I don’t normally watch “Real Time with Bill Maher” if for no other reason than I watch about 23 other political shows a week and he’s hard to fit into my jam-packed schedule. But I know the guy is good, if a little feisty. I just didn’t realize how feisty. Some 9/11 activists got into Maher’s audience while smuggling in signs under their shirts. During filming for the live show, one of them started screaming something about 9/11 being a conspiracy, and interrupted the panelists. Maher told the guy to shut up, but he did it a few more times until Maher finally asked, “Don’t we have any f****** security here?” The guy was taken away - but not before Maher, clearly pretty angry at this point - ran into the audience and helped take the guy out.

Bill Maher can add “security guard” to his job description alongside comedian and political commentator. Maher on Friday night helped security remove a rowdy protester from the studio during his weekly HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher,” and it was all captured on live television. Maher was talking science during one of his weekly panel discussions when a protester in his audience stood up, held up a smuggled-in sign reading “9/11 is a cover up fraud” and shouted comments to the same effect.

The host tried to shout down the audience member, who only became more agitated. “Do we have some (expletive) security in this building,” Maher yelled, “or do I have to come down there and kick his (expletive)?” When security reached the man’s aisle and the man resisted leaving, Maher ran into the seats and helped them push him out the door, shouting “Out! Out! Out!” Several other protesters, sprinkled throughout the audience, then stood up and shouted. “This isn’t the Iowa Caucus, OK, we’re not here to debate,” Maher shouted with most of his audience cheering him on. “This is the problem with live television.”

After the instigators were ejected, Maher told his panelists — MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Los Angeles Times columnist Joel Stein and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson — that they often linger outside his studio to share 9/11 conspiracy theories with him and try to get into the show. “It’s the only time I defend Bush,” he said.

[From the Associated Press]

My favorite quote from the night? Maher telling the conspiracy guys to be quiet, noting, “You’re in the audience. Audience comes from the Latin, ‘to listen.’” That really is the issue with live television – you just can’t control for all the variables. Sure you can work to make sure the lights don’t fail and the guests have enough water – but you never know when a total crazy will rip off all his clothes and make a beeline for the stage. One day… here’s hoping.

Is Steve Irwin fair dinkum game now that he’s been dead over a month? Controversial liberal talkshow host Bill Maher and the creators of South Park think so. Maher donned a tasteless Halloween costume featuring a red wig and sleevless khaki shirt with a stingray’s tail sticking out of his chest complete with fake blood. It’s a clever idea for a costume but it seems like a cruel stunt for a famous person to pull so soon after Irwin’s death.

Meanwhile South Park has parodied Irwin’s accidental death by showing the daredevil crocodile hunter as a Halloween party guest with a stingray’s barb sticking out of his chest. Irwin’s widow Terri is said to be devastated by the episode and hopes her young children never see it:

Terri, 42, is said to be worried that Irwin’s children BINDI, eight, and BOB, two, will see the show, which portrays the late star with a stingray sticking out of his chest less than two months after he died. Last night (27OCT06), Australian TV channel SBS said it is planning to air the episode in Australia next year (07) or in 2008. It has already been shown in the US. A friend of Irwin’s widow says, “Terri is devastated Steve is being mocked in such a cruel way. Her worry is that Bindi and Bob will see it and break down. “Steve had as big a sense of humour as anyone, but this goes too far too soon.” British TV naturalist MARK AMEY, 44, who worked alongside Irwin, backed the sentiments, saying, “My message to people is don’t watch the show. It’s distasteful s**t. Let’s hope none of Steve’s fans who keep poisonous animals happen to find the addresses of those behind the show and leave them a nice surprise.”

[via Fark]

Irwin is shown in South Park as a guy at Satan’s Halloween party who is mistaken for someone wearing a costume. In this clip, which I’m pretty sure is the one that’s referred to in the story, Irwin is chastized by Satan for daring to mock the accident so soon after it happened. He then says he’s the real Steve Irwin and Satan kicks him out for not having a costume. That’s obnoxious, but that’s how South Park is and they’re basically admitting that it’s tasteless.

Irwin was parodied in South Park while he was alive (link leads to video on YouTube) in an episode that aired in the second season.