Nepo babies are everywhere. I'm a structural welder/crane operator and I have been through 6 leadership changes in 3 years because someone thought it would be ok to put 22 year olds in charge of men that have 22+ years experience on the job.
The bosses son is half my age and is a savant at what he does. In fact both of his son's are highly intelligent. I could write a list that would make this TL;DR of all the times I've watched them solve real world problems with ease that had twice as many men standing around scratching their heads. A good indication of a person's work ethic is their hands. A good working man cannot hide his contributions if he wanted to.
I've always thought the hidden 'moral' of that saying was that, as 'luck' is not a real thing (unlike good fortune) and is unreliable, that one ought to strive to become 'good' since that is something most everyone can at least work at and then count on. A sort of back-handed wisdom that might take someone a little experience to figure out in life, and so it lightly mocks the young (chronologically and/or developmentally) who still hold idealistic hopes of 'lucking out' in life. Just my take. And I love sayings like this that are thought provoking, make one question oneself, and may be viewed from several perspectives, these type phrases have real sticking power and utility in culture. But being lucky would be cool!
@Marcha I'd rather be both, frankly. And there've been times in my life when I was, and other times one or the other. And yet other times, neither...I try to avoid those times.
Great point about nepotism. It dies with sports. Almost. A lot of Olypians have rich parents though. Becoming the best in the world takes a lot of free time. Time is expensive.
I get your point but I'm not sure it's nepotism exactly. They aren't olympians because they had rich parents, they are olympians because they developed the necessary athletic skills. I think nepotism would imply that they are not deserving of being olympians.
@@BrentMurrell no, nepotism just means they had the privilege amongst other people with similar capabilities, most sportsmen are not some superhumen at all, they are just bit above the average, plenty of those but without the possibility to train at the highest level or under best circumstances. You can see it in f1 where every past driver had his son competing in the f1, many good or even better drivers, and not poor at all, nobody in motorsports is poor, but never get further than some national series in gt or rally or similar. Same for alpine skiing, you need to grow up in resorts in the alps to have a chance, not many can do that, and yes most, not all but most olimpic level sportsmen and women come from that privilege, but rare are the ones like usain bolt, or janica kostelic or lindsey von that are a class for themselves, most of them are there just because they had the oportunity first, only some mass sports like football and some other team sports have what they claim here, basically all individual sports have their conditions that have to be met and you can be the best in the world but if you don't have the conditions nobody will ever know about you, that's just how it is, yes football players of national teams cam come from poor origins, but say field hockey already not so much, and basically none from individual sports, and those are the majority.
@@cmorris9494 they do have the predisposition true, but they also don't have many other sports developed in their countries, track and field is just nasic sports you do at school, behind the school and you don't need an infrastructure of some kind for that, did you see that some of those countries even for their olimpic norms they run on dirt and not tartan, so it's an outlier because they can't chose much and have genetic predisposition, but with such a predosposition they could thrive in many sports but they don't.
Idris Elba’s daughter, Isan, auditioned for her fathers film, “Beast”. Despite her pleas to her father to convince the producer to cast her, Idris did not. He let her know you need to be good enough and need to work hard enough to achieve a goal. That’s admirable. That’s how you be a parent.
@@Destinychanged Of course Idris is going to say that! Are you idiot for believeing that? of course he's going say his daughter "earned" her role. He's not going to say he just gave it to her!
I was absolutely shook when I started paying attention to this stuff. Like EVERY single successful person I know or heard of, at the very least, had some kind of special advantage as a child. Even if their parents weren't rich, maybe they saved enough to send them to private school or some private lessons, or they ran their own business and little Johnny learned the nuances of success that way. Whatever it was, it's insanely rare to see successful people in America that haven't had a massive head start as children.
Crying is already happening in the sports industry. They keep complaining how there are hardly any blacks in baseball and hockey. Yet I don’t hear anyone complain about a lack of Asians in basketball.
It's not what you know, it's who you know, and it doesn't matter if who you know is a celebrity, as long as that person can open doors for you that would otherwise remain closed.
The right kind of parents don't do that, even if they can. Traditional values mindset parameters parents of Spain. I don't know anything about that one. Kids not get into the same university as their family members because didn't have the grades, etcetera about afterwards, but do try to raise them to whereas they can themselves. I personally don't know about anyone doing that, or being a tiger Mom either. It's probably the remnants of what used to be the system, still functioning on meritocracy, no matter how much left wing hatred of that past, and the Globalists social engineering Idiocracy effects agenda that's being inserted through the corruption and Idiocracy insanity of governments nowadays. Know that Soros behind for sure. What a blind wicked idiot himself. The matter of being ignoble destructive classlessness no matter if a billionaire.
For many years I've had the belief that pro sports are a waste of resources and tend to reinforce tribal behaviors best left behind. Thank you Bill for providing a way to see sports in a constructive context.
It's like that with any kind of sports. I raced mountain bikes 2018-2022, and it's exactly the same as any ball sports. We care for each other's safety, we respect each other's achievements -- especially when we're the one who got beat. As Maher suggests, in sports, there is no "faking it til you make it." If you get beat, it's because someone was better than you and they deserve your respect. What you do is walk away with the knowledge that you've still got room to improve. You train harder and come back stronger. No amount of money in the world will get you to the finish line first if you can't out-ride, out-endurance the next guy.
This segment doesn't apply to coaches. There are many subpar coaches, at least in the NFL, who only hold their position because their father was a hall of fame coach years prior.
how many young people had the resources and opportunity to get lessons and training giving them a leg up on the competition plus parents that were supportive .. isn't that a version of nepotism ..??
Symphony musicians are also in the same group as athletes. When they try out for an orchestra, they must play behind a curtain and their peers judge them on talent.
I wish it were the same for opera singers. When I would Audition and pay for rehearsals and pianists to prepare I felt they already knew who they were going to take, and just did auditions for the $50 per singer audition fee.
I read that in some instances, candidates walk across a carpet to the playing area, so the assessors behind the curtain cannot tell if it's a male or female musician.
This an excellent example of meritocracy, really. I've always thought that public employers (civil service) should format application forms which allow HR staff to disassemble it before forwarding to mangers. Removing names, ages, and select other information would be a leveling tool to focus on KSAs and not immutable candidate attributes (such as sex, race, or other aspects).
@@EyeSeeThruYou I had several college professors who had students put their names on the back of the exams instead of the front, and would grade them all before matching the names.
solid. i appreciate Bill’s acknowledgement that sports are a diversion. it’s also nice that a form of entertainment - people playing games for the benefit of spectators - can provide some examples of good humanity…merit, cooperation, role modeling, etc.
Yep, it’s remarkable how many celebs’ are from showbiz, especially minor league. And with sports, Lebron James son grew up in $1 billion household. That’s more training and attention than every inner-city kid in all of Chicago metro.
Nepo babies are coming to sports too. LeBron James’s son is not good enough to be in the NBA, but he will get on a team simply because of who his dad is.
@Jess1919 lmao 🤣 another bench rider chimes in... Dose it happen? ABSOLUTELY, is it the standard? In which you'r dunce cap friend implies? 🤔 NOT EVEN CLOSE.. you think teams care a about a field donation if they go 0-10? Lmao tell us y'all never started without saying it haha.. 🤣 I was in foster care an played varsity football all 4 years for Lincoln high school in Stockton ca.. SJAA CHAMPS 3 OUT OF THE 4... it's always you soft bodie cry babies claiming shit like this hahaha
@@KittredgeRitter He’s about as Jewish as I am a giant panda. Last time I checked I’m not a giant panda. But why let a little thing like facts get in the way of your antisemitism? The “warriors of the white race” you say? Bubba, you’re 5’3” and 340 pounds. You’re no warrior and have no place to talk on anything related to war. 6:39
Bill is spot on about sports stars and their children. The children of legendary sportspeople rarely if ever reach the same status as their parents in the cases of those who decided to become professional athletes.
The point of nepotism is to selectively give someone the opportunity. The nepo babies of sports get that opportunity just as much as those in acting. Which still deprives someone else of that opportunity. A kid's father pays for all the equipment so he gets to pitch. He gets to pitch and pitch and pitch until finally money can't buy his spot. Meanwhile the kid who wanted to pitch is playing OF and bored out of his mind ends up quitting baseball.
@@DOGbackwardz Maybe in HS....but sports at the professional level and even at the collegiate level it all comes down to one thing......if you can play or not. Nobody plays football at Alabama, or basketball at Duke because of who their dad is
So much so that when it DOES happen, it's something truly special. I got to watch Ken Griffey and his Dad play a game in Seattle... but they are exception, not the rule.
The children of sports stars do have advantages. They don't have to get after school/summer jobs, so they have a lot more time on their hands for working out. They get sent to expensive training camps. If they need advice from an expert, they can ask their parent. Sure they have to do the work, but that work is made easier. That's an advantage.
Then on the flip side you have those kids who don't have parents in a sport & they try real hard & end up getting recognized by people, word spreads & they end up with large NIL deals when being recruited to college. Yes, the kids of sports stars have a tiny advantage, but the point that Bill made still stands. Just because they have a parent who was a star, doesn't mean they will be. Look at Micheal Jordan's sons as a perfect example.
@@skatergrl13 not true, baseball is the best example. You will only be as good as the talent you play. If your poor your gona end up playing against teams below your skill set. Unless you play travel ball or American Legion your not going very far. Poor kids that do is bc they have sponsors on these very expensive youth teams.
