HBO host Bill Maher on Friday celebrated the death of Republican megadonor David Koch, who died a day before at the age of 79 following a battle with prostate cancer.
“I guess I’m going to have to re-evaluate my low opinion of prostate cancer,” the liberal comedian said during a live broadcast of “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
“Condolences poured in from all the politicians he owned, and mourners have been asked in lieu of flowers to just leave their car engine running,” Mr. Maher joked during his opening monologue. “As for his remains, he has asked to be cremated and have his ashes blown into a child’s lungs.”
Acknowledging the reaction he expected his comments to cause, the comic nonetheless continued to unload on the recently deceased philanthropist and political activist.
“Now, I know these seem like harsh words and harsh jokes, and I’m sure I will be condemned for them on Fox News, which will portray Mr. Koch as a principled libertarian who believed in the free market. He and his brother have done more than anybody to fund climate-science deniers for decades, so f—- him. The Amazon is burning up. I’m glad he’s dead and I hope the end was painful,” Mr. Maher added.
Fox News personalities have since started denouncing Mr. Maher as he predicted: “The Five” co-host Greg Gutfeld responded early Saturday on Twitter by calling the comedian a “needy phony.”
“Koch was a generous libertarian, whose millions went to fight disease. he did more for the world in a day, than Maher will do in his lifetime,” Mr. Gutfeld tweeted.
Mr. Koch and his brother, Charles Koch, have together spent billions of dollars on various causes and projects, including conservative groups in addition to hospitals, museums and other institutions.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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