Bill Maher addressed the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles during his "New Rules" segment on Real Time, expressing strong criticism towards local authorities and their handling of the crisis. Maher highlighted several issues, including the Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) focus on diversity initiatives and recent budget cuts, which he believes detracted from effective firefighting efforts.
During the monologue, Maher criticized the LAFD for prioritizing diversity over operational efficiency. He pointed to comments made by Deputy Chief Kristine Larson, who in an undated video stated a desire for firefighters to "look like you." Maher countered this by asserting that, "No one cares what someone looks like when they’re pulling you out of a burning house.” He further remarked that such priorities "would sound kind of racist if a Southern sheriff said it."
Maher also questioned the strategic planning behind the city's location, noting that Los Angeles is built in a "stupid place" to establish a city. He humorously compared the inevitability of California's wildfires to "boob jobs in a strip club," suggesting that they are unavoidable and only increasing in scale.
He referenced a report from Axios that highlighted complications with water access in Pacific Palisades, sarcastically commenting that these issues were unsurprising given the circumstances. Criticism extended to Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, with Maher questioning Newsom’s firefighting response and Bass's decision to travel to Ghana preceding the disaster.
Maher linked governmental inefficiencies and identity politics to broader systemic issues, arguing that these factors undermine effective responses to natural disasters. While acknowledging that "wokeness" alone wasn't responsible for the fires, he emphasized how such policies could exacerbate existing challenges.
Recent budget cuts to the LAFD also came under fire during Maher's monologue. The department faced a 2% budget reduction, which Fire Chief Kristin Crowley cited as a hindrance during firefighting efforts. Maher remarked, "We better get some of that back soon, because wildfires in California are like boob jobs in a strip club: inevitable, and they’re only going to get bigger.”
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