HBO host Bill Maher on Friday took aim at Lindsey Graham after the South Carolina senator’s passionate speech Thursday in defense of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination.

During his “Real Time With Bill Maher” monologue Friday night, Maher joked that Graham escaped from the women who confronted Arizona Senator Jeff Flake in an elevator Friday because he was “familiar with the back door.” (RELATED: Ingraham: Flake ‘Sounded Like An Out-Of-Touch Narcissist’)

Later, during a panel discussion about Judge Kavanaugh, Maher said that Graham “needs the stabilizing influence of his dead boyfriend,” referring to the late Senator John McCain.

“You know what’s bad is this Trumpifying of people,” Maher said. “I mean, the fact that Trump can either find people like him or make them … Lindsey Graham needs the stabilizing influence of his dead boyfriend because he is just …”

As the audience laughed, CNN analyst April Ryan pointed to Maher and said “he said it.”

“They know who said it,” Maher quipped to Ryan. “You won’t get my politically incorrect cooties on you.”

“But that was a performance also, obviously acting,” Maher said, referring to Graham’s emotional defense of Kavanaugh Thursday. “To what end? Is he looking for a cabinet position? Is that what that is?”

“Lindsey Graham has always been the beta male,” said panelist Max Brooks. “John McCain was the alpha. He was the sidekick and now he’s lost his protector. He’s lost his big brother, and he needs protection. So he’s always looking for Trump to protect him now because that’s how he’s always been.”

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