Comedian Wanda Sykes was among the presenters at the 2026 Golden Globes. While on stage, she made a joke about Bill Maher, who was in the audience at the ceremony. Now, months later, she’s revealing that he confronted her over her comments. Plus, the “Undercard” star is giving her thoughts on the recent Netflix Kevin Hart roast.
Sykes recently appeared on Vulture’s “Good One” podcast. During the conversation, she was asked about her joke at the Golden Globes, in which she said the world needs “a little less” of Maher. In revealing his response, she stated that he wasted no time in confronting her.
Sykes recalled that he approached her as they were outside the venue waiting for their vehicles. According to her, he asked, “What was that about?” She went on, “And I was like, ‘It’s a joke, Bill.’ He was like, ‘Well, it wasn’t even a joke.’”
The actress went on to say that Maher referred to her onstage comments as “stupid” and that he stated he’d received texted messages from others who felt the same way.
Sykes Says Maher’s Response Epitomized The Joke
The “Undercore” star continued her line of discussion about Maher’s reaction to her Golden Globes joke. According to her, “I said, ‘See, you’re doing exactly what we said in the joke. We need less of this.’”
She continued, “You’re epitomizing the joke.” From there, Sykes responded to Maher’s rebuttal about receiving reports from others after her joke, saying, “I got a lot of texts telling me how great it was and how they don’t like you, and it was really funny.”
Sykes added, “I guess that’s the problem. You’re watching Fox News, and I’m over here on MSNBC.”
Fans Are Taking Wanda’s Side
Following Sykes’s revelation about how Maher reacted to her saying she’d like “a little less” of him, social media is overwhelmingly on her side. Overall, fans believe the political comedian has become the thing he once poked fun at.
One person wrote, “At some point, Bill became what he was making fun of and started taking himself way too seriously.” A different social media user stated, “He can dish it out, but he can’t take it. I think Wanda is wonderful.”
Someone else chimed in, writing, “I forgot Bill is a comedian, and I think he has forgotten as well.” After that, another former fan of Maher stated, “Wanda Sykes is undeniably one of the best living comedians. Bill Maher should be grateful she even mentioned him.”
Another person responded, “Bill is everything he makes fun of. That joke was so light, too.” However, not everyone considered Sykes’ joke funny. One person noted, “She has never been funny to me. Neither has Bill, but her comments to him while on stage felt odd.”
Wanda Sykes Also Reacted To The Kevin Hart Roast
During Sykes’ recent Vulture interview, she was asked about the recent roast of Hart and if she’d been invited to participate. The 62-year-old responded, “Kevin called me before it was announced and I said, ‘No.”
She then shared that he told her it would be good publicity for her recent comedy special. When asked if she’d watched the roast, Sykes stated, “I consumed enough to go, ‘Thank God I went to the Sparks game instead.”
In describing what went wrong with the Netflix roast, Sykes labeled the problem as “lazy writing.” She went on, “I thought the same thing with the [Tom] Brady roast, too. Seems like the roasts, they’re just recycled sexist, racist, gay jokes. Like, come on.”
Some of the comedians featured were Shane Gillis, Chelsea Handler, Katt Williams, Pete Davidson, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Sheryl Underwood.
Sykes is one of the most sought-after comedians working today. Recently, in May 2026, she released her third Netflix special, “Wanda Sykes: Legacy.” According to the streamer, the special features the comedian’s return to her alma mater, Hampton University, where she provides humorous commentary on a variety of topics, including politics and her family life.
“Legacy” follows 2019’s “Not Normal” and her 2023 special, “I’m an entertainer.” Also in 2026, her Netflix comedy series “The Upshaws” ended after five seasons.