This is why I snort with derision when I hear a rich person claim they worked hard for everything they had. Millions of people work even harder just to stay solvent. Being born wealthy is what makes the real difference.
Working hard has nothing to do with wealth. Working smart is how you make money. Hence why doctors make more money than janitors. What makes the REAL difference is how hard you study. Nothing more.
Luck definitely plays a big role in success - and I speak from experience. Everything from meeting the right people to being in the right place at the right time helps. But you're suffering from survivorship bias when you say being born wealthy is all that matters. You only see the people who succeeded (for whatever reason) but you don't see the far more numerous people who fail. Having a head start helps a lot, but that won't be nearly enough if you're talentless and lazy.
"Sports are beloved because they are the only hierarchy based on real and honorable talent. One can win a business promotion based on office politics, or win a college admission based on a rich father. One can win a war through shameless evil, or win the presidency through empty promises. But to win at a sport, you must prove your worth transparently, before referees and spectators, to earn your status. Humankind is not inherently cynical. We become impassioned by legitimacy. The proof of that is sports."- George Will, 1997
Not really, raw sports ability is largely genetically driven. I would say investing and business are more meritocratic. Yes, there is always some genetic component, but in business a poor person can become wealthy without being blessed with exceptional physical genetics, just through a combination of intelligence, hard work, and conscientiousness (where some of these can compensate for deficiencies in the others). Even a somewhat dumb person can be successful in business as long as they are able to confront failure, work hard, and learn (however slowly). You can't become a pro NBA or NFL player without 99% genetic luck first.
@@LigmusCrotum raw sports ability is largely genetically driven." This is a gross oversimplification of skill sports. Genetics does not determine your "raw sports ability" thats nonsense Im not tall so I cant play basketball. There are tons of pro nba players that are not exceptionally tall. Just like there a lot of pro sports athletes in sports their ancestors never played
@@LigmusCrotum Genetic ability is the meaning of "talent," and everyone even remotely considered for a sports team has it. 100% of them, 100% of the time. They also come from anywhere and everywhere. Unlike business, where the vast majority of major success stories start out in the top 0.1% of incomes and have Ivy League family backgrounds; where funding for early ventures, access to talent, and government relations are guaranteed at birth to a handful and kept at arm's length to even the most talented of "commoners". The only exceptions are people who lick the boots of the rich long enough to be given a small piece of the action, or people who are exceptionally ruthless, but the latter are often prosecuted (usually tax stuff, or fraud) as sacrifices to the masses once they believe they've finally been "let into the club" and let their guard down.
Many of the athletes I've taught that went on to at least sign at a college for a team (football, basketball, baseball,... even golf)... had a parent that also was an athlete or even a coach. Yes, the kid had to do the work... but they had a parent that made sure they practiced; helped them practice... and knew the game with scouts. BUT... that is also true with many kids in many areas. An actor or singer often makes sure those kids get lessons and perform. Academic parents often expect their kids to do well in classes, tutor them... get them tutors... send them to testing workshops and it helps. It's not all about being "nepo" with these kids l. It's whether their parents took the time, money, and energy to support them. The REAL trick is doing that when your kid wants to do something else where you don't know all the tips and tricks. If being anything was just because of raw talent then you'd see more crossovers than we do. There are some... but those aren't written about. If a big time actor's kid goes into real estate; or being major player in computer coding... an officer in the military, or a lawyer we don't hear that.... though I'm sure if some study was done we would find that it happens often enough.
For centuries the best chance you had to give your children a career was to teach them the trade that was passed on to them (or a trade reasonably accessible in your environment). Literally caste systems or class roles got defined out of this process. Substantial number of family names that describe jobs their families did.
Exactly. Traditionally acting has tended to be dynastic. That just a fancy word for passed down through families. Early actors travelled to work especially in Europe. They had families and the children were often put into the act at an early age. Lots of famous performers started that way, like the Marx brothers, who first went on stage with their Uncle. Or the long line of the Barrymore family, actors stretching back nearly 2 centuries.
exactly - families of doctors, attorneys, firemen, police officers, etc. that's the life they know - the language, the environment, the culture - and it connects them to their family, just like plumbers, electricians, farmers, etc. have with their kids. There's just more prestige/notoriety in Hollywood - and it's kind of a fun way to poke at them in the midst of their self-righteous grandstanding as the tell everyone else how they should live, vote, think, etc.
@@AB-ol5uz I know three siblings who are engineers whose dad was an engineer. Kids swear their career choice has nothing to do with their dad’s. lol ok
it helps sell tickets and give a marketing boost for the minor leagues/d-league, etc. but if they don't have that rare combination of skills/talent/drive it won't happen. Hollywood is different because charisma/social media influence is getting people in the door ahead of talent. That's why I prefer British films - they focus far more on skill/embodiment of the character, and less on appearance - it makes for a more interesting-looking cast - everyone's not pumped with botox/filler and breast implants - and a much better performance overall.
@@direwolf6234 helped along by the WHA and associated NHL expansion teams that greatly increased the number of available player positions. Having said that, 51-year-old Gordie still put up 41 points in 80 games during his final pro season and Mark was an excellent player in his own right, playing over 900 NHL games and collecting over 700 points during his career.
exactly, and thats the point. A lot of people in the comments saying that sport is no different to Hollywood in that there's still nepotism but the difference is, if you're not elite in your sport, you won't make it to the pros. Sure, you'll get opportunities in college/lower levels, but at pro level, your background means nothing if you're no good. So many talentless hacks make it big in hollywood/music/politics
A year later, Bronny was drafted thanks to his dad's agent threatening other teams. Sports aren't free of nepotism, it's just not everything. Rich, powerful parents give you a major advantage, but you still have to earn the rest.
Yeah but not out on the field because if you’re an athlete and you suck the fans don’t care who you’re parents are they’ll be calling for your removal.
Nepotism definitely matters in sports. Same as "getting your foot in the door" in acting.. In athletics, pro scouts and pro level coaches go see and go help ex pro athletes kids, college and pro coaches kids, and college and pro teams administrators kids. There are thousands of VERY talented players who never got a second look at a D1 school or a pro contract because the slots were filled with nepotism babies. The kids still have to put in work. But "getting your foot in the door" is a fkin huge part of the game.
Especially college sports. I can point to two egregious examples just in my home state of Missouri: Stan Kronke was a big donor to the school at the time and his son Josh was far and away the least talented player to "make" the team, while in a case of reverse nepotism they hired the father of Michael and Jonte Porter as an assistant coach specifically to get the two players to choose to come to the school. So let's not pretend it's 100% a meritocracy.
Yea but in sports you still have to have the skill to back it up. You aren't a professional player just because your dad was. If you aren't skillful you get fired. Thats the difference.
My kid’s kindergarten program was shortened because they didn’t want the other students & parents feeling a way because he won most of the awards… truthfully, I was on the fence about how I felt about that but now I’m a little angry
It does matter in sports. Having access to all the connections the parent has and had. The money. Getting all the private lessons and being on the top travel teams!! It absolutely opens doors "normal" people do not have.
@@alalalala57 says who? you think coaches care about names? If they don't win, they're fired. Clout or a famous daddy doesn't win you sports games. And BTW the far far majority of NFL athletes have zero "connections"
@@181cameron sorry my friend, i grew up in new york and beverly hills my mother and grandparents were in the industry CBS, Broadway, 20th century, etc etc ad nauseam...actors are like house painters a dime a dozen and everyone can do it, Danny Kaye once told my mother, she worked with him, if you can laugh and cry in front of people you can be an actor, but to be an accountant you need real skills.
I just commented that they replaced the WOOO! guy with a new YEAH! guy and I wonder if the WOOO! guy is ok. These mofos make this show unwatchable for me.
Brilliant Segment Bill! And so true! This is why I'm more of a fan of sports nowadays than cinema even tho I'm an aspiring filmmaker myself. The majority of today's movie stars are nepo babies, with very few exceptions. In movies/tv, 90% of success is luck - getting a chance, and nepo babies have an advantage here, that's a fact. Sport is based on specific physical work and specific numbers that no one gives you for free. Yes, in sports, the children of great athletes can inherit the talent and physical attributes, but that can only get you to a basic level, the rest is hard work. The best example for me is Cristiano Ronaldo - he embodies the true 'American Dream' in modern times, and he is the best example of an actual self-made billionaire. Born into poverty, the father was an Angola war veteran and an alcoholic, and his brother was addicted to drugs. Cristiano with his talent, but above all with hard work, rose to the very top of football and took his whole family out of the hole. Today, he is one of the greatest footballers in history, the most influential athlete in the world, and one of the richest. While even the biggest stars of cinema - the honest ones - admit that when you have a great director and screenwriter, that is, a great role written, acting is not the hardest thing to do at all, and that's why for me, screenwriters should be paid more than actors because the fact is, the screenplay and well-written character and story is the main reason for movie success. In sports, to reach an Olymp, you have to make unimaginable sacrifices all your life, and the body of a professional athlete playing at the top level, for example, for a decade, is completely destroyed at the end. This is the price. Reaching the top in sports requires incredible strength of character and willpower, hard physical work, and incredible mental strength. It's absolutely one of the last professions that require real hard work to get to the top. I admire and respect the best athletes so much.
