At the end of Friday’s episode of “Real Time,” Bill Maher noted the highly disturbing news that several adherents of the baseless conspiracy theory called “Qanon” have won republican primaries in more than one state and even more unsettling, the party is embracing them, by dusting off a joke from 2018 in which he claims he is the founder of the movement.
For those of you who don’t know, “QAnon” is a conspiracy theory without any basis in reality that claims a secret cabal controlled by Hollywood and prominent Democrats behind an international pedophile ring are plotting a clandestine coup against Donald Trump. They also believe that Trump is somehow leading a secret effort to defeat this nefarious scheme, presumably in between praising nazis, rage-tweeting about former presidents, and spreading medically unfounded advice about COVID-19 that could kill people stupid enough to listen.
It was all purportedly revealed by a government whistleblower known as “Q,” and in 2018, Maher ended one of this “New Rules” segments by claiming he “Q.” It was part of a joking effort to convince Republicans not to vote in the 2018 mid term elections, and on Friday, he brought the gag back to try and do the same thing in the 2020 presidential election.
“Well, it’s two years later and I’m going to tell you again. I am Q. I am. And true Q followers know it’s the truth because it makes the least sense. Think, people. That’s all I’m saying — take what you thought, flip it, and then assume the opposite of the opposite of what you know is not true,” Maher joked.
Maher then proceeded to ‘prove’ it with a barely coherent explanation that felt right at home with the insane gibberish IRL Qanon believers actually spout. “And if you need any more proof that I am Q, just remember that after I was revealed as Q in 2018 this old picture came out of me wearing red shoes, which of course I wore back then for the same reason Trump acted like a disgusting pervert for the last 30 years: because I knew this day would come, where I would have to prove that I am what I’m not,” he said.
Then he got to the scary bit: The large number of Qanon wackos successfully winning Republican primaries. “And don’t be intimidated by the so-called ‘sane’ people who say we’re stupid and gullible and lonely aimless losers. Oh, you can make fun of us all you want. But the joke is on you because Qanon is now so mainstream that 71 Republicans running for office this year have espoused Qanon beliefs.”
Maher then spent some time on several examples of such candidates, as well as examples of well known Trump associates using Qanon slogans, apparently to signal support. Then he got to the don’t-vote pitch, by way of claiming he and Trump are actually in cahoots.
“Don’t be fooled just because in various tweets and it rallies Trump has referred to me as dopey, not smart, a dumbass, a lowlife, a dummy, moron, a crazy maniac, stupid, failing, pathetic, bloated, third rate, insane, wacko, sick, stone-cold crazy, and the dumbest man on television. That’s his way of saying ‘I’m with you, bro!’” Maher said.
“So look, if you’re thinking of coming over to Q, or even if you think you might be Q-ish, here are some tips for voting in this vital upcoming election. First, continue to follow blindly every single thing I say, that’s most important. Second, don’t believe election day is really on a Tuesday. It’s not, they try that trick every time. In fact, this November, if you really want your voice heard, boycott the election by not voting at all. In fact, let me remind you of the key instructions for election day that I gave you two years ago.”
Maher then played a clip in which he said: “Do not leave your house on November 6th for any reason, even to buy vape juice. If you have a basement, go there. Or better, get in the trunk of your car, close it and don’t leave for whatever reason. Just stay in the trunk of your car until you hear from me. Stay in the trunk.”
“But if you do somehow get to the polls, my fellow Qanoners,” Maher concluded, “of course go with pride and pull the lever for the one man that can make America great again: Kanye West.”
Read the full text of the bit below:
New rule: now that Republicans have begun welcoming Qanon on into the political mainstream, it’s time Americans learn what it is. Qanon is a growing movement within the Republican Party that believes the world is being run behind the scenes by a small group of elitist liberals and Hollywood celebrities who are both Satan worshippers and pedophiles, who eat babies and wear red shoes to signal their membership in this group.
A group that includes Hillary Clinton, Tom Hanks, Ellen, the Pope and every president since Reagan. And that there are two heroes who will put a stop to this: President Donald Trump and Q himself, the anonymous leader who founded Qanon with one overarching theme. That you’re being lied to and everything you think you know is really the opposite.
