Renowned American comedian and host of the politically-charged talk show Real Time with Bill Maher, Bill Maher, has recently stepped forward in defense of filmmaker Woody Allen. Maher expressed his belief in Allen’s innocence regarding the accusations leveled against him, particularly stemming from an incident in 1992 when Allen was accused of assaulting his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, who was seven years old at the time.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Maher delved into sensitive topics including the #MeToo movement, cancel culture, and the presence of predators within the media landscape. In a conversation with Katie Couric on his podcast, Club Random with Bill Maher, the comedian also addressed the case of Woody Allen.
Woody Allen, a recipient of four Academy Awards, has been accused by his adopted daughter of sexual assault. However, Maher firmly maintains that Allen is innocent and has not committed any such crime.
“I don’t think he committed that crime,” Maher asserted regarding the allegations made by Dylan Farrow. “There were two police investigations that exonerated him,” he added.
Maher holds the belief that Allen did not assault seven-year-old Dylan in 1992. Rather, he posits that it was Allen’s former partner and Dylan’s mother, Mia Farrow, who may have influenced her to make these accusations. Maher argued that Farrow might have coerced Dylan into making statements against Allen amidst a contentious custody battle at the time.
“Just a few months before these allegations surfaced, Mia Farrow discovered Allen’s relationship with one of her adopted daughters, Soon-Yi Previn,” Maher noted during the podcast. “Allen was 57 at the time, while Previn was merely a 21-year-old college freshman,” he added.
“I just flat out believe him,” Maher emphasized, expressing his conviction that a 57-year-old man would not suddenly become a child molester in the midst of a custody battle, surrounded by adults in broad daylight.
Maher’s confidence in his stance stems from Dylan Farrow’s claim that Allen assaulted her during a court-sanctioned visit amidst the custody battle. Furthermore, Allen had visited Dylan and her brother Ronan Farrow at Mia’s residence.
Dylan recounted the incident in the 2021 HBO documentary ‘Allen v. Farrow,’ alleging that Woody Allen instructed her to lie down and play with her brother Ronan’s toy train set. “As I played with the toy train, I was sexually assaulted,” she stated.
Maher’s defense of Woody Allen reflects his skepticism towards the allegations and his belief in Allen’s innocence amid a complex and contentious legal and familial dispute.