As a practicing lawyer, that finished every section of my bar exam faster than all other 500 people except for one section one day and that was the guy sitting next to me. Louisiana gave me and 4 other students from the HBCU law school I went to the WRONG SCORES, it was a massive slap in the face to see Louisiana and the rest of the nation in large part get free bar passes. And multi choice exams. Across 1 day. Instead written for 5. We all received calls 2 months later we had actually passed and by that time the bar results were published. Southern Law would have passed TULANE law in bar pass rate for my class but for the 5, miraculously all only from SULC, getting “wrong scores”. It would have been the first time the HBCU was not at the bottom, and it costs 1/4th the price of the other three in the state. I don’t know what to make of it. My counterpart and I were given scores 2 points below passing. Basically the minimum you could miss by. And then when he went to go check his test and added his point up himself, he had scored 18 more points on the very first section of the test. They asked him if he wanted to check the rest of his test and he said why would I need to? And then called me and everyone else and we all passed by who knows how much. LA Supreme Court Justice Genevieve was newly elected and asked us to send him everything we had in terms of our communication with the bar in the matter. No lawsuit ever came out of it.
@ KC Michelson I met a man from Boston years ago and he said you just don’t up and leave and head to Boston . He said it is the kind of town where the Janitor’s job is promised to somebody .
To many times when I joined the work force there were people with positions that required a college degree. Many of them had only high school diplomas because their dads was friends with the bosses. It still happens today.
@@zendakk I was merely pointing out it's not just Hollywood. I think ppl dont like it going back to the equity in opportunity argument. Or that it doesn't encourage seeking out the highest qualified ppl. Or unfair advantage etc. Its nothing new tho lol. Literally how you became king was by being the kings son when he died.
He is one of the few left-leaning pundits that I actually like. He at least has the decency to call certain things out for what they actually are, even if it goes against the "narrative."
Not much different if you really analyze the DNC/RINO caste system, two-tier justice, in context with what is applied in India. Same demoness, she just wears nicer looking makeup.
The world has always been a 'caste' society except for past 100 years. The was always a class system in every society (Nobel, Soldiers, Free Workers and Slaves) from Rome to China.
@@marshalLannes1769 last 100 years have been different in one way, the wealthy prefer to hide and keep their heads down so that we the people don't do like the French did and fix the problem. hell look at the UK. you cannot tell me merit got a billionaire into the prime ministers seat. he bought that shit.
It's the same all over the world. India got a bad rep because we are brown people. Same thing has been followed in Europe for far longer but no one cares to bring it to notice there.
In a number of crafts, when you are in close relation to someone who is well skilled at something, they pass that knowledge onto you and you become skilled at it yourself. Its why more than a few family businesses became multi generational.
I will always think it's messed up that celebs and models are able to get fancy careers because of mommy and daddy. However, I have learned that even for us normal people it's the same thing. I know a lot of people who got fancy jobs without having any experience at all because of Mommy and Daddy. Not fair but it happens.
It's really the opposite of messed up. That's the point of being successful: to secure a better future for your kids and grandkids. It's the most natural thing there is.
The people who have set up their own for success have generally worked very hard to insure this happens and deserve the fruits of their efforts. This is the way of it. I bet if you had amassed immense wealth and influence through your talent and labor, and had beloved family, you would feel and do the same, to some extent. My terrific senior English teacher had two very good pieces of wisdom for our graduating class to remember: "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission (you'll get more done)" and "Friends, whoever told you life is FAIR?"
OMG...so true. Here in Canada though you only get into post secondary schools, by your grades and volunteering etc. Our education system works a little different. When you see a canadian in graduate school in the states its usually because they can't get in to the schools here. They just don't make the cut. And you hear the parents complaining.
Yes, to an extent. The problem is that not everyone has the same opportunities. If you come from a poor family, have to work from a young age and don't have the time to train or eat properly, it's unlikely you'll beat people who haven't had to face similar obstacles.
@@Ghostfancoder Sports has absolutely been touched. It doesn't assure you success, sure, but being the child of star athletes definitely gives a boost to start a career and get attention from teams even when they are average.
I remember when getting into Lowell high school was a big deal out here! I even went there for summer school once(I didn’t make it to Lowell 🤣) the bathroom walls were tagged with equations in there
I agree sports entertainment (which is very simplistic, i.e., there're clear winners/losers, mostly clear right/wrong) seems a bit more meritocratic* but see Malcolm Gladwell's take on this. There are a LOT of talented people who are never discovered since they don't have the opportunities, etc. In this sense, it's not being a "nepo baby" that's a big deal but being wealthy so that you can succeed/or fail at what you want instead of needing to get a job to support your responsibilities. Life's not fair. We can't even define what "curing cancer" means. That's how complex the disease is. That's the problem. Whenever the problem/field is simple/clear cut, where we can get yes/no answers quickly, it's easy to be simplistically meritocratic. But once things start getting complex, it is no longer clear cut. *Also the money you have AS A TEAM influences performance; look at what Steven Cohen has done with the NY Mets (or I should I say "trying to do" ). There's a correlative difference between teams with $50 million payrolls and teams with $300+ million payrolls, especially if the latter is sustained for years on end to build the best teams possible by throwing money at it. These people then push each other to excel. Of course it takes a lot to skill and hard work get there, but there's so much luck with injuries, personality, etc.
"Sports Entertainment" is what Vince McMahon started calling pro wrestling after he beat the steroids case against him and was worried the Feds were gonna take a second crack at him over wrestling being a work.
A part of it is also that there are only so many opportunities in each industry. Some might have very few. As unfair as it sounds, we can't all get the job. If you have 100 people apply, they could all be great. However, if there's only 5 jobs, 95 are going away empty handed. Maybe they'll get something elsewhere, maybe not. There may well be a lot of people that could have done something special (or at least been decent) but maybe they never got a chance to develop or even any chance at all? How many had very humble beginnings (e.g., maybe they made some embarrassing mistakes and have no idea how they didn't get fired) but someone believed in them and kept them around, and it worked out? How many had a rough start and that was it, they never got another chance and were in a one strike and you're out situation?
@@ExplodingConsole That's what Gladwell alludes to but he goes into some data and throws out interesting examples. He uses Canadian hockey players and runners. The former group is generated from an early young, and the quirk of your month of birth determines what happens in early camps which then have an impact on the rest of your career. A lot of our live is set up that, where quirks of birth and quirks of calendar can synergise or become antagonistic.
What is Malcolm Gladwell's take on this? I can't recall if he talks about the importance of being born at the right time of the year or not but that alone will make or break an athlete. Because if you have 364 days of physical and mental growth and experience (especially when young) more than your competitor, you will have an edge.
Sports are entertainment but there is big difference between acting and being an athlete. Any idiot can stand in front of camera. Not just anybody can be competitive in sports.
You really do not like Maher in term of what? His demeanor, jokes? His main takes, which are approximately "free speech is good; woke is bad; let's vote for milquetoast Democrats; I love pot and Israel"?
@@Rockownz5150 The Woke, since its not really a secret that word is a loose definition of literally everything those types dont like, from vegan menus to trans kids to gay couples in cartoons to even cknowledging that racial inequality continues to be a problem.
I have an extended family member who's a pilot at a major airline, who just told me he recommends NOT flying commercial anymore, because many of the new pilots they're bringing in for DEI quotas are THAT bad. Scared the hell out of me, honestly.
Really. Like the airlines are going to risk lawsuits by allowing unqualified pilots to fly. Just because airlines are looking for someone who isn't just male and white doesn't make them unqualified. Smart and talented people exist everywhere. Sometimes, you need to look outside your comfort zone. Stagnation isn't always the best policy.
OP As a conservative talking to you, The Last Jedi is a Masterpiece, tired of you Last Jedi Haters, so F OFF. If you talk about episode IX that's another thing, but not The Last Jedi that movie is PERFECT, episode VII and VIII were good, and Andor too, other things... Well... Ugh.
@veronicareitherreese6671 yes. They are. DEI initiatives are driving investment into businesses (which allow them to operate at all) which directly translates into "diversity hires" being given more preference than other, more objectively qualified, people. So yes - these companies would literally risk killing people for this. And then, when the inevitable happens, the way they'll report on the accident will conveniently never mention the qualifications (or lack thereof) of the person operating the vehicle, and you'll automatically assume that they were doing the job because they earned the right to be there. Welcome to the next step of Affirmative Action. It was a bad policy when it was implemented, it's bad policy now, and it makes literally everything worse.
Interesting and well said. His argument about sports not being based on nepotism is only partially true. It's generally true that the players on the pro field are the best out there (except when coaches make stupid decisions). However, nepotism does, or can, play a huge role in getting them to that point. If your last name is Montana, Brady, or some such, you're far more likely to be quarterback (or whatever position) in little league and in high school, which is how you get the experience to be good enough for college ball. Having a last name like that also means you're far more likely to be recruited for college, which gives you a chance to get ready for the pros. Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers gives some interesting examples of how success is often based on early selection.
Wrong - the kid still need to perform.. Montana's kid did get preferential treatment to some extent in H.S. and college. He never made it to the Pros though. Which is Bill's point ultimately. You're not playing professional sports just because of your last name. Period.
That's why some people make such a big deal about getting into the top schools. It's not about what you learn, it's about who you meet and form relationships with while you're there.
You made a great point for mandatory military service. 2 years with a group of people you don't choose can teach you how you can get things done with people who might not share 100% of your values.
Yeah, not sure about now but the military is another example of merit based advancement. Well, it was until one group decided there wasn’t enough women in combat arms and so they changed the standards.
