How Did Bill Maher Achieve a Net Worth of $100 Million?

Over the years, there are quite a number of incidents that have inspired a lot of people to ask questions bothering around Bill Maher’s net worth and how he acquired it. For instance, his former girlfriend Coco Johnsen attempted to drag him to court in 2004, asking for $9 million for the “pain and suffering” she was subjected to while they dated. Sometime in February 2012, Maher announced that he will be parting with $1 million as a contribution to Priorities USA, the Obama SuperPAC. The following year, Bill dared Donald Trump to produce his birth certificate and prove his mom didn’t mate with an orangutan when he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He promised he would hand $5 million to a charity if Trump obliged. For the public, these instances are indicators that Maher is worth a great deal and according to various reports; the man is worth a massive $100 million. Did he make all that from being a TV host, political commentator, and comedian? Let’s find out together.

Bill Maher’s Net Worth Sources Explained

Earnings from Stand-up Comedy and Hosting Gigs

Since 1979, Bill Maher has been active as a standup comedian, television host, and political commentator. Working with prominent establishments (ABC and Comedy Central), he hosted a popular late-night political talk show titled Politically Incorrect from 1993 to 2002. Thereafter, he moved over to HBO where he has been hosting another political talk show, Real Time with Bill Maher since 2003.

As a comedian, Bill has been ranked among the finest stand-up comedians of all time. He made Comedy Central’s 100-list at number 38 way back in 2005. All of these go a long way to show that the man is a big shot in what he does. And, although it is hard to tell exactly how much he has earned from these endeavors, it has been reported on several quarters that he earns as much as $10 million annually.

Incomes from Movies and Television Roles

The man is a proficient entertainer. Apart from the HBO and other Specials he has had, Bill Maher’s net worth has been bolstered in no small manner by the many movie and television roles he has played. Yes, Bill has thrived as an actor as well and his filmography boasts of no fewer than 70 credits in the small and big screen. Some of the popular works he’s been a part of include House of Cards, Family Guy, Murder, She Wrote, Iron Man 3, Ted 2, A Million Way to Die in the West, The Aristocrats, and others.

Proceeds from His Books

Bill Maher has authored at least 7 books and proceeds from the sale of these books priced between $4 and $15 helped the comedian achieve his $100 million net worth. This claim can be substantiated by the fact that two of his book debuted at No. 10 and 11 on The New York Times Best Seller non-fiction list.

His Stake in New York Mets

Mets’ part-owner Bill Maher with manager Terry Collins
Mets’ part-owner Bill Maher with manager Terry Collins: Image Source

Maher has always been a fan of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets. So, when the owners of the team ran into some trouble over the Bernard Madoff Ponzi Scheme and decided to sell 12 minority partner shares for $20 million each, Bill took advantage of the opportunity and bought an ownership stake in the organization. This was in 2012 and the minority stake is worth 4%.

In view of Forbes estimate which places the worth of the Mets at $2.1 billion, each of the minority stakes is thus worth $80 million. Bill thought it was a great investment when he read about the limited partner shares that were up for sale in a newspaper; he was right. His ownership stake in New York Mets shot his net worth through the roof.

How Does Bill Maher Spend His Money?

Unlike a good number of other wealthy and popular individuals, Bill Maher is very prudent when it comes to spending his money. While he doesn’t spend his money on maintaining a lavish lifestyle, he doesn’t hold back when it comes to making donations to charities and causes that are dear to his heart. Among other things, he’s a big supporter of animal rights.

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