Bill Maher called himself the n-word on live television, and people are not happy

In the long list of people we really thought would have known better, we would've thought Bill Maher would be right up there...

In the same week that other famous TV hosts have been publicly fired for their poorly chosen jokes, Bill Maher hasn't so much pushed that particular envelope as pushed it so far it enough to fall off the edge of his desk and into a nearby shredder. As a result, people are understandably, and justifiably, very upset about it. The day after Trump decided to pull out of the Paris Agreement climate-change deal, everyone expected Maher to lay into Republican senator Ben Sasse on the subject. Instead, they spoke about almost anything except that, which led to Maher's soon-to-be-infamous statement: Ben Sasse: “I’m not trying to beat up Millennials. But there is something weird in human history if you can’t tell 10 and 15 and 20 and 25 year olds apart — because that’s new.” Bill Maher: “Halloween used to be a kid thing." BS: “It’s not anymore?” BM: “Not out here. Now adults dress up for Halloween. They don’t do that in Nebraska?” BS: “It’s frowned upon. We don’t do that quite as much.” BM: "Maybe I oughta visit Nebraska more." BS: “You are welcome. We would welcome you to work in the fields with us.” BM: “Work in the fields? Senator, I am a house n*****." Clip via Brandon Macer The reaction online was immediate:

Tiger Woods: Watch me destroy my "career"...

Kathy Griffin: Here Tiger, hold my beer.. Bill Maher: Damn Amateurs... pic.twitter.com/S03ge70raT — TeachMeHowTo?inthe⛈ (@taken629) June 3, 2017

Bill Maher must be fired immediately for his racism and belittling the struggle of millions of black Americans

— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) June 3, 2017

WATCH: For those of you who are wondering why @billmaher can't say the N-word, even in a joke, Oprah can tell you why. SMH. pic.twitter.com/NxwRAwjupT

— Yashar Ali (@yashar) June 3, 2017

Hi @HBO! Bill Maher used N-word on show. Black comedian Nick Cannon was FIRED for doing same. Will you #FireBillMaher or be racists? pic.twitter.com/dp1Jg4b2mV

— Nik Kirtane ? (@Nik_Kirtane) June 3, 2017

Maybe don't be the white guy that tries to explain why it was okay for Bill Maher to say the n-word.

— Solomon Georgio (@solomongeorgio) June 3, 2017

Liberals: We must make racist white supremacist nazis afraid!!!!!!

*Bill Maher uses the N word on national television* Liberals: crickets — Twitt3r Is Racist (@Twitt3rIsRacist) June 3, 2017

Bill Maher, not a racist.

Kathy Griffin, not a victim. — Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 3, 2017