In every country with mandatory military service, it quickly evolves into a cynic maze of loopholes so that rich people can escape it and/or use it to propel their careers, while poors are crawling in the cold mud. The only way to escape that is to have a very high civic moral. In the age of "right or wrong, my party" and "success at all cost", it does not work.
Most European countries that have conscription also have an alternative service for the pacifist and religious Falk. These kids get trained as paramedics, ambulance drivers, social workers, they work in retirement homes or fire stations and whatever.
@@mecha-sheep7674I'm not a 100 percent sold on the idea, but my friend from Switzerland told me that a slight majority of Swiss people do in fact support it, because it helps bridge the different language groups.
@@ge.9102 It’s a stupid overused term for so, so many reasons. First off, Bill represents the silent majority? So the silent majority is basically liberals who hate “woke”? Ok fine. Whatever. Moving on. It’s also stupid because how do you know? If the silent majority is silent, then how do you know what they think and feel and value? They’re silent and not telling you. Also, the term can be used by anyone to support any side. Just say we’re the silent majority. It’s what Trump supporters called themselves in 2016. Basically Republicans and some independents who hated Hillary Clinton and wanted a wall. Only they weren’t silent. They never shut up, actually. Bill pays his interns to sit in the audience and go WOOO WOOO! and they overlay a subtle pre-recorded laugh track like in a sitcom to enrich the perceived energy coming from the live audience and maybe that makes you feel like you’re part of some majority? People seem to use it to tell themselves “the majority shares my views.” I could go on and on but it’s a ridiculous term. And I’m not even touching on the nerd in the OP with a friggin headshot in his profile MY GOD A HEADSHOT who thinks he’s a centrist but has playlists and channel subscriptions that say yeah, no.
I think nepo babies are everywhere. Which parent is not going to help their kids get a leg up in the world, especially in a field in which the parent is well versed in? Just different careers yield different value and may or may not require more objective performance based outcomes. However, i really don't see where all this removal of merit based examinations is going to take the US. Some students are more talented, or worked harder to understand their material. Working hard honing ones talent is a virtue, so why deny what is rightfully theirs, the fruits of their labour and effort?
This is how it was for the longest time. Your great grandfather was a blacksmith? Well you're one too now, just like dad and grandpa. Just people notice more when its about affluent roles in society.
@@kristjanvendelin3566 this my father worked in the fastener industry (nuts and bolts - hardware etc) also owned a few unsuccessful companies... my older brother is now a manager in that same industry... i also worked in that industry but left to work in cleaning which is the industry that my mother is a manager in
Getting rid of merit, isn't going to fix racism or the evils of the past. It just makes everything worse for everyone. Some times I wonder if it's be design ?
I was just thinking about this with basketball how there is no luck, it's just pure talent. And how nepotism babies have no idea how privileged they are. Because they're are in a system that is less about merrit and more about connections which is all show business is about. Well done.
You can't overlook sports, either. Having a wealthy athlete parent 1: Ensures a kid gets their genetics, which is the ultimate win in sports. 2: Athlete parents typically have funds that allow for comfortable lifestyles that afford their kids the ability to practice with not just a professional parent, but in top leagues, or in their own personal training facilities. It's a lot easier to practice your slap shot or practice free throws when you're professional parent is giving you pointers while you drill on your personal court or rink. Then there's knowing development programs, navigating talent scouts and college recruitment, and even having a parent who is in the front office of a MLB or in the dug out as a manager. Granted, yes, there's still work involved, but having that foot in the door at the big leagues when you're a good but not great minor league player in a field of players hungry for the big show is an advantage. Not every nepo-baby can act and continues to act. Sophia Coppola got the part in Godfather 3 over Winona Ryder and never acted again, though she became a successful director. Similar to the sports kid, she gets a directing job not just because her dad's Francis Ford Coppola, but also because she's been exposed to the movie system, sets, behind the scenes, acting, staging, which gives her a more intimate understand of the industry, which is a leg up skill wise.
Not to mention that the children of famous athletes are considered solid gold as far as promotion is concerned and tend to get prioritized over more talented athletes that aren't the sons of old players. This mostly happens in combat sports (see Marvis Frazier, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Ryan Couture, Kron Gracie, etc.), but it does happen in other sports too as evidenced by people like Bronny James and Eli Manning.
Almost every actor has to get their SAG card before getting an agent, and that isn't easy! These Nepo babies get a agent to represent them because of who their family is. When they say it's just that they got a foot in the door, Bill isn't lying, that's 80% to 90% it. These Nepo babies have the best advantage and not even close, they don't know what hard is! The connections they have and the people they know that are producing projects are abundant.
Here's how to get a SAG card: "any person qualifying through work as a background actor must have completed three (3) days of work as a background actor under a SAG-AFTRA (or AFTRA or SAG) collective bargaining agreement." so, 3 days as a background actor lol.
@@honuswagner9348 You're missing something! you have to have a line of dialogue. I know many back round extras and they don't have their SAG card. That's the catch 22. You have to get these small little parts but they're very hard to get and even when you do finally get them if you can? you still have to pay your union dues which are $5000 just to eligible to get an agent.
Total BS. you can get a SAG card, you simply need to get a paid job. You don't think that a famous person can't get their talentless kid one crappy acting gig in a local commercial spot or a dinner theater. Don't kid yourself.
Im ashamed to say then even having a celeb involved in your life in any way gives people a boost. my ex husband grew up with a famous comedian and they a few years ago reconnected. But i think my ex started over stepping. This man paid to get my youngest daughter braces we could not afford to and i myself would speak up about who helped my daughter. I do owe this man for helping my daughter with her teeth and confidence after she had been bullied so bad. But in the end what does it matter who fixed her smile. It was a kind thing to do.
🚨 I live in ❤ VA. In the club my hubby & his friends were discussing how their fraternities and the campus has changed. They can’t believe. We need to do something about it. What they mean is they found a lot of color people in clubs and places that were exclusively fro WASPs. Latinos in public schools, especially from low income towns. They finished and start working. College is not their priority. The question is why this WASPs rich kids have low grades and not the same academic interests their parents had. I feel bad 😞 because some Asian and Indian are nice and I’m nice but, they the guys talk nasty things about their kids being in places where don’t belong.
Nepo babies are everywhere. I'm a structural welder/crane operator and I have been through 6 leadership changes in 3 years because someone thought it would be ok to put 22 year olds in charge of men that have 22+ years experience on the job.
I was 25 leading men that were 40+yrs old, and i was a green horn. Isnt hard to install rebar.
Let me guess, they got the leadership roles because they were "college educated"?
The bosses son is half my age and is a savant at what he does. In fact both of his son's are highly intelligent. I could write a list that would make this TL;DR of all the times I've watched them solve real world problems with ease that had twice as many men standing around scratching their heads. A good indication of a person's work ethic is their hands. A good working man cannot hide his contributions if he wanted to.
@@duanescot tech college.... The good ol boy military code has played the biggest part... Literally a bunch of brats trying to run things.
Massive respect for your profession. Incredible talent and skills.
The old saying, "I'd rather be lucky than good" applies to many areas of life....
… especially the licensed gambling areas.
That’s been a quote used in baseball too, but of course major leaguers are pretty darn good to be there in the first place.
I've always thought the hidden 'moral' of that saying was that, as 'luck' is not a real thing (unlike good fortune) and is unreliable, that one ought to strive to become 'good' since that is something most everyone can at least work at and then count on. A sort of back-handed wisdom that might take someone a little experience to figure out in life, and so it lightly mocks the young (chronologically and/or developmentally) who still hold idealistic hopes of 'lucking out' in life. Just my take. And I love sayings like this that are thought provoking, make one question oneself, and may be viewed from several perspectives, these type phrases have real sticking power and utility in culture.
But being lucky would be cool!
Yep... and when those who are already good, also get lucky, you're fucked.
@Marcha
I'd rather be both, frankly. And there've been times in my life when I was, and other times one or the other.
And yet other times, neither...I try to avoid those times.
This phenomenon occurs throughout all walks of human life as well. Brilliant segment, hope to see more of these
of course if you don't do the job you are going to get fired.
@@sanford943 unless you're Donald Trump...
I actually work with a lot of nepo babies just working in government. I’ve always worked with nepo babies in almost every job.
Having money is not nepotism
@@MMAoracle not by definition, but it helps to do it.
Great point about nepotism. It dies with sports. Almost. A lot of Olypians have rich parents though. Becoming the best in the world takes a lot of free time. Time is expensive.
Trainers, equipment, having a place to train, and being able to travel to competitions are all expensive, too.
I get your point but I'm not sure it's nepotism exactly. They aren't olympians because they had rich parents, they are olympians because they developed the necessary athletic skills. I think nepotism would imply that they are not deserving of being olympians.
@@BrentMurrell no, nepotism just means they had the privilege amongst other people with similar capabilities, most sportsmen are not some superhumen at all, they are just bit above the average, plenty of those but without the possibility to train at the highest level or under best circumstances.
You can see it in f1 where every past driver had his son competing in the f1, many good or even better drivers, and not poor at all, nobody in motorsports is poor, but never get further than some national series in gt or rally or similar.
