Bill Maher saved his ultimate “New Rule” on tonight’s Real Time to handle intercourse within the office. His information hook was two office romances which have gotten loads of media consideration of late: that between Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka and an unnamed feminine subordinate and the connection between director Olivia Wilde and her Don’t Worry Darling co-star Harry Styles.
According to ESPN as we speak, “The power dynamic associated with a superior’s improper relationship with a staff member was the primary finding and policy violation” in Udoka’s case. That led to his suspension for a yr, with some query as as to whether he’ll return to the workforce in any respect.
It is, in fact, that kind of imbalance that has led to a bunch of exits within the highest ranks of Hollywood and company America for the reason that begin of the #MeToo motion.
Maher took concern with Udoka’s suspension, with the caveat that “if it turns out that he was violent or physically coercive, then his case has nothing to do with what I’m about to say and he should expect the appropriate and severe punishment.”
But barring that, Maher referred to as for a “review of our war on office romances,” as he put it.
“Who are we to tell other people they can’t have love because when they met they weren’t exactly co-equal?” requested the host. “People aren’t always attracted to their co-equal. We’re not robots. What we are, apparently, is lonely. There is a loneliness epidemic out there.”
Flashing a photograph of Wilde and Styles, Maher noticed, “This couple has been in the news lately. Why aren’t we freaking out about a director dating one of her cast members? Power imbalance? Are you kidding? On a movie set, the director is God. But sometimes people fall in love with God. It’s a very attractive position.”
He went on to reframe the concept with some highly-regarded examples, beginning with the one which’s most sacrosanct.
“Under Current guidelines, Michelle Robinson could never have dated Barack Obama, who was a summer associate at her law firm when they met,” he noticed in regards to the former First Couple.
“Wasn’t there an influence imbalance when Joe Scarborough began relationship Mika Brzezinski? I’d should say, ‘Yes,’ as a result of the identify of the present was Morning Joe.
Maher then flashed photographs of a Mount Rushmore of Hollywood {couples} to make his level, all of whom met by means of work. They included Kate Capshaw and Steve Spielberg, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Joel Coen and Frances McDormand, Taylor Hackford and Hellen Mirren, James Cameron and Linda Hamilton and Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton.
“If loneliness is destroying our health…it’s just not helpful to be criminalizing the pool of eligible mates that is the workplace,” concluded Maher. “What happened to ‘My body, my choice?’ ”
You can watch the phase under.
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