Mayor Thomas Menino Calls Bill Maher’s Boston Marathon Comments ‘Irresponsible,’ Invites Him to Visit City

HBO talk show host Bill Maher isn’t the most popular guy in Boston (or anywhere in America) this week, and Boston mayor Thomas Menino isn’t letting him get away with his rude comments without catching an earful.

During one of Maher’s recent shows, he was speaking with guest Anthony Weiner about the Red Sox’ World Series victory parade, and specifically when the rally stopped for a brief ceremony to commemorate the Boston Marathon tragedy on the finish line.

Maher should have kept his mouth shut, but instead, he tried to downplay the severity of the attack.

“It was again, a bad day, three people died, that’s terrible,” Maher said. “More were maimed, that’s horrible, but unfortunately that happens every day, in car accidents and everything else. I mean, you city was not leveled by Godzilla.”

Menino, who also said that HBO is irresponsible for airing the comments, ripped Maher on Friday.

“It’s very irresponsible,” Menino said, according to Boston.com. “It’s an irresponsible statement and I think he should be taken to task for that.

“It’s too bad a guy who wants to make a name for himself takes on, uses the marathon as a place to use that incident, Menino added. “It’s very irresponsible. … He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, come to Boston, visit Boston and see what a strong city we are.”