{"id":2642151,"date":"2026-08-08T10:59:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-maher-calls-francesca-hong-debbie-downer-for-views-on-thanksgiving\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:01:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:01:20","slug":"bill-maher-calls-francesca-hong-debbie-downer-for-views-on-thanksgiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-maher-calls-francesca-hong-debbie-downer-for-views-on-thanksgiving\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill Maher calls Francesca Hong &#8216;Debbie Downer&#8217; for views on Thanksgiving"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbill-maher-calls-francesca-hong-debbie-downer-for-views-on-thanksgiving%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2642151&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Comedian Bill Maher criticized Wisconsin Democratic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-continuous-media-covid-fear-mongering-may-backfire-and-diminish-democrat-voter-turnout\/\" title=\"The Continuous Media COVID Fear Mongering May BACKFIRE and Diminish Democrat Voter Turnout\">candidate<\/a> Francesca Hong, calling her a \u201cDebbie Downer\u201d for wanting to eliminate Thanksgiving, which he described as unpopular among many groups. The controversy stems from Hong\u2019s past comments,including a now-deleted post comparing canceling Thanksgiving to the 1621 Pilgrims,though she later distanced herself from these remarks in a Politico interview. Hong expressed love for the holiday, but Maher argued her current stance indicates she dislikes all holidays, criticizing her for not clearly supporting the tradition. Maher also highlighted her broader dissatisfaction with holidays like valentine\u2019s Day, labeling her as a \u201ccurmudgeon.\u201d The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-comeback-to-huffpost-reporter-goes-viral-no-wonder-i-thought-they-died\/\" title=\"Trump Comeback to Huff... Reporter Goes Viral: &#039;No Wonder - I Thought They Died&#039;\">exchange drew attention<\/a> during Maher\u2019s CNN interview and garnered media coverage, with Maher mocking her policies and comments on celebration and community building.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Comedian and political commentator <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-maher\/\">Bill Maher<\/a> called <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wisconsin\/\">Wisconsin<\/a> Democratic gubernatorial candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/francesca-hong\/\">Francesca Hong<\/a> a \u201cDebbie Downer\u201d and said her policy about <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thanksgiving\/\">Thanksgiving<\/a> is \u201cnot popular.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\">Democrats<\/a> have found a candidate who hates Thanksgiving and wants to get rid of it,\u201d Maher said on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/billmaher\/status\/2085926015193477317\"><em>Real Time with Bill Maher<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>Friday. \u201cI say, \u2018Good.\u2019 Finally, a politician willing to stand up to big stuffing,\u201d he continued. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4680161\/bill-maher-francesca-hong-debbie-downer-thanskgiving\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Bill Maher calls Francesca Hong \u2018Debbie Downer\u2019 for wanting to get rid of Thanksgiving<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4678782\/indycar-vibrations-art-national-gallery-freedom-250\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>IndyCar vibrations prompt art safety study at National Gallery before Freedom 250 race<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4677658\/hillary-clinton-mesmerized-wnba-team-mascot-ellie\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Hillary Clinton mesmerized by WNBA team mascot \u2018Ellie\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Controversy over <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4676618\/francesca-hong-thanksgiving-favorite-holiday\/\">Hong\u2019s views on Thanksgiving<\/a> began when a post on X resurfaced from 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The post, now deleted, said, \u201cCancel Thanksgiving. Should have done this in 1621.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hong then backed away from her previous support to cancel the holiday during <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/politico\/status\/2085067906262438095?s=20\">a Wednesday interview<\/a> with <em>Politico<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The White House released a new wave of UFO files. Sightings include a triangular craft in the sky, high-speed orbs near an army base, and a stick-like figure with large eyes, but that was just Ariana Grande. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/buBBGk2Ze4\">pic.twitter.com\/buBBGk2Ze4<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bill Maher (@billmaher) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/billmaher\/status\/2085926015193477317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 8, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy favorite holiday is Thanksgiving,\u201d Hong said. \u201cYep, I don\u2019t want to cancel it. I actually love it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSurprisingly, Debbie Downer\u2019s policy about Thanksgiving is not popular with anybody, really. I mean, white people don\u2019t like it, people of color don\u2019t like it, women don\u2019t like it, men don\u2019t like it. It does have 98% approval with turkeys,\u201d Maher said. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maher pointed out Hong\u2019s comments during a CNN interview on Monday, where she was asked if the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4676618\/francesca-hong-thanksgiving-favorite-holiday\/\">holiday should be canceled.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hong did not directly answer the question. Instead, she talked about her background as a chef, being able to bring \u201cfolks around the table to share conversation and build community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t believe you. I don\u2019t believe you people who renounce things. We know what you said. You mean it, live by it,\u201d Maher said. \u201cYou know why I know she meant it? Because she hates all holidays,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4674341\/francesca-hong-abolish-police-white-supremacy\/\"><strong>FRANCESCA HONG SAYS \u2018NO\u2019 TO ABOLISHING POLICE, BACKS AWAY FROM 2020 \u2018WHITE SUPREMACY\u2019 CLAIM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m kind of a curmudgeon when it comes to holidays in general,\u201d Hong said during her interview with <em>Politico.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis woman doesn\u2019t like Valentine\u2019s Day. Another way of \u2018<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/capitalism\/\">capitalism<\/a> taking over our love life.\u2019 She said, \u2018Valentine\u2019s Day, the holiday that brings out the worst of humanity.\u2019 That\u2019s the holiday that brings out the worst of humanity? Have you ever been to a Black Friday sale?\u201d Maher said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bill Maher mocks Francesca Hong\u2019s anti-Thanksgiving stance<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4226,"featured_media":2642152,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26210038389730-1.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32100,7958,63525,38598],"class_list":["post-2642151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bill-maher","tag-comedy","tag-francesca-hong","tag-thanksgiving"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26210038389730-1.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642151","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2642151"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642151\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2642155,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642151\/revisions\/2642155"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2642152"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2642151"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2642151"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2642151"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}