From the moment HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher first hit the air in 2003, audiences have heard some variation of the following theme song play at the beginning of each show:
And while it’s been remixed and rerecorded a few times over the decades (including a recent version by Green Day), it remains not only part of the weekly broadcasts but also of Maher’s live stand-up performances. Long before Green Day put their spin on the catchy tune, however, another veteran in the music world, rapper Christopher “Kid” Reid, was producing the original version. You might know Reid as one half of the old-school hip-hop duo Kid ‘N Play, along with Christopher “Play” Martin. Here’s a little sample for those unfamiliar:
The pair released three albums between 1988 and 1991 and appeared in a few comedy movies together to boot around the same time, including the original House Party films and 1992’s Class Act. They went their separate ways in 1995. Reid eventually became friendly with Maher and appeared regularly on his previous ABC show, Politically Incorrect. Maher even encouraged Reid to do stand-up comedy and brought him along when he appeared in a segment on Oprah Winfrey’s show, “Funny People and Who They Think Are Funny,” in 2000.
Politically Incorrect was cancelled in 2002, and Maher worked out a deal with HBO pretty quickly. He was back on the air by February 2003, but before his switch to premium cable, Reid asked him to do the theme song for his new series. Another artist had already recorded one, and Reid asked if he could hear it. It’s not clear who was responsible for it or what it sounded like, but what is clear is that Reid thought it was terrible.
Instead, he suggested that Maher let him come up with something “rougher and edgier.” In other words, he felt something specifically catering to Maher’s style would be a better fit. Maher obviously thought highly of what Reid came up with, and he’s stuck with it ever since.
When asked about payment for his contribution years later, Reid said, “I have no complaints,” explaining, “I get a fair amount of prestige. I was more concerned with writing a really cool theme for Bill than making a lot of money.”
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