Same for alpine skiing, you need to grow up in resorts in the alps to have a chance, not many can do that, and yes most, not all but most olimpic level sportsmen and women come from that privilege, but rare are the ones like usain bolt, or janica kostelic or lindsey von that are a class for themselves, most of them are there just because they had the oportunity first, only some mass sports like football and some other team sports have what they claim here, basically all individual sports have their conditions that have to be met and you can be the best in the world but if you don't have the conditions nobody will ever know about you, that's just how it is, yes football players of national teams cam come from poor origins, but say field hockey already not so much, and basically none from individual sports, and those are the majority.
Look at the runners. Many come from poor countries. So it's not all athletes that get ahead because of their parents.
@@cmorris9494 they do have the predisposition true, but they also don't have many other sports developed in their countries, track and field is just nasic sports you do at school, behind the school and you don't need an infrastructure of some kind for that, did you see that some of those countries even for their olimpic norms they run on dirt and not tartan, so it's an outlier because they can't chose much and have genetic predisposition, but with such a predosposition they could thrive in many sports but they don't.
Idris Elba’s daughter, Isan, auditioned for her fathers film, “Beast”. Despite her pleas to her father to convince the producer to cast her, Idris did not.
He let her know you need to be good enough and need to work hard enough to achieve a goal.
That’s admirable. That’s how you be a parent.
Yee. Because Big Dris is the real deal.
Just because they said that does not mean it's true! How do you really know that happened?
@@andreware6492 Idris himself said it. Settle down.
@@Destinychanged Of course Idris is going to say that! Are you idiot for believeing that? of course he's going say his daughter "earned" her role. He's not going to say he just gave it to her!
That man is the real deal. I read that he turned down the James Bond role because he didn't want to just be the first black "anything".
I was absolutely shook when I started paying attention to this stuff. Like EVERY single successful person I know or heard of, at the very least, had some kind of special advantage as a child. Even if their parents weren't rich, maybe they saved enough to send them to private school or some private lessons, or they ran their own business and little Johnny learned the nuances of success that way. Whatever it was, it's insanely rare to see successful people in America that haven't had a massive head start as children.
For years I’ve said it’s better to be related to a celebrity than to be talented. This video came out of nowhere but is spot on, Mr. Maher. Nice.
Crying is already happening in the sports industry. They keep complaining how there are hardly any blacks in baseball and hockey. Yet I don’t hear anyone complain about a lack of Asians in basketball.
@@Ghostfancoder Who's they?
I remember when you first said it, you really hit the nail on the head when you said that years ago. Totally out of nowhere. Congratulations.
It's not what you know, it's who you know, and it doesn't matter if who you know is a celebrity, as long as that person can open doors for you that would otherwise remain closed.
@@davidhill2020 the great and powerful “THEY”… the group of people that someone points to when he or she pulls a fact out of their ass
If only all of my parents' friends were the exact people who could advance my career no matter how well I did the job.
You could be head fry guy at Micky Dees by now
@@thedeadpoolwhochuckles.6852 go to bed little boy
Same, just finding a job often is about who you know just as much as everything else combined.
Are you MOT?
The right kind of parents don't do that, even if they can. Traditional values mindset parameters parents of Spain. I don't know anything about that one. Kids not get into the same university as their family members because didn't have the grades, etcetera about afterwards, but do try to raise them to whereas they can themselves. I personally don't know about anyone doing that, or being a tiger Mom either. It's probably the remnants of what used to be the system, still functioning on meritocracy, no matter how much left wing hatred of that past, and the Globalists social engineering Idiocracy effects agenda that's being inserted through the corruption and Idiocracy insanity of governments nowadays. Know that Soros behind for sure. What a blind wicked idiot himself. The matter of being ignoble destructive classlessness no matter if a billionaire.
For many years I've had the belief that pro sports are a waste of resources and tend to reinforce tribal behaviors best left behind. Thank you Bill for providing a way to see sports in a constructive context.
He also called it "a diversion" 4:42
I'm not a big sports watcher, but this made me consider things I haven't thought of before - in contrast to acting, modeling, etc. Well done piece!
It's like that with any kind of sports. I raced mountain bikes 2018-2022, and it's exactly the same as any ball sports. We care for each other's safety, we respect each other's achievements -- especially when we're the one who got beat. As Maher suggests, in sports, there is no "faking it til you make it." If you get beat, it's because someone was better than you and they deserve your respect. What you do is walk away with the knowledge that you've still got room to improve. You train harder and come back stronger.
No amount of money in the world will get you to the finish line first if you can't out-ride, out-endurance the next guy.
This segment doesn't apply to coaches. There are many subpar coaches, at least in the NFL, who only hold their position because their father was a hall of fame coach years prior.
@@jonjonson5730 Coaching isn't a sport. That's why the segment doesn't apply.
how many young people had the resources and opportunity to get lessons and training giving them a leg up on the competition plus parents that were supportive .. isn't that a version of nepotism ..??
Yeah, like why wasn't Luka Dončić mentioned....
Symphony musicians are also in the same group as athletes. When they try out for an orchestra, they must play behind a curtain and their peers judge them on talent.
True
I wish it were the same for opera singers. When I would Audition and pay for rehearsals and pianists to prepare I felt they already knew who they were going to take, and just did auditions for the $50 per singer audition fee.
I read that in some instances, candidates walk across a carpet to the playing area, so the assessors behind the curtain cannot tell if it's a male or female musician.
This an excellent example of meritocracy, really.
I've always thought that public employers (civil service) should format application forms which allow HR staff to disassemble it before forwarding to mangers. Removing names, ages, and select other information would be a leveling tool to focus on KSAs and not immutable candidate attributes (such as sex, race, or other aspects).
@@EyeSeeThruYou I had several college professors who had students put their names on the back of the exams instead of the front, and would grade them all before matching the names.
solid. i appreciate Bill’s acknowledgement that sports are a diversion. it’s also nice that a form of entertainment - people playing games for the benefit of spectators - can provide some examples of good humanity…merit, cooperation, role modeling, etc.
Bill is the son of a network news editor and radio announcer.
...But not the son of a comedian or someone in the entertainment business.
@@normankelley uh, if you think so.
Yep, it’s remarkable how many celebs’ are from showbiz, especially minor league. And with sports, Lebron James son grew up in $1 billion household. That’s more training and attention than every inner-city kid in all of Chicago metro.
Exactly. I was looking for this comment.
So was I.@@AbbieFabbieBoBabbie
Well stated! The other thing that's great about sports is that there is a number at the end, and the winner is pretty much obvious because of it.
Nepo babies are coming to sports too. LeBron James’s son is not good enough to be in the NBA, but he will get on a team simply because of who his dad is.
Even in HS’s. The kids who played had parents who contributed many thousands to the astroturf football field!😮
Astro turf? They should have been cut from team if their parents paid for that abomination.
Lmao spoken like a true bench rider 😂😂😂
@@joeblow5658 You must have been a cheerleader because it does happen.
@Jess1919 lmao 🤣 another bench rider chimes in... Dose it happen? ABSOLUTELY, is it the standard? In which you'r dunce cap friend implies? 🤔 NOT EVEN CLOSE.. you think teams care a about a field donation if they go 0-10? Lmao tell us y'all never started without saying it haha.. 🤣
I was in foster care an played varsity football all 4 years for Lincoln high school in Stockton ca.. SJAA CHAMPS 3 OUT OF THE 4... it's always you soft bodie cry babies claiming shit like this hahaha
@@KittredgeRitter He’s about as Jewish as I am a giant panda. Last time I checked I’m not a giant panda. But why let a little thing like facts get in the way of your antisemitism?
The “warriors of the white race” you say? Bubba, you’re 5’3” and 340 pounds. You’re no warrior and have no place to talk on anything related to war. 6:39
Bill, you truly are a national treasure. May your light continue to shine bright and far! Thank you from the heart.
As long as someone else keeps writing his jokes for him..
This is such an incredible segment. Bravo.
Beautifully put. I only wish the people who need to see it will see it.
My favorite was Will Smith's son getting the Next Karate kid part, and the movie having a "casting audition"
It's even creepier, as he's a Scientologist and they don't believe in a concept of childhood, which is why they push their kids into celebrity roles.
Adution?
Do you mean ‘audition’?
he was good in that movie. just cause he was born a famous actors son doesn't mean he cant be good at acting
My problem with that movie was the fact they called it, "Karate Kid" when it was set in China and based around Kung Fu. Totally different discipline.
His new rule knocks it out of the park again
Bill is spot on about sports stars and their children. The children of legendary sportspeople rarely if ever reach the same status as their parents in the cases of those who decided to become professional athletes.
The point of nepotism is to selectively give someone the opportunity. The nepo babies of sports get that opportunity just as much as those in acting. Which still deprives someone else of that opportunity. A kid's father pays for all the equipment so he gets to pitch. He gets to pitch and pitch and pitch until finally money can't buy his spot. Meanwhile the kid who wanted to pitch is playing OF and bored out of his mind ends up quitting baseball.
@@DOGbackwardz Maybe in HS....but sports at the professional level and even at the collegiate level it all comes down to one thing......if you can play or not. Nobody plays football at Alabama, or basketball at Duke because of who their dad is
Ask about Julio César Chávez Jr. A JOKE of a professional
So much so that when it DOES happen, it's something truly special. I got to watch Ken Griffey and his Dad play a game in Seattle... but they are exception, not the rule.
The only current superstar that comes to mind is Steph Curry eclipsing his father Dell Curry
The children of sports stars do have advantages. They don't have to get after school/summer jobs, so they have a lot more time on their hands for working out. They get sent to expensive training camps. If they need advice from an expert, they can ask their parent. Sure they have to do the work, but that work is made easier. That's an advantage.
