Bill Maher is pointing to a dispute involving the Last Ditch Bar in Massachusetts as an example of what he sees as intolerance among people who otherwise present themselves as highly tolerant and inclusive.

Maher described the venue as a progressive bar with a mission centered on serving a broad mix of marginalized groups, workers and friends.

He said the bar’s politics were not the issue for him and made clear that he had no problem with its stated identity.

“So, okay, here's what's going on at the Last Ditch Bar. It's in Massachusetts. It's a very woke bar, which is fine,” Maher said.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.

He then cited the venue’s mission statement.

“Their mission statement: for dykes, transsexuals, transsexuals, gender freaks, workers, and friends,” Maher said.

Maher joked about the order of the groups listed while stressing that he was not objecting to the bar’s target audience.

“I love the way workers and friends are fourth and fifth on the list, which is fine,” he said.

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

“I've been called a freak myself, all right? I'm all for freaks, but economically it wasn't working.”

According to Maher, the bar was struggling financially despite charging customers for entry. He said its owners also tried to remain accommodating to people who could not afford to pay.

“Because even though there was a cover charge, if you couldn't pay, they wouldn't they would make you pay,” Maher said.

“Homeless, they were welcome in there. Not the cops, but the homeless.”

Maher said the venue also maintained a masking policy, requiring people inside the bar to wear masks.

“But also it was masked,” he said.

“This is why I was asking the doc about this. What you had to have a mask.”

The financial problems eventually became severe enough, Maher said, that one of the owners was living in a truck.

“So, because they're losing money, one of the owners was living in her truck,” Maher said.

In response, the owners proposed changing the rules for one night each week.

Maher said they decided to make Saturday nights mask-optional in hopes that the change would attract more customers and help the business cover expenses.

“They said, Okay, one night a week, let's make it Saturday night,” Maher said.

“Maybe we can pay the bills and keep the staff paid if we just have one night a week where it's mask-optional.”

Maher said that relatively limited change produced an intense backlash from people who objected to removing the mask requirement even for one night.

“And of course, the tolerant left did what they always do: became very intolerant and left,” Maher said.

He cited examples of the criticism directed at the venue, including one statement accusing the owners of endangering disabled people.

“And statements like, People like you kill disabled people in the name of your own leisure and convenience,” Maher said.

He then cited an even more severe reaction.

“And, I hope your venue gets firebombed,” Maher said.

For Maher, those responses were evidence that a dispute over a business policy had escalated into hostility far beyond a normal disagreement over masking.

“This is what I'm talking about,” Maher said.

“This level of hatred that is out there.”

WATCH:

Even Bill Maher is stunned by this one. A lesbian bar made N95 masks optional for ONE NIGHT a week, and his own side threatened to FIREBOMB it. The bar was losing so much money, the owner was living in HER TRUCK. So, in a desperate bid to keep the lights on, she decided to… pic.twitter.com/86mEO5OSpd

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) September 26, 2026