21 Years Ago, Bill Maher Made a Michael Jackson Joke So Bad Craig Ferguson Ended the Interview

Between 2005 and 2013, Bill Maher appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson six times. Perhaps Maher’s most notable interview with Ferguson was his first, which also happened to be his shortest. Early on in their conversation that night, the subject of Michael Jackson’s molestation trial came up. Maher admitted that he was fascinated with the proceedings and was convinced that Jackson had done what he was accused of because of them. 

For his part, Ferguson said that the Jackson situation made him crazy because he had a young son. “The idea of someone touching my kid, I would go—I almost swore there. I’d go crazy,” Ferguson told Maher. While Maher acknowledged that Jackson’s alleged behavior was wrong, he recalled a traumatizing experience he’d had as a child that he felt was much worse. As Maher explained, he was once beaten up pretty badly by bullies when he was in school.

Craig Ferguson Pulled the Plug on Bill Maher After a Controversial Michael Jackson Joke

“If I had a choice between being savagely beaten and being gently masturbated by a pop star,” Maher joked, insinuating that he’d prefer the latter. Before Maher could even finish, Ferguson had his head in his hand. “The always controversial Bill Maher, everybody,” Ferguson said, wrapping up the interview abruptly. “We’ll be right back with Rain Pryor,” he told the crowd as Maher confusedly asked, “That’s it?”

It’s not clear whether Ferguson or the network made the call to pull the plug on the interview, but they wasted no time cutting to a commercial. Whatever the case may be, when they eventually returned from the break, Maher was nowhere to be found. The comedian wouldn’t appear on Ferguson’s show again until two years later. You can check out the offending segment for yourself right here: