During a conversation on the Club Random Podcast, Bill Maher and Tim Allen addressed the environmental impact of private jet travel, with both comedians acknowledging the contradiction between climate consciousness and their use of private aircraft.
The discussion began when Allen revealed his family’s preference for unconventional travel methods, including RV and train trips.
Allen shared what he called an embarrassing realization about his environmental impact. “I thought they were environmental. I thought because they blow clean air. I’m a car guy. I had no idea that planes… I can’t talk about environment or anything because of that,” Allen admitted. “It’s a horrifying thing.”
Maher explained his pragmatic justification for private jet use, particularly for his work schedule. “I couldn’t have even gotten to these gigs if it wasn’t a private plan because I had to leave. I do the show, my show Friday night. I have to go to do a Saturday night show Saturday. You can’t get to Boise,” Maher said, before Allen interjected with mockery of the destination.
The Real Time host continued his reasoning: “The airlines are completely unreliable. We’d miss half our gigs. All right. So that’s our justification.”
Allen agreed but expressed reluctance to discuss the topic openly. “I can’t even get into it because for a long time I thought it was I don’t even like to say it.”
Maher later referenced a segment he had done about two years prior on environmental issues and private jet travel. “I did a thing one about two years ago about people who take private planes and I was just like saying. It was a whole thing about the environmental which I would like to think. I’m still an environmentalist. I certainly think there is an environmental crisis but I was saying we have tried for 50 years to try the method of shaming people into doing what’s right. Plainly, that doesn’t work on Americans.”
He elaborated on his position: “I’m an environmentalist. I believe it’s a problem, but you know, using a cloth bag is not going to fix it. And the plastic, by the way, that everyone separates, like 95% of it winds up where it was going to anyway, which is the ocean.”
Maher then addressed what he sees as hypocrisy in celebrity environmental advocacy. “I showed a picture of every celebrity who claims to be a giant getting on a private. So, like, as long as there’s 6,000 flights a day, me doing one more. I’m sorry I’m not going to be on Greta’s sailboat, okay? Because I hear getting the s**t off that thing is a mess.”
Allen brought up Arnold Schwarzenegger’s perspective on climate messaging, recalling the former California governor’s statement: “Nobody gives a s**t about climate change. Pause. Pollution. We understand the word climate change is so broad you go, ‘Oh, we can’t be right.’ You can handle pollution.”
Allen expressed agreement with this framing: “Climate change is real. I get it. What can I do about it? Use less plastic. I put solar on my house. Anything I can do to lower my carbon footprint.”
Maher responded directly to Allen’s efforts: “Well, all that bulls**t you did, Tim, didn’t add up to one millionth of the trips you’ve taken on that. And I took on your plane. But it’s true.”
Allen concluded his thoughts on environmental action: “There’s nothing like feeling helpless to get people to do nothing.”
Maher then referenced the French yellow jacket protests, quoting a demonstrator: “He’s thinking about the end of the world. I’m thinking about the end of the month. And that says a lot.”
Both comedians also discussed recycling challenges, with Allen describing a visit to the Department of Water and Power where he learned about the difficulties of the recycling process. “You look at how difficult it is. And in a way there’s just nothing to do with it,” Allen observed.
The conversation reflected the tension many high-profile individuals face between environmental awareness and the practical demands of their careers, with both Maher and Allen acknowledging the contradiction without offering easy solutions.
