During Friday's "Real Time with Bill Maher" episode, the talk show host paid tribute to people and companies who challenged cancel culture, including Cornell University President Martha Pollack, grocery chain Trader Joe's, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, and actor Ben Stiller.
Maher recalled an encounter with Hollywood elites who expressed concern over the rise of cancel culture and suggested an award show to honor those who fought back.
When no such event materialized, Maher took matters into his own hands by holding his version of the award show, "The Cojones Awards," named after solid brass balls.
Pollack received the first award for defending freedom of speech against woke activists trying to shut down conservative speakers at Cornell University.
Maher commended Pollack's unwavering stance, stating that college is about introducing students to new ideas, not coddling them. Trader Joe's received the next award for refusing to give in to the outrage mob that accused the grocery chain of using racist labels on their products, such as Trader Jose's.
The company stated that they disagreed with the allegations and would not make decisions based on petitions.
Sarandos received the third award for not bowing down to the outrage mob that attacked comedian Dave Chappelle's stand-up comedy specials. Sarandos stated that content on-screen does not necessarily translate to real-world harm and stressed the importance of free expression.
Stiller received the final award for refusing to apologize for his role in the 2008 movie "Tropic Thunder," which drew criticism earlier this year.
Maher used the occasion to urge people to stand up to cancel culture, emphasizing that if one resists the outrage mob for a day or two, their short attention spans will shift to the next issue. The entire "Cojones Awards" segment is available for viewing.
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