Wanda Sykes spoke about her interaction with Bill Maher following a joke she made during the Golden Globes in January. On Vulture’s Good One podcast, Sykes revealed that Maher expressed his displeasure with her joke, which referenced the dynamics of representation in comedy. Sykes stated, "There’s some people p---ed off that a queer Black woman is up here doing the job of two mediocre white guys," before delivering her punchline about Maher.
After the show, Maher confronted Sykes, questioning the nature of her joke. Sykes defended her humor, noting that there was laughter from the audience. Despite their discussion, Sykes indicated that Maher remained unconvinced, insisting that it was not a joke. Sykes remarked that Maher’s reaction exemplified the point of her joke about needing less of that attitude.
Maher, who was nominated for his first Golden Globe, had previously expressed frustration with awards shows in general, stating that he had been nominated for 33 Emmys without winning. He also commented on his perception of being overlooked by Hollywood’s traditional awards bodies. Sykes humorously noted that Maher’s loss to Ricky Gervais was not a primary concern during their conversation, highlighting that Maher received mixed reactions about her joke from his contacts. Sykes concluded the exchange by declining Maher’s invitation to appear on his podcast.