HBO Responds to Bill Maher's 'Inexcusable and Tasteless' Use of the N-Word on Air

This story originally appeared on People. WARNING: This post contains graphic language. HBO has issued a statement after Bill Maher used the N-word during a conversation with Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse on Friday night’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. “Bill Maher’s comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless,” the networks said in a statement to PEOPLE. “We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show.” (Maher’s rep did not respond to a request for comment.) During the interview on Friday Maher, 61, sparked outrage when he responded to Sasse’s question, “Would you like to come work in the field with us?” with the N-word. “Work in the fields?” Maher asked. “Senator, I’m a house n–.” Sasse, who looked slightly taken aback by the comment, lightly chuckled but did not comment on the choice word. Maher told the audience it was a joke, but people were quick to take to Twitter to address the late-night veteran’s comment. One person to come to Maher’s defense was Kelly Carlin, daughter of comedy legend George Carlin. She responded to the outrage by tweeting out a video of her father talking about the N-word in a bit about judging words based on their context. Maher’s faux pas comes after Kathy Griffin acknowledged Tuesday that she “crossed the line” by posing for a photo with a replica of President Donald Trump‘s bloodied, decapitated head in her hand. “I’m a comic. I crossed the line, I moved the line and then I crossed the line,” Griffin, 56, said in a video posted on Twitter. “I went way too far. The image is too disturbing. I understand how it offends people, it wasn’t funny.” Griffin was fired by CNN from her New Year’s Eve special job the day after her apology. She shared the gig with longtime friend and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. On Friday, the comedian appeared in a press conference, accusing Trump and his family of “bullying” her and “trying to ruin my life forever.”