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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Maher, Bill.

New rules : polite musings from a timid observer / Bill Maher. p. cm.

ISBN-13 978-1-59486-505-3 paperback
ISBN-10 1-59486-505-1 paperback

1. American wit and humor. I. Title.

PN6165.M34 2005 791.45’72—dc22

2005016222

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Acknowledgments

There are a lot of people to thank when a book comes out—the folks mentioned below are just the most prominent.

Lots of people thought a New Rules book would be a good idea, but Leigh Haber is the extraordinary editor who made it happen.

Michael Viner is the first name I think of when I think of books. He’s doing the audio on this one, and any excuse to work with Mike is worth making.

Marc Gurvitz has been my manager forever and managed this book as well as he does everything. And thanks to Steve Lafferty at CAA, who got the ball rolling.

Polly Auritt of the
Real Time
staff did a great job getting the pictures we needed to help make you laugh.

And the writers of
Real Time
—Chris Kelly, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Ned Rice, Jay Jaroch, David Feldman, and Danny Vermont—are not just lol funny but know what time it is in America better than anyone I know.

Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, and Dean Johnsen produce
Real Time,
and their sensibility is unmistakably—thank goodness—on everything I do.

A very special thanks to HBO, especially Nancy Geller, for their unwavering support in providing me a forum to lay down these rules week after week.

And last, but really first, is my longtime producer/head writer of
Politically Incorrect,
and now
Real Time,
the Rob Petrie to my Alan Brady, Mr. Billy Martin. New Rules was his idea. I remember the fax he sent to me in 2002 as we were gearing up to launch a new show for HBO, borne of the ashes of
Politically Incorrect,
attemping to bring along what was good about that show and leave behind what we’d outgrown. Billy suggested New Rules as a segment, and I knew right away it was a keeper. Lucky for me, he has been as well.

And, corny as it may sound, I do cherish the bond between me and the audience, the minority that follows my stuff and always makes me glad it’s us against the world.

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