Comedian Marc Maron blamed “anti-woke” performers for ushering in a cultural movement that he likened to fascism.
Maron is widely recognized as a progressive comic, and when he appeared on Howie Mandel’s podcast, “Howie Mandel Does Stuff,” he called out colleagues for continuing to oppose liberal dogma.
Co-host Jackelyn Shultz prompted Maron by saying other comics have taken issue with comedians like Tony Hinchcliffe, who use “shock value” in their routines.
‘Give it a year, it’s going to be Mexicans.’
Maron first called it “lazy and sloppy” for comedians to do bits about transgender people before fully launching into a critique about how comedians like Hinchcliffe are participating in the erosion of rights and progressive culture.
“You guys got the freedom you wanted, you can now say whatever you want, they’re defeated, their rights have been denied,” Maron stated about transgender people. “The policies that you guys encouraged with your stupid material are now policy and now, like, you know, half the people under the umbrella of ‘anti-woke’; we’ve lost a tremendous amount of democratic-leaning ideas and movements.”
The podcast clip, which notes that Maron is not a fan of Hinchcliffe or Joe Rogan, continues with the progressive saying anti-woke comedians are “spearheading” a dominant culture of oppression.
Mandel attempted to defend his fellow comedians, saying that while he did not think they had as much influence as Maron claimed, their material is a reflection of their time. Mandel compared it to the time of slave-owning, when if a person “bought a hundred slaves,” he would be considered an aristocrat, “not a racist.”
Maron immediately interjected and said the United States was about a year away from re-instituting slavery.
“Give it a year, it’s going to be Mexicans,” Maron said. The New Jersey native then claimed a “new caste of people” would be created in the U.S. to “fill those jobs” that illegal immigrants did.
Maron was still not done, though. On top of noting that his comedy has “evolved” based on audiences feeling he was being “inappropriate,” the 61-year-old said offensive comedians need to rely less on shock value.
“Isn’t there a creativity workaround that could be funny without creating this juice that just comes from using words that used to be kind of triggering and are less now because the dominant cultural force is now slightly fascistic and leaning towards alienating those voices,” Maron asked.
Rejecting the idea that anti-woke comics do not have influence, Maron said those same comedians have been “skirting the responsibility” of the climate they helped create, which consists of fans who believe “woke people suck” and “scientists are liars.”
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Marc Maron arrives at TCL Chinese Theatre on July 23, 2025, in Hollywood, California. Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/WireImage
Blaze News reached out to several comedians who could be considered “anti-woke” to get their reaction to Maron’s claims.
“Watching millionaires on both sides complain is hilarious, you’re rich. Shut up, and go count your money,” said Brendan Blacquier, member of the comedy group Danger Cats.
Comedian Leonarda Jonie told Blaze News that Maron’s reaction is one born out of jealousy because comedians who “refused to follow the rules” are now more successful than he is.
“This is the problem with all of these liberal ‘comedians.’ They are talentless and cowardly, and they agree to the rules of the left. Because they comply so hard, they believe they are owed success, and when it doesn’t happen, they are resentful,” she continued. “Now that the status quo is ‘diversity, LGBTQIA+#%, women, & degeneracy,’ progressives don’t tolerate the ridicule because it reveals their insanity.”
A comedian close to Hinchcliffe, who is black, did not take Maron’s remarks about the return of slavery or “slightly fascistic” fans very seriously. The comic simply reacted to the statements with laughing emojis first, followed by crying emojis.
Hinchcliffe did not respond to requests for comment.
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