Bill Maher debated masculinity and movements in “real time.”

With Election Day less than a month away, it was no surprise that it was happening this week Real Time with Bill Maher focused largely on various aspects of the presidential election. This time, however, the most interesting moments came when Maher and his guests went to unexpected places – like early on, when Maher got into a heated theological debate.

This was the result of an interview with Maher The AtlanticTim Alberta is there to discuss his book The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in the Age of Extremism. Alberta was quick to point to his own experiences in that community, referring to “the white evangelical movement” as “the world I came from.”

Some of Maher’s early questions focused on the evangelical community’s relationship to politics and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. “You suspect at a certain point that some of these people are using ‘evangelical’ or ‘Christian’ as a cultural identity rather than a doctrinal, theological identity,” Alberta said. He then addressed some of the contradictions that arose from what Alberta called “the marriage of bad history and bad theology.” And one is a prerequisite for the other.”

Things took an interesting turn when Maher questioned Alberta about his own beliefs. Alberta responded that exploring evangelicals had strengthened his own faith. Then the two butted heads when it came to Jesus as a historical figure and whether one could accept that without also viewing him as a deity.

Maher said he was “on the right side” of viewing Jesus as a moral philosopher, echoing Thomas Jefferson in this regard. “That doesn’t mean I have to accept that a pigeon flew down and hit his mother,” he added. Alberta fought back; The give-and-take was interesting to watch, however, and Maher’s comment at the end of the interview – “I could talk to you about this all night” – showed he was keen on the debate.

Maher was joined at the evening’s panel discussion by CNN anchor Laura Coates and radio host Buck Sexton. Coates and Sexton have very different views on politics, to say the least, but their exchange was relatively civil, at least at first. Things got more controversial in the second half, as Sexton ran through a list of right-wing talking points, including attacks on immigrants and transgender people, and Coates objected.

When she did, Sexton saw an opportunity to make one of his arguments: “That’s why Kamala is going to lose, by the way.”

“Why?” Coates replied. “Because an articulate woman made a point?”

Throughout the episode, Sexton repeatedly referred to the Democratic Party as the “Democrat Party,” so much so that it could probably have been turned into a drinking game. However, if you had actually done that, you might have passed out by the end of the episode. At the end of the panel, Maher finally had enough and corrected him.

During the panel, Maher also brought up the fact that, in his words, “Trump is targeting the brother’s election.” Much of the second half of the panel focused on this, with Maher noting at one point that men “do the more dangerous jobs “.

Coates was having none of it. “You’re right,” she said. “Your job at this table is very dangerous.” If the audience’s reaction was any indication, she made the strongest impression of the night.

Some other notable moments from the episode:

• Maher on Alex Jones’ hurricane conspiracy theories: “An idea so stupid that even The Rock didn’t make it into a movie.”
• Maher on Charmin’s claims about its products: “It’s like Jesus with the loaves and the fishes, except it’s toilet paper and your ass.”
• Maher on Elon Musk: “My advice? Longer shirts and less jumps, but hey.”
• Maher on Chappell Roan: “In just a few months, she went from a struggling artist to 3 billion plays on Spotify while making 11 cents.”
• Once again, real life itself proves to be more bizarre than most comedies. This week’s example: the political controversy surrounding a Snoopy fan account’s support of Trump.

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