“it’s a scam”), doctors refusing to admit that diet and exercise can play a big role in weight loss (“We’re being gaslighted”), and children (“Has anyone read Lord of the Flies? They’re feral”). Just in case you needed a reminder, Maher is full of opinions, and he’s not shy about sharing them with the world. You may not agree with him; in fact, you may be furious with him. But you can’t deny that he’s never boring.

That take-no-prisoners attitude applies to his stand-up performances in Las Vegas as well. Even if you’ve seen Maher’s shows here before, there’s always a reason to come back—his material is always evolving to a new level of outrage.

In addition, Maher is now enjoying new digs on the Strip. He previously performed in the Shin Lim Theater at The Mirage as part of the Aces of Comedy series, but now you can find him playing the David Copperfield Theater at MGM Grand. It’s a more intimate space in which his controversial material resonates even more than it did in the previous venue.

A lot of Maher’s fans want to refer to him as a liberal, but as Maher makes very plain on Real Time (and in his stand-up shows), he’s not afraid to take Democrats to task. This is one show that’s likely to offend both sides. But man, will you laugh. –

Ken Miller

MGM Grand, 8 p.m. Feb. 1718, starting at $89.99, ticketmaster.com