Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume
Comedian Bill Maher revisited rapper Macklemore's past controversial costume and recent pro-Palestinian comments on his show.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

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Photograph: KRCR (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Bill Maher criticized Macklemore on HBO's 'Real Time' on September 19, 2026, focusing on a 2014 costume and recent pro-Palestinian comments.
- Macklemore wore a costume in 2014 that included a fake nose, wig, and beard, which was described as an antisemitic caricature.
- Macklemore had previously donated $1 million to Palestinian aid efforts, and Robert Kraft pledged $2 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
- Maher stated that Macklemore's characterization of the Gaza war as genocide was a lie.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 19 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 1 of the 20 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
66/100
Craft
87/100
Hype
32/100
20 sources · methodology
Missing from the left
Only 1 of the 19 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated left.
A reader who follows the left would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
Comedian Bill Maher renewed his criticism of rapper Macklemore on his HBO show 'Real Time' on September 19, 2026. Maher discussed a 2014 costume controversy involving Macklemore, alongside the rapper's recent comments regarding Gaza. Macklemore had worn a costume in 2014 that included a dark wig, beard, and fake nose, which led to accusations of antisemitism. Macklemore had previously apologized for the costume, stating it was not intended as a stereotype.
Maher's remarks followed Macklemore's removal from Ed Sheeran's 'Loop Tour' after a pro-Palestinian speech. Maher called Macklemore's characterization of the Gaza war as genocide a lie. The rapper had stood by his calls for a free Palestine and donated $1 million to Palestinian aid efforts. Separately, Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, pledged $2 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Maher also criticized musicians for using concerts to deliver political messages.
Disagreement on Macklemore's apology
The full reports from KRCR and WGME state that Macklemore apologized at the time for the 2014 costume, saying he did not intend to offend anyone and that it was a random costume, not a stereotype. None of the other reports, which are digests, mention Macklemore's apology.
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated reports mention that Macklemore apologized for his 2014 costume. No left-rated outlet ran this story.
Coverage settled. We checked this 70 times and stopped on 25 Sept 2026, 06:45. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
1 rated outlet
We have not written our reading of the left coverage of this story. The left-rated outlets that ran it are listed below.
Centre
5 rated outlets
- The centre-rated reports from KRCR and WGME led with Bill Maher criticizing Macklemore. They detailed Maher's comments on the 2014 costume controversy, including the fake nose, wig, and beard, and the accusations of antisemitism. These reports also covered Macklemore's pro-Palestinian speech, Maher's dismissal of it as a lie, and the rapper's $1 million donation to Palestinian aid. They noted Robert Kraft's $2 million pledge for Gaza and Maher's broader criticism of musicians using concerts for political messages. Both KRCR and WGME published the full text of their articles.
Right
13 rated outlets
- The right-rated reports, which were all digests, focused on Bill Maher criticizing Macklemore. They mentioned the rapper's 2014 costume controversy and his recent remarks about Gaza. These digests reported that Macklemore had been removed from Ed Sheeran's tour due to his comments. The digests also noted Macklemore's donation to Palestinian aid and Robert Kraft's pledge for Gaza. The Beltway Report digest additionally mentioned pushback against Maher's own commentary record.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume?
- Of the 19 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 5% are rated left, 27% are rated centre, 68% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 20. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 19 rated outlets on this story, 5% are rated left, 27% are rated centre, 68% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume biased?
- Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume is one event reported by 20 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated left had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered Bill Maher criticizes Macklemore over Gaza remarks and 2014 costume?
- 20 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What was the 2014 costume controversy involving Macklemore?
- In 2014, Macklemore wore a costume during a Seattle performance that included a dark wig, beard, and a fake prosthetic nose. This costume led to accusations that it portrayed an antisemitic caricature. Macklemore later apologized, stating he did not intend to offend anyone and that it was a random costume.
- Why was Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran's tour?
- Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's 'Loop Tour' after making a pro-Palestinian speech at a concert. Bill Maher, on his show 'Real Time', called Macklemore's characterization of the Gaza war as genocide a lie.
- What donations were mentioned in relation to the story?
- Macklemore donated $1 million to Palestinian aid efforts. Additionally, Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, pledged $2 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
Read it at the source
20 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
1Centre
5- PATRIKARAKOS: Rapper who derailed Ed tour wrong about Gaza 'genocide' (opens dailymail.com in a new tab)
dailymail.com — is dailymail.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Ed Sheeran’s Cousin Slams Singer, Says He’s ‘Ashamed’ Amid Macklemore Controversy: ‘He’s a Coward’ (opens US Magazine in a new tab)
US Magazine — is US Magazine biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens KDBC in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens WGME in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens KRCR in a new tab)
Right
13- AOC joins Macklemore frenzy in bizarre fundraising memo targeting pro-Trump billionaire - NEW YORK TIMES POST (opens nytimespost.com in a new tab)
nytimespost.com — is nytimespost.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- AOC joins Macklemore frenzy in bizarre fundraising memo targeting pro-Trump billionaire (opens wfmd.com in a new tab)
- Bill Maher Attacks Macklemore for His Statements on Sheeran’s Tour: “Repeat Lies About How Genocide Is Being Committed in Gaza” (opens voz.us in a new tab)
- Bill Maher Revives Macklemore’s 2014 Costume Controversy Amid Ed Sheeran Tour Fallout (opens The Beltway Report in a new tab)
The Beltway Report — is The Beltway Report biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens KVAL in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens KFDM in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens WCYB in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens KRNV in a new tab)
Show 5 more
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens WPEC in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens WEAR in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens WCHS in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens Fox 17 in a new tab)
- Bill Maher takes aim at Macklemore amid Gaza remarks, old 'Jew' costume controversy (opens KSNV in a new tab)
Not rated
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