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Surprise! There's controversy surrounding tonight's episode of HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher."

(HBO)

Bill Maher is defending booking Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos on tonight's "Real Time With Bill Maher," after another guest dropped out in protest.

Journalist Jeremy Scahill, a cofounder with Glenn Greenwald of the journalism website, the Intercept, had been scheduled to appear on the Friday, Feb. 17 episode of HBO's "Real Time."

But then it was announced that the "Real Time" episode would also include Yiannopoulos, a controversial figure associated with the "alt-right," and whose resume includes being banned from Twitter for, as the company said, "inciting or engaging in the targeted abuse or harassment of others," notably including "Ghostbusters" costar and "Saturday Night Live" cast member Leslie Jones.

Scahill posted on Twitter that he wouldn't appear on the Feb. 17 "Real Time With Bill Maher" because of the Yiannopoulos booking.

Scahill wrote that he has appeared many times on "Real Time," adding, "Over the past decade, the people at Real Time have become like family to me. I passionately disagree with -- and find offensive -- some of Bill's views, particularly when his comments on Islam and Muslims veer into vitriol. At the same time, I have deep respect for Bill and his voice on many other issues and I believe he and his staff have created a vital platform for debate and discussion that at times I love and and other times loathe."

But, Scahill continued, booking Yiannopoulos was "many bridges too far." Scahill wrote that Yiannopoulos "has ample venues to spew his hateful diatribes. There is no value in 'debating' him. Appearing on 'Real Time' will provide Yiannopoulos with a large, important platform to openly advocate his racist, anti-immigrant campaign. It will be exploited by Yiannopoulos in an attempt to legitimize his hateful agenda. Yiannopoulos's appearance could also be used to incite violence against immigrants, transgender people, and others at a time when the Trump Administration is already seeking to formalize a war against some of the most vulnerable people in our society."

Maher has issued his own statement in response, as Entertainment Weekly reports.

James Hibberd's post quotes Maher's statement, which includes the following: "My comments on Islam have never veered into vitriol...Liberals will continue to lose elections as long as they follow the example of people like Mr. Scahill whose views veer into fantasy and away from bedrock liberal principles like equality of women, respect for minorities, separation of religion and state, and free speech. If Mr. Yiannopoulos is indeed the monster Scahill claims -- and he might be -- nothing could serve the liberal cause better than having him exposed on Friday night."

No doubt Maher will have more to say on his show tonight. Guests now will be Yiannopoulos as the top-of-show interview guest, Leah Remini as the mid-show interview guest, and on the panel, former Georgia congressman Jack Kingston, terrorism expert Malcolm Nance and comedian Larry Wilmore.

"Real Time With Bill Maher" airs at 10 p.m. on HBO and is also available on HBO Now and HBO Go.

-- Kristi Turnquist



kturnquist@oregonian.com

503-221-8227

@Kristiturnquist