Overview
- Maher’s Real Time monologue on Friday, taped before splashdown, downplayed Artemis II and urged people to fix problems on Earth.
- He called the moon “another big… rock,” argued the money should go elsewhere, and linked his critique to current politics by citing the war in Iran and President Trump.
- Veteran Paul Rieckhoff pushed back on-air, saying NASA and the Artemis team are giving the country hope that people can rally around.
- The comments spread across outlets, with TheWrap spotlighting his remarks, Newsbusters attacking them from the right, and Fox News’ Charlie Hurt saying Maher missed the mission’s “magic.”
- Artemis II, a 10-day lunar flyby that returned Friday evening, carried four astronauts, set a new distance mark beyond Apollo 13, and produced views of the Moon’s far side.