ABC Cancels 'Politically Incorrect' (1 Viewer)

[Ian_Fisher]

What a shame. I didn't always agree with Maher, but I admired him for cutting through what he thought was the B.S. that surround today's important issues. I don't have a problem with Jimmy Kimmel, but does ABC really think that he can do anything so funny that it'll drag me away from The Late Show? At least Politically Incorrect was different from what Leno and Letterman were doing.

HBO...if you are reading, this show could be PERFECT for you. Expand it to an hour, and let him go!

 

[LarryDavenport]

Now there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I want to watch on ABC (though I will try to catch Alias this summer).

I agree with Bill about 35% of the time (mostly about pot) and sometimes I get pissed off when he has a lame comic like Carrot Top or Super Dave, both of whom can grind a show to a halt, but all in all I love the format.

Bill saw this coming and has probably been working behind the scenes to find the show a new home (either on radio or another network/cable outlet. He has also said he hates only doing a half hour (really 22 minutes).

 

[Jason Borchers]

I've watched the show since it was on Comedy Central. I hope it does find another home.
I have nothing against Jimmy Kimmel either, but to replace a show as intelligent and meaningful as P.I. with a Jimmy Kimmel show is just sick.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Woa... what? Can someone provide a link or something?

I really like this show. Heck, I even auditioned for it (made it to the final round, and got to meet and debate with Maher). What the heck is Jimmy Kimmel going to do instead, make fart jokes?

Edit: nevermind, I found it.

 

[Ken Chan]

I wonder how much of this is due to the ratings, and how much because of the controversy last year.

Just last night, Bill made a passing remark about having a longer show.

//Ken

 

[Jay E]

Very sad news, but what do you expect from a really lame network like ABC. I hope someone picks this up and makes it an hour. Maybe he can go back to Comedy Central.

 

[BrianB]

This show BETTER get picked up by another network. It just *has to*.

 

[DaveF]

The official ABC word is that this had nothing to do with past controversies.

I watch bits of the show infrequently. Though the guests sometimes had interesting things to say, I thought Bill Maher rarely contributed anything useful or insightful to his own discussions.

Perhaps Maher will find greener pastures elsewhere.

 

[MickeS]

I was an occasional viewer (as I am with all the other late shows except "Tonight Show" which I watch a few times a week), mostly because the discussions could never get very deep, as soon as they got going it was "and now it's time for a commercial".

I agree with Maher about half the time, and the other half he comes off as a holier-than-thou asshole. But that was the fun with it, to have a host that wasn't so bland.

If they could do an hourlong HBO version of it two or three times a week instead, that'd be perfect, I think. Then again, HBO has Dennis Miller who has a similar thing going on his show.

/Mike

 

[Matt Pasant]

I work for an ABC affiliate and the real reason why PI is gone is because advertisers would not touch the show with a ten foot poll after 9/11.

-- Matt

 

[Dave F]

What was the controversy about last year?

-Dave

 

[Larry Seno Jr.]

Yeah, I watch this show pretty frequently, and wasn't aware of any controversies? What gives? I agree with others that said it never got going. At one hour interrupted, I would have been a daily watcher, I hate the VERY frequent commercial breaks.

 

[Jodee]

As someone who actually watched the episode with the "controversy", I'll tell you.

It was the first episode after they came back from 9/11 and Maher had a guest on (I think his names is Dinesh Sasouza or something--he has a book out now called "What's so Great about America"). Anyway, the guest commented about how everyone in the media was calling the 9/11 hijackers "cowards", which is not accurate, since it takes a lot of courage to fly yourself into a building.

Maher agreed with him and said something like "Yeah, we're the cowards who lob missiles from 2000 miles away. Staying in the plane as it goes down, say what you want, it's not cowardly."

What I, and most people who watch the show regularly took from that statement was Maher being critical of the politicians who order such bombings. But some radio host got wind of it and started railing against Maher for calling our soldiers "cowards." When in reality, the soldiers aren't the ones making such decisions and we all know that our soldiers are more than willing to go in and fight and do the job correctly.

It caused a huge stink and a bunch of alliliates yanked his show off the air.

 

[ryan_m]

Maher is a pompous ass, but I agree with about 85% of what he says (his rants about the feminization of the country have gotten old) and think the show is great. I never miss it (thanks to Tivo) so I will definitely be sad to see it go. People who got on him for what he said after 9/11 are just idiots. Gee how bout you take two seconds and think about what he said instead of just reacting. It was the only show on tv that i know about that actually asked some tough questions and discussed real topics (most of the time). You have to respect him for that even if he does act like a jerk a lot. I mean he makes tons of money and drives a hybrid Toyota! I respect what he has to say a hell of a lot more than any network news talking head. Hopefully it'll come back as an hour long program somewhere, 1/2 hour really isn't long enough. I hope he goes no holds barred in the last couple weeks of the show. That would be entertaining.

 

[Graeme Clark]

The commercial breaks ruined the show. I would have watched it much more often if they could have actually gotten into a discussion.

A move to HBO would be great, as long as the Comedy Network here picked it up again.

 

[Henry Gale]

P.I. comes on at 1:30 AM in my area and I taped it every night. My favorite episode had Al Sharpton and Chris Rock. The subject was hunger in America, Rock looked at Rev. Al and said, "Well, you're fat!"

Later he offered up, "We have hunger here, but we don't have the whole 'flies around the mouth' thing."

 

[Shane Gralaw]

Well, P.I. is thought provoking, bravely asserts a real viewpoint, cuts through the bullshit, and fearlessly explores ideas most people would rather ignore. Of course it couldn't last on network TV.

This needs to be on HBO, and expanding to an hour would really help. Then you wouldn't have to worry about good discussions getting cut off for commercials or time constraints.

 

[Mitty]

This needs to be on HBO...

Truer words have seldom been spoken. Of course, ALL the good, slightly edgy shows oughtta be on HBO.
The Job (also on ABC) is another one which could be great if only it had a little leeway.

 

[Ike]

HBO! HBO! HBO! HBO! HBO! HBO!

 

[MikeM]

This is a sad, sad day. This is easily my favorite show on network TV. Ever since I got my TiVo, I've seen every episode of P.I. for the past year or so...it will be sorely missed.
Say what you will about Bill Maher, but it's one of the few shows on television where the guests aren't simply reciting the witty little "experiences" they had that are all rehearsed in a pre-interview, and clearly marked on the host's blue card.
P.I. allowed many different cultural, ethnic and religious voices to be heard, and for the diversity alone of the panel, it should be commended.
Then again, since HBO produces the show, it seems like a nice logical jump to have this show migrate to HBO....that would be fantastic.
My favorite P.I. of all time has to be the episode with Arsenio Hall...it was nice to hear Maher have the guts to call him "Ass-kissio" to his face.
With the cancellation of the Job as well, there's really nothing on ABC worth watching.