Bill Maher raised eyebrows during a recent on-air conversation when he let slip that a well-connected tech executive had privately shared concerns about employees taking GLP-1 treatments like Ozempic, claiming they were making workers less productive.
The talk show host, who says he has long been skeptical of the GLP-1 class, was in conversation with guest Kara Swisher who pushed back.
Swisher noted that discussions with actual scientists had made her more open to the treatments. She stated, “I’m less so because I’ve talked to a lot of actual scientists.”
That’s when Maher pivoted to what he called insider knowledge. He referenced articles that had appeared in the Washington Post and hinted that he had heard similar rumblings from an unnamed source long before those stories ran.
“I’ve been hearing this on the low for a while. I’ll tell you after the show,” Maher said when pressed on who had tipped him off, describing the source only as someone his conversation partner would recognize, someone with significant wealth in the tech industry.
The implication was clear: Silicon Valley power players are watching their employees’ productivity, and some don’t like what they’re seeing.
“He’s been hearing, and in his company also, they don’t like their employees on this stuff,” Maher said.
Swisher responded with pointed sarcasm: “Oh, they don’t work hard enough for the man?”
Maher leaned into the idea. He explained that GLP-1 d**gs are known to reduce cravings for food and, in some cases, compulsive behaviors. But according to his source, they may also dull a person’s drive for professional success and even their basic motivation to engage with life.
“It takes away your craving for food, and maybe s**stance abuse. Also kind of for success, and sometimes for living, and for being motivated, they get kind of logy,” Maher said.
The comments triggered an immediate wave of reaction online, with opinions split between those who found the framing insulting to workers and those who said it reflected real physiological changes the medications can cause.
Executive coach Dr. Julie Gurner was among those who pushed back directly. “I talk to people all the time. I can confirm that CEOs are not concerned about this at all,” she wrote on social media.
Others were more pointed in their criticism of Maher’s framing. “Maher, like his rich friends, sees workers as slaves. These people hate us,” wrote one commenter.
Some commenters approached the issue from a physiological standpoint, noting that fatigue during weight loss is often tied to reduced calorie intake rather than diminished ambition or motivation. From this perspective, lower energy levels can be a predictable consequence of the body burning stored fat to make up for fewer calories.
