In a recent episode of his “Wild Ride!” podcast, Steve-O, formerly of “Jackass,” revealed that he had to decline an invitation to appear on Bill Maher’s podcast because Maher would not agree to refrain from smoking marijuana during the interview. Steve-O, who has been sober for 16 years, stated that maintaining his sobriety is extremely important to him, and he was taken aback by Maher’s refusal to accommodate his request. Despite appearing on other podcasts where the hosts were marijuana enthusiasts, Steve-O had never encountered a situation where his sobriety was not respected.
Steve-O expressed his disappointment with Maher’s unwillingness to forgo smoking pot for one interview, especially given the fact that other prolific potheads had shown respect for his boundaries in the past. He mentioned appearing on Mike Tyson’s podcast, “Hotboxin,” where marijuana was part of the theme, but Tyson had still refrained from blowing smoke in his face. It seemed to be a particular sticking point for Steve-O that Maher was not willing to make a concession for the sake of his sobriety, leading him to turn down the invitation to appear on the show.
Social media users reacted to Steve-O’s story, with some pointing out instances where Maher had respected his guest’s boundaries regarding marijuana. For example, during Sheryl Crow’s appearance on “Club Random,” Maher acknowledged his desire for a joint but made a point of not lighting up in front of her. This led to some confusion about Maher’s refusal to do the same for Steve-O and sparked further discussion about the issue of respecting guests’ sobriety on podcasts.
In addition to Maher’s show, “Club Random,” the podcast host recently announced the launch of Club Random Studios, a podcast network that aims to amplify the voices of celebrities in an unfiltered way. The network will feature shows such as “The Sage Steele Show,” hosted by Sage Steele, and podcasts from NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. Limp Bizkit singer Fred Durst will also host a show focused on UFOs and conspiracy theories, adding to the diverse lineup of content on the network.
As the story gained traction, Variety reached out to Bill Maher’s team for comment on the situation. Maher’s refusal to accommodate Steve-O’s request sparked a larger conversation about the importance of respecting guests’ boundaries, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics like sobriety. While Maher’s podcast has a reputation for being laid-back and unscripted, this incident with Steve-O highlighted the need for hosts to be mindful of their guests’ needs and preferences during interviews. Ultimately, the controversy shed light on the complexities of navigating personal boundaries in a public platform like podcasting.
