Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Bill Maher sits down with Iranian-American comedian Max Amini, a global comedy powerhouse who sells out shows around the world, for a conversation that swings from religion to revolution. Max opens up about growing up as an “American kid” in Iran, getting bullied at school, and quietly whispering that he was American while classmates chanted “Death to America.” The two trade faith stories: Bill admits he still gets sweaty palms walking into a church, while Max shares his father’s Sufi belief that “our religion is love.” They get into Max’s complicated relationship with Iran, the Shah’s legacy, and what life under the country’s religious regime has meant for generations of Iranians. And comedy is never far away, as Max shares his Jay Leno origin story and the best advice he ever received: “It’s never too late, but it always could be too early."
#billmaher #maxamini #comedy #standup #comedian #iran #religion #jayleno
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ABOUT CLUB RANDOM
In Club Random, Bill Maher unleashes his comedic wit on an unpredictable lineup – from Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld to Quentin Tarantino and Neil deGrasse Tyson – digging into everything but politics. It’s Maher in his familiar element: one-on-one vibes, unfiltered laughs, and the kind of freewheeling banter only he can deliver.
ABOUT BILL MAHER
Bill Maher was the host of “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC) from 1993-2002, and for the last 23 years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 41 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous.”
Maher has written six bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass", and most recently "What This Comedian Said Will Shock You".
00:00 – Cold Open / Intro
03:19 – Jay Leno’s Best Advice
06:35 – Max Amini Has to Share His Soul
08:45 – Growing Up American in Iran
12:06 – Trump, Iran, and Finishing the Job
15:53 – Iran Isn’t Venezuela
20:29 – Why Iran Follows Max Everywhere
23:23 – The American Kid Chanting “Death to America”
26:09 – Bill Watches Iran’s Revolution From Geneva
30:12 – Why Max Amini Is Still Single
35:08 – Every Decade Changes You
40:42 – Bill’s Last Deal With God
43:35 – Taylor Swift and the Numbers That Don’t Lie
47:14 – The Bible and Quran Aren’t the Same
51:56 – Marriage Looks a Lot Like Bullying
55:21 – Ben Affleck vs. Bill Maher and Sam Harris
57:11 – What Sharia Law Actually Means
1:00:15 – The Madrassa Story Bill Remembers
1:04:27 – Why Comics Went to Saudi Arabia
1:07:46 – Persian Culture vs. Religion
1:09:50 – Did Jimmy Carter Put Khomeini in Power?
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facebook.com/Club-Random-101776489118185
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instagram.com/clubrandompodcast
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FOLLOW BILL MAHER
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Bill Maher sits down with Iranian-American comedian Max Amini, a global comedy powerhouse who sells out shows around the world, for a conversation that swings from religion to revolution. Max opens up about growing up as an “American kid” in Iran, getting bullied at school, and quietly whispering that he was American while classmates chanted “Death to America.” The two trade faith stories: Bill admits he still gets sweaty palms walking into a church, while Max shares his father’s Sufi belief that “our religion is love.” They get into Max’s complicated relationship with Iran, the Shah’s legacy, and what life under the country’s religious regime has meant for generations of Iranians. And comedy is never far away, as Max shares his Jay Leno origin story and the best advice he ever received: “It’s never too late, but it always could be too early."
#billmaher #maxamini #comedy #standup #comedian #iran #religion #jayleno
Subscribe to the Club Random YouTube channel:
youtube.com/c/clubrandompodcast?sub_confirmation=1
Watch episodes ad-free – subscribe to Bill Maher’s Substack:
billmaher.substack.com
Subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you listen: bit.ly/ClubRandom
Support our Advertisers:
Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at rula.com/RANDOM #rulapod #ad
Buy Club Random Merch:
clubrandom.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
ABOUT CLUB RANDOM
In Club Random, Bill Maher unleashes his comedic wit on an unpredictable lineup – from Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld to Quentin Tarantino and Neil deGrasse Tyson – digging into everything but politics. It’s Maher in his familiar element: one-on-one vibes, unfiltered laughs, and the kind of freewheeling banter only he can deliver.
ABOUT BILL MAHER
Bill Maher was the host of “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC) from 1993-2002, and for the last 23 years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 41 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous.”
Maher has written six bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass", and most recently "What This Comedian Said Will Shock You".
00:00 – Cold Open / Intro
03:19 – Jay Leno’s Best Advice
06:35 – Max Amini Has to Share His Soul
08:45 – Growing Up American in Iran
12:06 – Trump, Iran, and Finishing the Job
15:53 – Iran Isn’t Venezuela
20:29 – Why Iran Follows Max Everywhere
23:23 – The American Kid Chanting “Death to America”
26:09 – Bill Watches Iran’s Revolution From Geneva
30:12 – Why Max Amini Is Still Single
35:08 – Every Decade Changes You
40:42 – Bill’s Last Deal With God
43:35 – Taylor Swift and the Numbers That Don’t Lie
47:14 – The Bible and Quran Aren’t the Same
51:56 – Marriage Looks a Lot Like Bullying
55:21 – Ben Affleck vs. Bill Maher and Sam Harris
57:11 – What Sharia Law Actually Means
1:00:15 – The Madrassa Story Bill Remembers
1:04:27 – Why Comics Went to Saudi Arabia
1:07:46 – Persian Culture vs. Religion
1:09:50 – Did Jimmy Carter Put Khomeini in Power?
FOLLOW CLUB RANDOM
clubrandom.com
facebook.com/Club-Random-101776489118185
twitter.com/clubrandom_
instagram.com/clubrandompodcast
tiktok.com/@clubrandompodcast
FOLLOW BILL MAHER
billmaher.com
twitter.com/billmaher
instagram.com/billmaher
