Barbie movie divides comedians Marc Maron and Bill Maher

Last Updated on August 24, 2023

Celebs, they’re just like us! And as displayed by recent reviews from comedians Marc Maron and Bill Maher, most of us likely fall into one of their camps when it comes to the Barbie movie, which has proven to be divisive even as it stands as one of the most popular films of 2023.

Last week, Marc Maron took to TikTok to give his review of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, saying the movie was “a f*cking masterpiece…It’s like it does a fairly amazing thing to create a sort of broad-based entertainment product that applies to the entire spectrum. I think primarily of women. And then just seep it in progressive politics and basic feminism in a way that’s funny, informative and well-executed in a context that is completely engaging is f*cking monumental.” He noted that its feminist ideals have easily triggered a reaction from conservatives, which Maron says is only a bad look for them. “The fact that certain men took offense to the point where they, you know, tried to build a grift around it in terms of their narrative as right-wing **** is so embarrassing for them…Any dude that can’t take those hits in that movie, they’ve really got to look in their pants and decide what they’re made of. I mean, Jesus Christ, what a bunch of f*cking insecure babies.”

And on the other side of Barbie movie reactions is the host of Real Time with Bill Maher, who is far from being the sort of right-winger that Maron is specifically going after, but has his own interpretation that might find him on common ground…“I was hoping it wouldn’t be preachy, man-hating, and a #ZombieLie – alas, it was all three. What is a Zombie Lie? Something that never was true, but certain people refuse to stop saying it (tax cuts for the rich increase revenues, e.g.); OR something that USED to be true but no longer is, but certain people pretend it’s still true. “Barbie” is this kind of #ZombieLie.” After citing a scene and dishing out some numbers, Maher concluded, “I know, I know, ‘How could I know about the patriarchy, I AM a man!’ That argument is so old and so silly. Of course, none of us can know exactly what others go through life, but I can see the world around me, and I can read data…Truth is, I’m not the one who’s out of step – I’m living in the year we’re living in. Barbie is fun, I enjoyed it – but it IS a #ZombieLie. And people who don’t go along with zombie lies did not take some red pill – just staying true to CURRENT reality.”

Backlash against Barbie is hardly new, even though the movie has only been in theaters for under three weeks. It had been building for some time, with some claiming it was Chinese propaganda for depicting the nine-line dash and others saying it is too “woke.”

Do you find yourself agreeing more with Maron or Maher when it comes to the Barbie movie? Does the movie have a politically driven agenda or is this just the sort of lesson women and young girls deserve? Give us your thoughts below.