Yeah but when you’re competing at the top level, if you don’t have the natural ability then you don’t have it. You need to be born with it
Then on the flip side you have those kids who don't have parents in a sport & they try real hard & end up getting recognized by people, word spreads & they end up with large NIL deals when being recruited to college. Yes, the kids of sports stars have a tiny advantage, but the point that Bill made still stands. Just because they have a parent who was a star, doesn't mean they will be. Look at Micheal Jordan's sons as a perfect example.
"Being born with it" is just as luck-based as being born a nepo baby. Most of human outcomes result from a roll of the dice.
@@skatergrl13 not true, baseball is the best example. You will only be as good as the talent you play. If your poor your gona end up playing against teams below your skill set. Unless you play travel ball or American Legion your not going very far. Poor kids that do is bc they have sponsors on these very expensive youth teams.
@@NCbassfishing24 yea it's so easy for people to blame others success as the reason for your lack of it.
I like that you tell the truth,in all the years I've heard you speak,it's been the truth consistently!
This is why I snort with derision when I hear a rich person claim they worked hard for everything they had. Millions of people work even harder just to stay solvent.
Being born wealthy is what makes the real difference.
Working hard has nothing to do with wealth. Working smart is how you make money. Hence why doctors make more money than janitors. What makes the REAL difference is how hard you study. Nothing more.
@@mosesking2923 - If that's the case, education should be free.
@@bobbya8628 The AMA is the MDs' labor union.
Yeah, when I hear Trump or Romney say they're "self-made" with a small, million dollar loan from their fathers 🙄
Luck definitely plays a big role in success - and I speak from experience. Everything from meeting the right people to being in the right place at the right time helps. But you're suffering from survivorship bias when you say being born wealthy is all that matters. You only see the people who succeeded (for whatever reason) but you don't see the far more numerous people who fail. Having a head start helps a lot, but that won't be nearly enough if you're talentless and lazy.
Damn right 👍 actions speak louder than words!!! BIGLY 💯
You think there's no nepotism in sports. 🤣🤣🤣
"Sports are beloved because they are the only hierarchy based on real and honorable talent. One can win a business promotion based on office politics, or win a college admission based on a rich father. One can win a war through shameless evil, or win the presidency through empty promises. But to win at a sport, you must prove your worth transparently, before referees and spectators, to earn your status. Humankind is not inherently cynical. We become impassioned by legitimacy. The proof of that is sports."- George Will, 1997
Not really, raw sports ability is largely genetically driven.
I would say investing and business are more meritocratic. Yes, there is always some genetic component, but in business a poor person can become wealthy without being blessed with exceptional physical genetics, just through a combination of intelligence, hard work, and conscientiousness (where some of these can compensate for deficiencies in the others). Even a somewhat dumb person can be successful in business as long as they are able to confront failure, work hard, and learn (however slowly). You can't become a pro NBA or NFL player without 99% genetic luck first.
@@LigmusCrotum raw sports ability is largely genetically driven."
This is a gross oversimplification of skill sports.
Genetics does not determine your "raw sports ability" thats nonsense
Im not tall so I cant play basketball.
There are tons of pro nba players that are not exceptionally tall.
Just like there a lot of pro sports athletes in sports their ancestors never played
@@LigmusCrotum Genetic ability is the meaning of "talent," and everyone even remotely considered for a sports team has it. 100% of them, 100% of the time. They also come from anywhere and everywhere. Unlike business, where the vast majority of major success stories start out in the top 0.1% of incomes and have Ivy League family backgrounds; where funding for early ventures, access to talent, and government relations are guaranteed at birth to a handful and kept at arm's length to even the most talented of "commoners". The only exceptions are people who lick the boots of the rich long enough to be given a small piece of the action, or people who are exceptionally ruthless, but the latter are often prosecuted (usually tax stuff, or fraud) as sacrifices to the masses once they believe they've finally been "let into the club" and let their guard down.
Many of the athletes I've taught that went on to at least sign at a college for a team (football, basketball, baseball,... even golf)... had a parent that also was an athlete or even a coach. Yes, the kid had to do the work... but they had a parent that made sure they practiced; helped them practice... and knew the game with scouts. BUT... that is also true with many kids in many areas. An actor or singer often makes sure those kids get lessons and perform. Academic parents often expect their kids to do well in classes, tutor them... get them tutors... send them to testing workshops and it helps. It's not all about being "nepo" with these kids l. It's whether their parents took the time, money, and energy to support them. The REAL trick is doing that when your kid wants to do something else where you don't know all the tips and tricks. If being anything was just because of raw talent then you'd see more crossovers than we do. There are some... but those aren't written about. If a big time actor's kid goes into real estate; or being major player in computer coding... an officer in the military, or a lawyer we don't hear that.... though I'm sure if some study was done we would find that it happens often enough.
@@LigmusCrotum Intelligence IS genetic.
You're funny...
This has to be the greatest truth I've seen in a long time.
Can we address the burn of Charlie Sheen getting a picture in the montage, but not Emilio Estevez 😂😂😂😂😂
Lol I think he keeps his low key that's why no one messes with him tho
Is he even still alive? Lol
For centuries the best chance you had to give your children a career was to teach them the trade that was passed on to them (or a trade reasonably accessible in your environment). Literally caste systems or class roles got defined out of this process. Substantial number of family names that describe jobs their families did.
HI, my name is John Gigolo.
Thank you!
Exactly. Traditionally acting has tended to be dynastic. That just a fancy word for passed down through families. Early actors travelled to work especially in Europe. They had families and the children were often put into the act at an early age. Lots of famous performers started that way, like the Marx brothers, who first went on stage with their Uncle. Or the long line of the Barrymore family, actors stretching back nearly 2 centuries.
exactly - families of doctors, attorneys, firemen, police officers, etc. that's the life they know - the language, the environment, the culture - and it connects them to their family, just like plumbers, electricians, farmers, etc. have with their kids. There's just more prestige/notoriety in Hollywood - and it's kind of a fun way to poke at them in the midst of their self-righteous grandstanding as the tell everyone else how they should live, vote, think, etc.
@@AB-ol5uz I know three siblings who are engineers whose dad was an engineer. Kids swear their career choice has nothing to do with their dad’s. lol ok
I knew a few nepo players when I worked in minor league baseball, including Wayne Gretzky’s son. None of them reached the majors.
it helps sell tickets and give a marketing boost for the minor leagues/d-league, etc. but if they don't have that rare combination of skills/talent/drive it won't happen. Hollywood is different because charisma/social media influence is getting people in the door ahead of talent. That's why I prefer British films - they focus far more on skill/embodiment of the character, and less on appearance - it makes for a more interesting-looking cast - everyone's not pumped with botox/filler and breast implants - and a much better performance overall.
gordie howe got to lay along side his sons ...
@@direwolf6234 helped along by the WHA and associated NHL expansion teams that greatly increased the number of available player positions. Having said that, 51-year-old Gordie still put up 41 points in 80 games during his final pro season and Mark was an excellent player in his own right, playing over 900 NHL games and collecting over 700 points during his career.
exactly, and thats the point. A lot of people in the comments saying that sport is no different to Hollywood in that there's still nepotism but the difference is, if you're not elite in your sport, you won't make it to the pros. Sure, you'll get opportunities in college/lower levels, but at pro level, your background means nothing if you're no good. So many talentless hacks make it big in hollywood/music/politics
One of Howe son at least was a good player. The other wasn't. Plus mark Howe played defense. He didn't score that many goals.
A year later, Bronny was drafted thanks to his dad's agent threatening other teams.
Sports aren't free of nepotism, it's just not everything. Rich, powerful parents give you a major advantage, but you still have to earn the rest.
Love you Bill :)
"It's not that there are many problems. It's really that there is just one problem; and that is the Ego." -Terence McKenna
There's plenty of nepotism in sports, it exists in front offices and coaches
Yeah but not out on the field because if you’re an athlete and you suck the fans don’t care who you’re parents are they’ll be calling for your removal.
Nepotism definitely matters in sports. Same as "getting your foot in the door" in acting.. In athletics, pro scouts and pro level coaches go see and go help ex pro athletes kids, college and pro coaches kids, and college and pro teams administrators kids.
There are thousands of VERY talented players who never got a second look at a D1 school or a pro contract because the slots were filled with nepotism babies. The kids still have to put in work. But "getting your foot in the door" is a fkin huge part of the game.
Especially college sports. I can point to two egregious examples just in my home state of Missouri: Stan Kronke was a big donor to the school at the time and his son Josh was far and away the least talented player to "make" the team, while in a case of reverse nepotism they hired the father of Michael and Jonte Porter as an assistant coach specifically to get the two players to choose to come to the school. So let's not pretend it's 100% a meritocracy.
That's not anywhere near as true but your birthday matters more than anything depending on cutoff date etc
Having your name on the building is way better than having your name on your shirt
Yea but in sports you still have to have the skill to back it up. You aren't a professional player just because your dad was. If you aren't skillful you get fired. Thats the difference.
i agree. please tell me how many father and sons or brothers are competing in nascar.
"Entitled f**k-face", LOL. Loved this......about spat my morning coffee out
one of Maher's best I have to say....at least it's true and an important topic...good points
My kid’s kindergarten program was shortened because they didn’t want the other students & parents feeling a way because he won most of the awards… truthfully, I was on the fence about how I felt about that but now I’m a little angry
Having parents that can give you tips on the career choice they did well in helps them
Heck, just someone knowing the vernacular and nomenclature of the acting/movies (and most careers) is a HUGE plus over the novice.