“What you’re seeing and what you are reading is not what’s happening.” That’s why it makes sense within Qanon that Trump –who most Americans see as a sex creep who walks in on half-dressed beauty pageant contestants and tells underage girls he’ll be dating them in ten years — actually is the Christian Savior who will destroy these sex fiends.
It is also why it makes perfect sense that I, libertine, atheist, pot-smoking, Trump-hating Bill Maher, am Q. I am. Which I revealed on this show two years ago,
[clip of him doing that]
Well, it’s two years later and I’m going to tell you again. I am Q. I am. And true Q followers know it’s the truth because it makes the least sense. Think, people. That’s all I’m saying — take what you thought, flip it, and then assume the opposite of the opposite of what you know is not true.
Then and only then are you thinking like a true Qanon. And if you need any more proof that I am Q, just remember that after I was revealed as Q in 2018 this old picture came out of me wearing red shoes, which of course I wore back then for the same reason Trump acted like a disgusting pervert for the last 30 years: because I knew this day would come, where I would have to prove that I am what I’m not. And don’t be intimidated by the so-called ‘sane’ people who say we’re stupid and gullible and lonely aimless losers. Oh, you can make fun of us all you want. But the joke is on you because Qanon is now so mainstream that 71 Republicans running for office this year have espoused Qanon beliefs.
That’s more Republicans than believe in evolution or vegetables. And we’re very proud that one of our candidates, Marjorie Taylor Greene — who has been brave enough to say publicly that Hillary likes voodoo dolls, and Planned Parenthood performs human sacrifices — she just won the House primary in Georgia. He’s going to be in Congress. Deal with it. Trump calls her a future Republican star and she has called his presidency ‘a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles out.’ Exactly. So laugh now if you want. But just remember that in the Republican Party, today’s lunatic is tomorrow’s mainstream representative.
Sure, call her crazier than a s—house rat today. In four years, you’ll be calling her the winner of the Iowa caucus. Same with Jo Rae Perkins. She could be the next Republican senator from Oregon, and she says
Perkins in a clip: “I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team.”
‘Stand with Q and the team.’ Thank you, Jo. Yes, we’ve made great progress in the two years since I revealed myself. I don’t take all the credit, but attention must be paid. Q merchandise is now a staple of Trump rallies, and President Trump himself has just this week now embraced Qanon publicly. We’re blowing up, bitch. Get on the Qtip. Michael Flynn was the national security adviser of this country and here he is taking the Qanon oath
Flyn in clip: “where we go one we go all.”
We’re for real, motherf—ers. And what’s so great now is that I can speak to my people, my Q people, with complete freedom! Because the liberals just think I’m doing a comedy bit here. such idiots. These libtards actually believe Donald Trump doesn’t like me. That’s what they said about Robert Mueller, that he was Trump’s big enemy, when Q people know Trump feigned collusion with Russia in order to enlist Mueller to join him in exposing the ring and preventing a coup by Obama.
Mueller was his work-wife, not his enemy. Last week these morons actually thought Trump was insulting me when he tweeted about me, ‘totally SHOT, looks terrible, exhausted, gaunt, and weak. If there was ever a good reason for no shutdown, check out this jerk.’
Yeah, ‘check out this jerk,’ He’s saying check out our movement!
Don’t be fooled just because in various tweets and it rallies Trump has referred to me as dopey, not smart, a dumbass, a lowlife, a dummy, moron, a crazy maniac, stupid, failing, pathetic, bloated, third rate, insane, wacko, sick, stone-cold crazy, and the dumbest man on television. That’s his way of saying ‘I’m with you, bro!’
So look, if you’re thinking of coming over to Q, or even if you think you might be Q-ish, here are some tips for voting in this vital upcoming election. First, continue to follow blindly every single thing I say, that’s most important. Second, don’t believe election day is really on a Tuesday. It’s not, they try that trick every time. In fact, this November, if you really want your voice heard, boycott the election by not voting at all. In fact, let me remind you of the key instructions for election day that I gave you two years ago.
Maher in a clip: “Do not leave your house on November 6th for any reason, even to buy vape juice. If you have a basement, go there. Or better, get in the trunk of your car, close it and don’t leave for whatever reason. Just stay in the trunk of your car until you hear from me. Stay in the trunk.”
But if you do somehow get to the polls, my fellow Qanoners, of course go with pride and pull the lever for the one man that can make America great again: Kanye West.
