Stan Lee fans slam Bill Maher for saying comic books played a part in the dumbing down of America: 'You had no problem taking that check' for 'Iron Man 3'
A day after Stan Lee was laid to rest in a private funeral service, Bill Maher took a shot at the Marvel Comics legend, and his grieving fans aren’t happy.
In a post titled “Adulting” on the Real Time With Bill Maher host’s blog, Maher linked comic books to the dumbing down of America — and Donald Trump‘s presidential victory — saying that in our country, “We’re using our smarts on stupid stuff” like picture books about superheroes.
“The guy who created Spider-Man and the Hulk has died, and America is in mourning,” Maher wrote. “Deep, deep mourning for a man who inspired millions to, I don’t know, watch a movie, I guess. Someone on Reddit posted, ‘I’m so incredibly grateful I lived in a world that included Stan Lee.’ Personally, I’m grateful I lived in a world that included oxygen and trees, but to each his own.”
Maher said he has nothing against comic books, but then he dissed them, saying he read them as a boy when he couldn’t find a real book. He said he was raised to think that comics were for children, “and when you grew up you moved on to big-boy books without the pictures.” However, he went on to say, 20 years ago, “something happened — adults decided they didn’t have to give up kid stuff. And so they pretended comic books were actually sophisticated literature. And because America has over 4,500 colleges — which means we need more professors than we have smart people — some dumb people got to be professors by writing theses with titles like Otherness and Heterodoxy in the Silver Surfer. And now when adults are forced to do grown-up things like buy auto insurance, they call it ‘adulting,’ and act like it’s some giant struggle.”
Maher said that Americans aren’t necessarily “stupider” today than we were then, but we’re “using our smarts on stupid stuff.” He ended with the Trump zinger, writing, “I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important.”
The comments on Maher’s post were pretty blunt. The first one we saw started with, “Bill, you can go f*** yourself.” Twitter pretty much agreed, blasting the guy who, um, appeared in 2013’s Iron Man 3 but has a problem with comics.
Ok @billmaher why talk smack about Stan Lee? You had no problem taking that check and appearing in Iron Man 3. Just saying
— Kaya Jones (@KayaJones) November 17, 2018
I was going to write a post about Bill Maher dissing Stan Lee, but then I remembered that Bill Maher isn't worth my time or yours.
If you're just learning that he's a bad person with bad opinions, welcome to the club of "we saw this coming a mile away."— Beth Elder-Scrolls (@BethElderkin) November 17, 2018
Bill Maher said when talking about Stan Lee's death, "I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to suggest that Donald Trump could only get elected in a country that thinks comic books are important." People never get meaner than when they realize they're no longer relevant.
— Ian Boothby (@IanBoothby) November 17, 2018
Bill Maher can be as smug as he wants about Stan Lee and the artistic value of comic books. But in the end, his contributions to people's lives and worldwide culture will be an Ant-Man-sized speck on Galactus's boot compared to Lee.
— Dan and the Belmonts (@dan_brooks) November 17, 2018
Bill Maher disrespected Stan Lee? Wow this totally changes my previously high opinion of that smug Islamophobic racist misogynistic attention-whore.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) November 17, 2018
The fact that the only way Bill Maher can score heat anymore is saying Stan Lee is responsible for Donald Trump should inspire some introspection in that dude about how pathetic he is now. But if that was possible, he wouldn't be Bill Maher
— Nathan Bernhardt (@jonbernhardt) November 17, 2018
I read Bill Maher's blog post about Stan Lee. Woof. Think it's probably time Maher be driven upstate to a farm, where he can live out the remainder of his days with the rest of late night's forcibly-retired, out of touch dinosaurs.
— Scott Wampler? (@ScottWamplerBMD) November 17, 2018
It's crazy to me that Bill Maher is using Stan Lee's death to insult the maturity of comic book fans. It's crazily out of character for him to try to assert his intellectual superiority over the ignorant masses in a shrill, strident, obnoxious and attention-seeking way.
— Nathan Rabin (@nathanrabin) November 17, 2018
Would y’all believe I didn’t buy that Bill Maher made those asinine comments about comic books and Stan Lee? I assumed it had to be out of context or just fake because who would say that after an American icon died? Who’s that full of themselves that they would try that?
— Elon James White (@elonjames) November 17, 2018
Unfortunately ?@billmaher?’s comic awareness is exceptionally limited. Comics can tell tales that are grand in scope. Stan & Co. encouraged ideas about civil rights & acceptance. Perhaps we can broaden his horizon here with suggestions. https://t.co/iS4UIYY81j
— Aaron Sagers (@aaronsagers) November 16, 2018
So @billmaher has disrespected Stan Lee and comics. What a shock. He’s not read one since the sixties, most likely. Hey Bill, you seen ROAD TO PERDITION? HISTORY OF VIOLENCE? 30 DAYS OF NIGHT? THE FOUNTAIN? OLDBOY? FROM HELL? All adapted from comics. Welcome to the 21st Century.
— Tony Lee (@mrtonylee) November 17, 2018
Lee passed away on Monday at the age of 95. On Friday, his family held a private funeral service. A statement on Lee’s Twitter account said there won’t be a public memorial (he didn’t want one), but a tribute is in the works by his POW! Entertainment family. And fans can share messages on a tribute wall on Lee’s website.
A Statement from Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment. pic.twitter.com/VjTA3Xn7qX
— stan lee (@TheRealStanLee) November 16, 2018
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