It does matter in sports. Having access to all the connections the parent has and had. The money. Getting all the private lessons and being on the top travel teams!! It absolutely opens doors "normal" people do not have.
What doors? No athlete really needs to open any doors. There’s already a system in place to scout the best
@@skatergrl13 No, they scout the ones with names and influence beforehand.
@@alalalala57 says who? you think coaches care about names? If they don't win, they're fired. Clout or a famous daddy doesn't win you sports games. And BTW the far far majority of NFL athletes have zero "connections"
Lots of scouts look at latent talent. Look at Giannis, Pascal Siakam, Tacko
Exactly. They have special privileges.
getting your foot in the door is 99%, Bill.
The other half is talent
@@181cameron sorry my friend, i grew up in new york and beverly hills my mother and grandparents were in the industry CBS, Broadway, 20th century, etc etc ad nauseam...actors are like house painters a dime a dozen and everyone can do it, Danny Kaye once told my mother, she worked with him, if you can laugh and cry in front of people you can be an actor, but to be an accountant you need real skills.
@@kaspar_1982 Not that I don't doubt your grandmother, you have to do a little more than laugh and cry
@@181cameron you're not paying attention.. or good at math.
They need to show that "yeah" audience member the door hahaha. My man was excited!
I think Bill plants a few of those every time.
It's annoying to hear planted laughs and cheers. Overdone! All the same, I endure it, because he always make his unique points.
He’s a staffer. He’s there every week. And yeah he’s annoying.
I just commented that they replaced the WOOO! guy with a new YEAH! guy and I wonder if the WOOO! guy is ok. These mofos make this show unwatchable for me.
Odd choice for Maher to hire a fake hyper who sounds like some redneck dimwit.
5:32 you are witnessing collapse of American exceptionalism.
Nah Russian troll
Brilliant Segment Bill! And so true! This is why I'm more of a fan of sports nowadays than cinema even tho I'm an aspiring filmmaker myself. The majority of today's movie stars are nepo babies, with very few exceptions. In movies/tv, 90% of success is luck - getting a chance, and nepo babies have an advantage here, that's a fact. Sport is based on specific physical work and specific numbers that no one gives you for free.
Yes, in sports, the children of great athletes can inherit the talent and physical attributes, but that can only get you to a basic level, the rest is hard work. The best example for me is Cristiano Ronaldo - he embodies the true 'American Dream' in modern times, and he is the best example of an actual self-made billionaire. Born into poverty, the father was an Angola war veteran and an alcoholic, and his brother was addicted to drugs. Cristiano with his talent, but above all with hard work, rose to the very top of football and took his whole family out of the hole.
Today, he is one of the greatest footballers in history, the most influential athlete in the world, and one of the richest. While even the biggest stars of cinema - the honest ones - admit that when you have a great director and screenwriter, that is, a great role written, acting is not the hardest thing to do at all, and that's why for me, screenwriters should be paid more than actors because the fact is, the screenplay and well-written character and story is the main reason for movie success.
In sports, to reach an Olymp, you have to make unimaginable sacrifices all your life, and the body of a professional athlete playing at the top level, for example, for a decade, is completely destroyed at the end. This is the price. Reaching the top in sports requires incredible strength of character and willpower, hard physical work, and incredible mental strength. It's absolutely one of the last professions that require real hard work to get to the top. I admire and respect the best athletes so much.
Yes! This is why we LOVE SPORTS.
Fantastic - American Non-Political, Non-Racist Viewpoints!
As a practicing lawyer, that finished every section of my bar exam faster than all other 500 people except for one section one day and that was the guy sitting next to me. Louisiana gave me and 4 other students from the HBCU law school I went to the WRONG SCORES, it was a massive slap in the face to see Louisiana and the rest of the nation in large part get free bar passes. And multi choice exams. Across 1 day. Instead written for 5.
We all received calls 2 months later we had actually passed and by that time the bar results were published. Southern Law would have passed TULANE law in bar pass rate for my class but for the 5, miraculously all only from SULC, getting “wrong scores”. It would have been the first time the HBCU was not at the bottom, and it costs 1/4th the price of the other three in the state.
I don’t know what to make of it. My counterpart and I were given scores 2 points below passing. Basically the minimum you could miss by. And then when he went to go check his test and added his point up himself, he had scored 18 more points on the very first section of the test. They asked him if he wanted to check the rest of his test and he said why would I need to? And then called me and everyone else and we all passed by who knows how much. LA Supreme Court Justice Genevieve was newly elected and asked us to send him everything we had in terms of our communication with the bar in the matter. No lawsuit ever came out of it.
That's insane.
even in sports, getting a foot in the door helps.
so does expensive private lessons camps and equipment
@@direwolf6234 especially when it comes to sports like tennis
But, sports slams the door on your foot. You only get in if you are fast enough to jump in.
But it ultimately comes down to merit, thankfully.
Sure but look at michael jordan's kids
You need plenty of money for most sports, too!
Many ppl get "good" jobs cuz their parent works/worked for/owns or knows someone* for that company. It happens in the job force all the time.
@ KC Michelson I met a man from Boston years ago and he said you just don’t up and leave and head to Boston . He said it is the kind of town where the Janitor’s job is promised to somebody .
To many times when I joined the work force there were people with positions that required a college degree. Many of them had only high school diplomas because their dads was friends with the bosses. It still happens today.
That's where the saying comes from, "It's not _what_ you know, it's _who_ you know." It gets really obvious when you live in a small town.
Why are people so upset at this? Because their own parents don't care or have shitty jobs? Not anyone else's fault.
@@zendakk I was merely pointing out it's not just Hollywood. I think ppl dont like it going back to the equity in opportunity argument. Or that it doesn't encourage seeking out the highest qualified ppl. Or unfair advantage etc. Its nothing new tho lol. Literally how you became king was by being the kings son when he died.
Bill is always so on point it is scary.
Pretty based stuff from the original libtard!
He is one of the few left-leaning pundits that I actually like. He at least has the decency to call certain things out for what they actually are, even if it goes against the "narrative."
@@Brandon_Nelson92 Agreed.
Getting your foot info the door is 80% in almost any field, sometimes it's 100%
The Nepo baby is just another step along the way towards a caste society… same as India, but different.
Not much different if you really analyze the DNC/RINO caste system, two-tier justice, in context with what is applied in India. Same demoness, she just wears nicer looking makeup.
The world has always been a 'caste' society except for past 100 years.
The was always a class system in every society (Nobel, Soldiers, Free Workers and Slaves) from Rome to China.
@@marshalLannes1769 last 100 years have been different in one way, the wealthy prefer to hide and keep their heads down so that we the people don't do like the French did and fix the problem. hell look at the UK. you cannot tell me merit got a billionaire into the prime ministers seat. he bought that shit.
Indian Varna system before getting poisoned by the colonial imposition, is not what you think it was.
It's the same all over the world. India got a bad rep because we are brown people. Same thing has been followed in Europe for far longer but no one cares to bring it to notice there.
In a number of crafts, when you are in close relation to someone who is well skilled at something, they pass that knowledge onto you and you become skilled at it yourself. Its why more than a few family businesses became multi generational.
Can teach and pass on a skill but not athletic talent
It’s not limited to actors. Family connections throughout the entertainment industry give people in all aspects of film and television a huge edge.
I will always think it's messed up that celebs and models are able to get fancy careers because of mommy and daddy. However, I have learned that even for us normal people it's the same thing. I know a lot of people who got fancy jobs without having any experience at all because of Mommy and Daddy. Not fair but it happens.
It's really the opposite of messed up. That's the point of being successful: to secure a better future for your kids and grandkids. It's the most natural thing there is.
@@pCeLobster Thank you.
The people who have set up their own for success have generally worked very hard to insure this happens and deserve the fruits of their efforts. This is the way of it. I bet if you had amassed immense wealth and influence through your talent and labor, and had beloved family, you would feel and do the same, to some extent.
My terrific senior English teacher had two very good pieces of wisdom for our graduating class to remember: "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission (you'll get more done)" and "Friends, whoever told you life is FAIR?"
@@WinkLinkletter A nepo baby is just a human + another human's jealousy.
Known before I hit puberty, life isn’t fair.
OMG...so true. Here in Canada though you only get into post secondary schools, by your grades and volunteering etc. Our education system works a little different. When you see a canadian in graduate school in the states its usually because they can't get in to the schools here. They just don't make the cut. And you hear the parents complaining.
What about non-whites, they have special rules that help them get in easier right.
The closer you are to a center of power the more you benefit from it.
This segment was a great segment, because it was true with everything that bill was saying.
Yes, to an extent. The problem is that not everyone has the same opportunities. If you come from a poor family, have to work from a young age and don't have the time to train or eat properly, it's unlikely you'll beat people who haven't had to face similar obstacles.
True. Have been saying the same thing. Sports is the major example of how we should all live. Perform to the top until 34 then move on.
Yep. Move on teaching the next generation!
The reason sports hasn’t been touched has to do with the fact who dominates sports. Who dominates academics. It’s a bunch of crying.
@@Ghostfancoder Sports has absolutely been touched. It doesn't assure you success, sure, but being the child of star athletes definitely gives a boost to start a career and get attention from teams even when they are average.
