Orac is the nom de blog of a (not so) humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued 
Last week, I did multiple posts about the death of HIV/AIDS denialist Christine Maggiore of what for all the world looked like an HIV-related pneumonia, the excuses HIV/AIDS denialists made to try to persuade people that it wasn't AIDS, and the attempted coverup of damning posts. In the past, I've also taken a certain comedian by the name of Bill Maher to task for his antivaccine views, germ theory denialism, and embrace of detoxification quackery and conspiracy mongering about big pharma.
I should have known that wasn't all. I should have realized that he would be sympathetic to HIV/AIDS denialism. He even posted a positive blurb about Christine Maggiore's book What If Everything You Thought You Knew about AIDS Was Wrong?:
This is a book everyone should read, and not a moment too soon! One of the most corrosive flaws in America is our tendency toward conformity; in the quest to understand AIDS, it has been stifling. Christine Maggiore prompts the kind of questioning that is the lifeblood of scientific inquiry
Why anyone takes Maher seriously about anything, I have no idea. He's about as much of a "skeptic" as Deepak Chopra. I suppose one could call him a "freethinker" if "free" means that he's let his logic and reason go free from his brain and into the woo.
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That quote seems to come from Maggiore's own ironically named "AliveAndWell" website. It is a promotional blurb without a date stamp or any other kind of context.
It would be interesting to see how they got that blurb from Maher, and if he woo enough to stick to it after half of her family is no longer "alive and well."
Looking at its Amazon page, it is interesting to see the most "helpful" reviews at the front include more negative than positive. Then when you pick the most recent reviews you get one (and, by the way I posted one that is not there that only said "RIP, she died at age 52" and nothing else, so I am guessing they chose one out of several to post):
http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0967415322/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=&showViewpoints=1&colid=&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending
It says "She and her 3-year-old daughter both died of AIDS. Too bad she lived long enough to write a book about her beliefs that ended up killing her and her daughter.
Read this book if you want to kill yourself."
Posted by: Chris | January 14, 2009 1:06 AM
Maher's not so much a skeptic as a populist.
He tends to throw things up against the wall and see what sticks. Without bothering to read or do much research, Maher seems to go with "gut feelings" and if something doesn't "seem right" then it isn't.
Posted by: DLC | January 14, 2009 2:03 AM
Sad. Sometimes he gets it when attacking 9/11 cultists, but then cranks up his conspiracy electromagnet.
Posted by: Robster, FCD | January 14, 2009 6:41 AM
My favorite episode of his old Politically Incorrect on ABC was when he had two American Indian activists on. He kept trying to pull the old "evil murderous white man" sthick, and they kept knocking him down.
I think it was Russel Means who told Maher, "Until you came along we didn't even know we were a people."
Posted by: Alan Kellogg | January 14, 2009 6:47 AM
Well, this is just sad.
Posted by: mk | January 14, 2009 8:05 AM
I think Maher is a contrarian rather than a skeptic. If America were predominately atheist, he would be Christian fundamentalist.
Posted by: Militant Agnostic | January 14, 2009 9:46 AM
Maher is a "free" thinker -- his thoughts are worth nothing, and he gives them away all the time.
Posted by: Interrobang | January 14, 2009 10:51 AM
He just likes to stir up shit.
Posted by: marilove | January 14, 2009 12:51 PM
I'll start paying attention to HIV denialists when they line up to receive blood transfusions from HIV positive donors.
Posted by: James | January 14, 2009 1:23 PM
I like Bill Maher. I am disappointed but not surprised. Look, Rebecca Culshaw made her denialist debut at Lew Rockwell’s website. Probaby has lots to do with conspiracy thinkers being drawn to anti-goverment rhetoric. Also the whoel free speech thing and Duesberg being censored. The politics of denialism demands more attention. Celia Farber says there are no politics in AIDS denialism. But I bet Bob Guccione has some strong libertarian sentiments, especially around free speech.
http://denyingaids.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Seth Kalichman | January 14, 2009 5:23 PM
Are books by HIV/AIDS denialists like art -- becoming more valuable after the creator dies?
Posted by: wfjag | January 14, 2009 6:46 PM
James' comment for teh win!
Posted by: Evan Henke | January 14, 2009 7:19 PM
Well, it's been well established for 20 years that HIV causes disease and death. Afterall, AZT was approved in 1987, so there must have been overwhelming proof of causality by then.
Can somebody provide the overwhelming proof from that time period of HIV's causality that justified AZT being approved for long term use? Waiting.
Posted by: cooler | January 14, 2009 7:44 PM
Oh, I don't know. wfjag gave James a run for his money!
cooler, on the other hand, remains cooler, and just as ignorant as ever.
