Reply #3: Bill Maher on smoking (they'll come for the fat people next)

[NMDemDist2]

MAHER: It's saying we're screwed up. It's saying we're screwed up. There's no reason for this. There's no reason to put these in these categories, to point fingers at the people -- you know, the smokers. You, you alone are the...

KING: You defend the smoker.

MAHER: Oh, yes, I do, Larry.

KING: Explain that.

MAHER: Well, again... KING: It kills. It's a killer product, isn't it?

MAHER: Larry, so is fatty food, so is sun cancer, so are prescription drugs -- all these things. Why do we point at the smoker and say, You know what? Your bad habit costs society, and that's the real -- you know, because that's the cover reason why we have to get rid of smoke. Your bad habit costs us in health care. Well, the person who's overweight, his bad habit is costing society too.

KING: So what you're saying is everything goes or...

MAHER: No, I'm saying I don't want to, like, attack the people who are overweight. I'm saying get off the smokers. I'm saying just be consistent.

We're all in this society together. We're all costing it in one way or another, OK. We all do something. None of us are perfect. We all pick our own poison. Don't point at me because mine is the one -- why do they pick on smoking? Not because it's the most important issue, because it's the one that's easiest to pick on. So that's why I defend smokers. And my mother still smokes.

KING: You also permit smoking on your show, right?

MAHER: Oh sure, if somebody wants to smoke, let them smoke.

KING: You could be the only show on television that has smoking.

MAHER: I've had -- probably am the only one.