It must be the end of the world as we now it because - ready for it - Fox News talkers are praising Bill Maher. There was a time on Fox when Maher was referred to as "Pig Maher" on Fox Nation and was reviled on Fox News, especially when he made fun of Tim Tebow and Sarah Palin and her family. It was only in March of this year that the Hannity panel excoriated Maher for his irreverent remarks about the movie Noah. But let the word go forth that Bill Maher is now in Fox's good graces because of some students, at  UC Berkely, are do not want him as the commencement speaker because of his anti-Islamic comments which, on Fox News, are standard fare. So while Maher's right to free speech wasn't respected in the past, Fox News is all free speech for Bill Maher now

Last Tuesday, the gang discussed the Maher situation. Rather than address their hypocrisy on Maher, they pointed out that liberals, who love Maher's anti-Christian commentary, are now upset about his views on Islam. Token liberal Bob Beckel pushed the tired Fox trope that these liberals haven't been protesting the mistreatment of Christians in the Middle East when the reality is that Muslims are faring far worse at the hands of ISIS. Given Fox's past treatment of Maher, Eric Bolling's quip about "selective outrage" was outrageous. Given that Fox News is an echo chamber for the GOP and Christian right, Bolling's comment about how today's college students want an echo chamber for their views was equally outrageous.

And so it went with the Fivers blathering about the intolerance of liberals, liberal students, liberal colleges, Muslims, and Hollywood yadda, yadda, yadda.

Fox's double standard is truly amazing. Maher frequently criticizes Catholicism. So, one imagines that if Maher's invitation to speak at a Catholic school were protested by students, Fox would be fully on the side of the students. Back when anti-choicers wanted Pres. Obama's invitation, to speak at Notre Dame's commencement, rescinded, Fox was fully on board. But those on Fox, who don't think that atheists should have 1st Amendment rights, love that free speech when it comes to those whose views of Islam are not viewed favorably in the Muslim community. And because Maher's views are the subject of criticism, those on The Five have embraced him. 

Go figure!