Part 4/11:
A recurring issue throughout the interview was Maher’s apparent lack of basic research about his guest. Despite her decades-long marriage—still ongoing after 36 years—Maher failed to acknowledge her biographical facts, instead plowing forward with the conversation. His attempts at complimenting Eden were backhanded; he remarked, “No one thinks you’re 35,” and followed with a comment implying she could only play “somebody’s mother,” a remark considered demeaning within Hollywood circles.
Maher also made an effort to relate his age—“I’m 70”—but his comments revealed a misogynistic attitude. His fixation on aging and looks seemed superficial and disrespectful, especially when Eden tried to steer the conversation toward her achievements and her perspectives on feminism and sexism.