Posted by: Orac | January 14, 2009 8:06 PM
Can some plesae prove that the AIDS Denialist David Crowe exists? You know, the so called 'President of the Rethinkers' and 'webmaster' for Alberta Reapprasing AIDS...
There is no proof that he exists. None. No one can prove they have met him. He has not been verified and seen in public. No proof of employment. Nothing.
The pictures of him and videos are obviously an actor playing the so called Crowe. There is a theory that he was created by Vitamin Salesman Gary Null to sell more fake cures for HIV/AIDS and Cancer. The kinds of treatments Celia Farber says killed Christine Maggiore.
David Crowe is the missing AIDS Denialist.
If you cannot prove your great leader even exists, what does this whole 'dissident movement' really mean?
See the lack of proof that David Crowe exists at
http://denyingaids.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Seth Kalichman | January 14, 2009 10:14 PM
Arg, some of the discussions on the Amazon page definitely need some respectful insolence throwing in, though.
Posted by: DrFrank | January 15, 2009 7:57 AM
A British broadcaster once referred to Bill Maher's friend (his words, not mine, though he hasn't had her on his show in quite a while) as a "controversialist." I think that's a perfect word for Maher as well, much better than "contrarian."
Posted by: Pieter B | January 15, 2009 12:39 PM
Argh. I was referring to Ann Coulter above. More coffee . . .
Posted by: Pieter B | January 15, 2009 12:42 PM
I generally enjoy Bill Maher and find him entertaining. He is, however, entirely too unskeptical about certain things. He's a PETA supporter and buys into the "natural is better" thing a lot more than I'd like to see. On the other hand, at least he puts the smack-down on religious nonsense and 9/11 conspiracy theorists, so I'll give him credit there.
Posted by: Chris Swanson | January 17, 2009 3:37 PM
Christine Maggiore just called me from heaven. She says that she and Eliza Jane are well and that she has no regrets. She does miss Charlie and Robin but plans to be their special angel for many, many years before the whole family is finally reunited. She says there is actually no hell but she is negotiating with God to create a special one for Robert Gallo. What's most beautiful, I've learned, are all the HIV positives who constantly surround her with reassurance that they are happy that she wrote 'What if Everything You Thought You Knew About AIDS Was Wrong?'. Her compassion and motherly love, strong as ever, is still at work.
There will never be another one like her. It will probably take many years before she is recognized for her achievements, but thAT day will come as it will also for Peter Duesberg. Her spirit is unquenchable and lives on in many thousands, world-wide, who take up her cause and delliver her message of hope.
Denialist? Are you kidding? The woman was a realist of the first order. And not only intelligent, but sexy as hell. Thank God that Robiin, her loving husband, is a film-maker and a good one at that. That means that we have a record of this woman's goodness to counter the media that slandered her. If I could produce just.000000000000000000000000000000000000000.1% of the good that she did on this earth, I would consider my life a success. Enjoy your new life, Christine. You did a good job!.....Dave Tworkowski of HEAL San Diego (California)
Posted by: Dave Tworkowski | February 1, 2009 8:14 PM
A little bit of Clozapine could probably fix your hallucinations right up.
Posted by: Joseph C. | February 1, 2009 8:56 PM
'You' say 'WE' like the fat guy sitting in front row seats shouting at HIS team's players to move it, or the kids watching a rocket go up into space, yes, we did it. We sat on our asses and now we're taking the credit. Our research, our Scientists.
What is important is not accepting what you're told just because the guys is a doctor. I'm quite tired of professionals making public statements that seem obvious to me, even layman. You don't need more than high school biology to see that the Aids case is a false one.
I'm black so I don't really trust anyone. I remember very well that you enslaved a nation because they weren't christian. And that you wouldn't release them because it would affect your livelihood. I will never forget that such corrupt individuals exist and are always up to making money the quickest way possible.
Anything is possible. I await your brute remarks, while your scientists come up with more ways to make themselves relevant.
Posted by: Anthony Alexander | June 10, 2009 4:04 AM
'You' say 'WE' like the fat guy sitting in front row seats shouting at HIS team's players to move it, or the kids watching a rocket go up into space, yes, we did it. We sat on our asses and now we're taking the credit. Our research, our Scientists.
What is important is not accepting what you're told just because the guys is a doctor. I'm quite tired of professionals making public statements that seem obvious to me, even layman. You don't need more than high school biology to see that the Aids case is a false one.
I'm black so I don't really trust anyone. I remember very well that you enslaved a nation because they weren't christian. And that you wouldn't release them because it would affect your livelihood. I will never forget that such corrupt individuals exist and are always up to making money the quickest way possible.
Anything is possible. I await your brute remarks, while your scientists come up with more ways to make themselves relevant.
Posted by: Anthony Alexander | June 10, 2009 4:06 AM