Bill Maher vs. the Halloween Police: Why Outrage Is Killing the Fun

Halloween used to be a riot of wild costumes, irreverent jokes, and creative mayhem. But this year, Bill Maher is calling out what he sees as the “battlefield of complaints” that’s draining the joy from October’s spookiest night. When Simone Biles tweeted, “Put the Jeffrey Dahmer costumes back in the closet. We ain’t having it,” Maher fired back: “Who’s ‘we’? Who died and made you the Great Pumpkin?”

Is Halloween Under Siege?

Maher’s latest rant, sparked by yet another list of “offensive” costumes, tears into the internet outrage machine. Every year, clickbait sites pump out lists of what you “shouldn’t” wear—23 forbidden costumes this time, with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer topping the charts. eBay banned the costume, and celebrities like Biles are policing the party. Maher’s response? “Halloween is supposed to be outrageous. It’s a festival of the sacrilegious and a celebration of the grotesque.”

He’s tired of “emotional hemophiliacs on social media” dictating the rules. “Please put drugs in my candy,” he jokes, mocking the paranoia and control.

Woke Policing Meets Old-School Mischief

According to Maher, the “woke left” is to blame for turning Halloween into a minefield of offense. He argues that the night is meant for pushing boundaries, laughing at ourselves, and letting loose—not walking on eggshells. “If Halloween is too much for your fragile sensibilities… just stay the [expletive] home.”

Maher’s manifesto is clear:

No Putin, no Trump, no Will Smith slap, no Johnny Depp or Amber Heard,
No COVID or monkeypox references,
No Handmaid’s Tale costumes (even from a woke-approved show).

His advice to kids? “These are all great costumes. Wear them all. Combine them if you want.”

Are We Losing Our Ability to Laugh?

Maher isn’t defending hate or genuine malice. He draws a line between offensive intent and harmless fun. What he rails against is the culture that treats every joke or costume as a moral crime. “Halloween is not just a fun holiday. It’s a necessary psychic release,” Maher says. Societies have always needed a night to flirt with the macabre and let the demons out in play, so they don’t come out for real.

He blasts the media for manufacturing outrage, arguing that most “do not wear” lists are just clickbait to farm outrage and traffic. “Their goal isn’t compassion—it’s empty debate and traffic.”

Let Halloween Be Halloween

Maher’s message is simple:

Embrace satire, absurdity, and freedom.
Don’t wear a costume just to please everyone.
Discomfort sparks conversation, and that’s what keeps art alive.

He imagines a Halloween without rules, where humor trumps outrage and creativity mocks conformity. “Dress for yourself, not for online approval,” Maher urges. Halloween should be a night to laugh, rebel, and push back against censorship.

Your Turn: What’s Your Most Daring Costume Idea?

Do you agree with Bill Maher? Is Halloween being ruined by outrage and moral policing? Or is it right to set boundaries on what’s appropriate? Share your wildest, funniest, or most daring costume ideas below—Maher style.

Let’s keep the conversation (and the costumes) outrageous.