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‘Real Time’ host Bill Maher took a dig at Billie Eilish following her politically charged remarks at the 2026 Grammy Awards. During Friday’s episode, Maher criticised what he described as celebrity “virtue-signaling,” arguing that public figures should be better informed before making political statements.Mocking the opening of Eilish’s speech, “It’s hard to know what to say”, Maher responded, “Then don’t say anything, because you don’t know things.” “You didn’t go to school, I don’t think, and you don’t know facts” he said.He questioned her grasp of immigration policy and history, adding that while activism is important, it should be grounded in factual understanding.Maher did concede one point. He agreed with Eilish’s encouragement for people to “keep fighting and speaking up,” saying that civic engagement matters. However, he stressed that “knowledge matters too,” challenging what he saw as vague rhetoric without realistic policy solutions. He also posed a rhetorical question to his panel: if there are no illegal immigrants on “stolen land,” what would that practically mean for immigration law today?
“She said, ‘There’s no illegals on stolen land.’ And she said, ‘It’s hard to know what to say.’ Which I would say, then don’t say anything because you don’t know… pic.twitter.com/iGcc2VYNXr
— Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) February 7, 2026
Panelist Chris Christie echoed Maher’s skepticism, calling such statements overly simplistic for a deeply complex issue.
Meanwhile, Chrystia Freeland pushed back, arguing that while celebrities shouldn’t lead political movements, speaking out on humanitarian concerns isn’t inherently wrong.
Here’s what Billie Eilish said at the Grammys
While accepting the Grammy for Song of the Year for “Wildflower,” Eilish addressed ongoing controversy surrounding US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She told the audience, “No one is illegal on stolen land,” and urged people to continue protesting and using their voices.
She ended her speech with an explicit condemnation of ICE.
"It's really hard to know what to say and what to do right now, and I feel really hopeful in this room and I feel like we need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting. Our voices really do… pic.twitter.com/83i0FEquIO
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) February 2, 2026
Her “stolen land” comment refers to the history of European colonisation in North America, when Indigenous tribes inhabited the land long before it became the United States. The phrase is commonly used by activists to argue that immigration restrictions are morally complicated given that the country itself was founded through displacement of Native peoples.
Backlash and tribal response
The remarks sparked significant backlash online and in political circles. Adding another layer to the controversy, the Tongva tribe, whose ancestral land includes the area where Eilish’s Malibu home sits, publicly acknowledged that her property stands on their historic territory. The tribe stated that while they recognize the broader historical truth behind the phrase, Eilish has not reached out to them directly regarding her comments.
