Bill Maher has never shied away from controversy, whether it’s his sharp political takes or his unapologetic stance on bachelorhood. Most recently, Maher defended Donald Trump’s sarcastic response to a question about visiting the site of a tragic plane crash in Washington D.C., once again proving his tendency to challenge mainstream narratives. But beyond politics, one question often follows him: why has he never married?
Unlike many public figures who eventually settle down, Maher has embraced his lifelong bachelor status, frequently mocking the idea of marriage itself.
The Lifelong Bachelor: Maher’s Stance on Marriage
Maher, born in 1956, has never been married, and he has been vocal about why he chooses to stay single. Over the years, he has compared the life of a married man to that of an indoor cat—comfortable, but stripped of his freedom. In a 2008 comedic bit, he quipped, “I always hear women say you know married men live longer—uh yes, and an indoor cat also lives longer.”
His disillusionment with marriage isn’t just for laughs. In multiple interviews, including on The Howard Stern Show in 2019, he admitted that while he has been in love and has had meaningful relationships, he never understood how someone could be with the same person every single day for years.
“I’ve tried to have relationships. I’ve been in love. I’ve known some amazing couples, but I never understood how you can be with the same person just day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year,” he said.
Beyond personal preference, Maher has also questioned society’s obsession with marriage, arguing that many people stay in relationships out of habit rather than happiness. He once remarked that hobbies like golfing are often just an escape from an unfulfilling marriage rather than a genuine passion.
Howard Stern vs. Bill Maher: A Clash Over Marriage
Maher’s take on relationships hasn’t always been well received—especially by fellow media figures. His ongoing friction with Howard Stern over the subject recently escalated after Maher criticized Stern’s public praise of his wife, Beth Stern.
On his podcast, Club Random, Maher questioned whether openly gushing about a spouse was appropriate when an ex-spouse was still alive to hear it. He commented, “We know Howard had this other wife before Beth, so he’s trying to make me seem like I’m the slightly immoral one because I won’t settle down. All I could think of is, how does this gushing about the second wife make the first wife feel?”
Stern took offense and responded strongly on his Sirius XM show, calling Maher’s comment sexist and misguided. He defended his choice to express affection for his wife publicly and shared that he even reached out to Maher privately but received no response. “I wrote in an email, I said, ‘Why don’t you give me a phone call? Why don’t you tell me what you think about my life and my marriage?’ But of course, he never wrote me back,” Stern said.
This wasn’t the first time the two had clashed. Their disagreements on relationships and marriage date back to the early days of their careers.
His Former Engagement and Dating History
Despite his strong stance against marriage, Maher has admitted that he once came close to tying the knot. “Yeah, I got close. I mean, I was engaged when I was 29,” he told OK! Magazine. “But I kind of knew even as we were engaged and buying the ring that there was a voice in my head saying, ‘Really? You’re just going to f*** this one person forever?'”
Over the years, Maher has had high-profile relationships, though none led to marriage. His most controversial was with Nancy “Coco” Johnsen, a former model and flight attendant who sued him for $9 million in 2004, alleging he had promised to marry her. She accused him of fraud, battery, and assault, claiming he persuaded her to leave her job at Delta Airlines with assurances of a long-term future together.
Maher denied all allegations and filed for the lawsuit’s dismissal, arguing that he was a lifelong bachelor who had never promised financial support or marriage to Johnsen. The case was eventually thrown out in court.
List of Bill Maher’s Known Girlfriends
- Tracy Richman (1988-1989)
- Heather Hunter (1991)
- Amber Smith (1995)
- Arianna Huffington (1997-1998)
- Karrine Steffans (2005)
- Jasmine Boussem (2009)
- Cara Santa Maria (2010-2011)
- Ann Coulter (Multiple romantic encounters over the years)
- Anjulie Persaud (mid-2010s)
Bill Maher’s View on Marriage Today
Even after decades of being asked about his aversion to marriage, Maher remains steadfast in his belief that it isn’t for him. On Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2020, he criticized the idea that marriage brings long-term happiness, pointing out how many marriages end in bitter divorces. “We’re married, we seem very happy, and then well we’re not happy and we’re gonna get divorced and then we’re gonna… let’s just do it amicably and not get lawyers involved and then all falls apart and once it goes down that path that you’re talking about it just becomes as vicious as anything without guns,” he explained.
Maher has also suggested that the stress of bad relationships can have real health consequences. “People unfortunately get a horrible disease like cancer and they say I couldn’t have gotten through it without my wife. I always think yeah and maybe she gave it to you,” he said, emphasizing that emotional strain can have serious physical effects.