@@vee1766 Michael Jordan’s son disagrees 😂
... huge "unearned" foot in the door advantage
I remember when getting into Lowell high school was a big deal out here! I even went there for summer school once(I didn’t make it to Lowell 🤣) the bathroom walls were tagged with equations in there
It’s life of the privileged
Not for the life of the
average person
Be a kind human being
Give a hand up to your fellow human being✌️
yes lets move beyond race and realize its about money which is the root of all evil
@@sicknado where the f did race come from? The poster said nothing related to it.
💙✌ from Montana
@@jonjonson5730 I think he is referring to identity politics here.
I can't stand rich musicians crossing over to movies when there are thousands of good actors who are scraping to get by.
I agree sports entertainment (which is very simplistic, i.e., there're clear winners/losers, mostly clear right/wrong) seems a bit more meritocratic* but see Malcolm Gladwell's take on this. There are a LOT of talented people who are never discovered since they don't have the opportunities, etc. In this sense, it's not being a "nepo baby" that's a big deal but being wealthy so that you can succeed/or fail at what you want instead of needing to get a job to support your responsibilities. Life's not fair.
We can't even define what "curing cancer" means. That's how complex the disease is. That's the problem. Whenever the problem/field is simple/clear cut, where we can get yes/no answers quickly, it's easy to be simplistically meritocratic. But once things start getting complex, it is no longer clear cut.
*Also the money you have AS A TEAM influences performance; look at what Steven Cohen has done with the NY Mets (or I should I say "trying to do" ). There's a correlative difference between teams with $50 million payrolls and teams with $300+ million payrolls, especially if the latter is sustained for years on end to build the best teams possible by throwing money at it. These people then push each other to excel. Of course it takes a lot to skill and hard work get there, but there's so much luck with injuries, personality, etc.
"Sports Entertainment" is what Vince McMahon started calling pro wrestling after he beat the steroids case against him and was worried the Feds were gonna take a second crack at him over wrestling being a work.
So very well said.
A part of it is also that there are only so many opportunities in each industry. Some might have very few. As unfair as it sounds, we can't all get the job. If you have 100 people apply, they could all be great. However, if there's only 5 jobs, 95 are going away empty handed. Maybe they'll get something elsewhere, maybe not.
There may well be a lot of people that could have done something special (or at least been decent) but maybe they never got a chance to develop or even any chance at all?
How many had very humble beginnings (e.g., maybe they made some embarrassing mistakes and have no idea how they didn't get fired) but someone believed in them and kept them around, and it worked out? How many had a rough start and that was it, they never got another chance and were in a one strike and you're out situation?
@@ExplodingConsole That's what Gladwell alludes to but he goes into some data and throws out interesting examples. He uses Canadian hockey players and runners. The former group is generated from an early young, and the quirk of your month of birth determines what happens in early camps which then have an impact on the rest of your career. A lot of our live is set up that, where quirks of birth and quirks of calendar can synergise or become antagonistic.
What is Malcolm Gladwell's take on this? I can't recall if he talks about the importance of being born at the right time of the year or not but that alone will make or break an athlete. Because if you have 364 days of physical and mental growth and experience (especially when young) more than your competitor, you will have an edge.
My stepdad taught me to view pro athletes the same way as movie stars. They are both very high paid entertainers.
Wait the super bowl is script?
@@TheNewblade1 why would a script matter?
@@TheNewblade1 To be entertainer and to be fake or undeserving are not the same. Its just pointing out their field of work - entertainment
Sports are entertainment but there is big difference between acting and being an athlete. Any idiot can stand in front of camera. Not just anybody can be competitive in sports.
The ending of the last superbowl seemed a little sketchy.
I hate nepotism. It's one of the most disgusting things in this world.
I love how even fifteen years later Terrell Owens is still prime joke fodder.
Who said “ there’s no such thing as bad publicity”?
Normally i REALLY do not like Maher, but this is a very solid take
Agreed. Solid, though far from perfect.
Same but he's been on point on many cultural issues the last year or so.
You really do not like Maher in term of what? His demeanor, jokes? His main takes, which are approximately "free speech is good; woke is bad; let's vote for milquetoast Democrats; I love pot and Israel"?
Obsessively justifying yourselves in front of your tribes.
@@Rockownz5150 The Woke, since its not really a secret that word is a loose definition of literally everything those types dont like, from vegan menus to trans kids to gay couples in cartoons to even cknowledging that racial inequality continues to be a problem.
I have an extended family member who's a pilot at a major airline, who just told me he recommends NOT flying commercial anymore, because many of the new pilots they're bringing in for DEI quotas are THAT bad. Scared the hell out of me, honestly.
Really. Like the airlines are going to risk lawsuits by allowing unqualified pilots to fly. Just because airlines are looking for someone who isn't just male and white doesn't make them unqualified. Smart and talented people exist everywhere. Sometimes, you need to look outside your comfort zone. Stagnation isn't always the best policy.
Except competence isn’t the qualifier they are looking for, they are trying to check off other boxes
OP As a conservative talking to you, The Last Jedi is a Masterpiece, tired of you Last Jedi Haters, so F OFF. If you talk about episode IX that's another thing, but not The Last Jedi that movie is PERFECT, episode VII and VIII were good, and Andor too, other things... Well... Ugh.
@@veronicareitherreese6671 You absolutely did not comprehend 'Not Rian's' observation, did you...?
@veronicareitherreese6671 yes. They are. DEI initiatives are driving investment into businesses (which allow them to operate at all) which directly translates into "diversity hires" being given more preference than other, more objectively qualified, people.
So yes - these companies would literally risk killing people for this.
And then, when the inevitable happens, the way they'll report on the accident will conveniently never mention the qualifications (or lack thereof) of the person operating the vehicle, and you'll automatically assume that they were doing the job because they earned the right to be there.
Welcome to the next step of Affirmative Action. It was a bad policy when it was implemented, it's bad policy now, and it makes literally everything worse.
Small towns can be like that. A parent's social status within the community guarantees a foot up in gaining employment or starting a business.
The "Haha, YEAH" guy is singlehandedly carrying this bit
Definitely on the payroll
@@TheAgentmigs yep, and he's there on every show
@@mrgmft5746 Or he really loves the show and camps out each time for the tickets. :)
@@RamSamudrala Every time? Every show? you are too kind
Interesting and well said.
His argument about sports not being based on nepotism is only partially true. It's generally true that the players on the pro field are the best out there (except when coaches make stupid decisions). However, nepotism does, or can, play a huge role in getting them to that point. If your last name is Montana, Brady, or some such, you're far more likely to be quarterback (or whatever position) in little league and in high school, which is how you get the experience to be good enough for college ball. Having a last name like that also means you're far more likely to be recruited for college, which gives you a chance to get ready for the pros.
Malcolm Gladwell's book Outliers gives some interesting examples of how success is often based on early selection.
Wrong - the kid still need to perform.. Montana's kid did get preferential treatment to some extent in H.S. and college. He never made it to the Pros though. Which is Bill's point ultimately. You're not playing professional sports just because of your last name. Period.
The writers were on fire tonight.
I love Bill Maher! ❤
💯💯
I can count on Bill to speak the truth and make it funny. 😂
That's why some people make such a big deal about getting into the top schools. It's not about what you learn, it's about who you meet and form relationships with while you're there.
There are at least 50 unis as good as top schools in the US. It really is about connections and social status mainly, not learning.
I’m at a “top” law school. It doesn’t matter. They will never let us into their palaces.
@@Kixtia013 Just my point.
Networking.
2:53 “I don’t trust the govt, media, churches, judges, juries, banks, etc!”
You made a great point for mandatory military service. 2 years with a group of people you don't choose can teach you how you can get things done with people who might not share 100% of your values.
doesn't have to be the military .. bring back the conservation corps ...
Yeah, not sure about now but the military is another example of merit based advancement. Well, it was until one group decided there wasn’t enough women in combat arms and so they changed the standards.
In every country with mandatory military service, it quickly evolves into a cynic maze of loopholes so that rich people can escape it and/or use it to propel their careers, while poors are crawling in the cold mud.
The only way to escape that is to have a very high civic moral. In the age of "right or wrong, my party" and "success at all cost", it does not work.
Most European countries that have conscription also have an alternative service for the pacifist and religious Falk. These kids get trained as paramedics, ambulance drivers, social workers, they work in retirement homes or fire stations and whatever.
@@mecha-sheep7674I'm not a 100 percent sold on the idea, but my friend from Switzerland told me that a slight majority of Swiss people do in fact support it, because it helps bridge the different language groups.
I love how Based Bill has gotten. He has become the voice of the silent majority, reason, and common sense.
he has alwasy been that way.
“silent majority”? LOL
@@EastSide-qc5oy What's so funny?
@@ge.9102 It’s a stupid overused term for so, so many reasons. First off, Bill represents the silent majority? So the silent majority is basically liberals who hate “woke”? Ok fine. Whatever. Moving on.
It’s also stupid because how do you know? If the silent majority is silent, then how do you know what they think and feel and value? They’re silent and not telling you.
Also, the term can be used by anyone to support any side. Just say we’re the silent majority. It’s what Trump supporters called themselves in 2016. Basically Republicans and some independents who hated Hillary Clinton and wanted a wall. Only they weren’t silent. They never shut up, actually.
Bill pays his interns to sit in the audience and go WOOO WOOO! and they overlay a subtle pre-recorded laugh track like in a sitcom to enrich the perceived energy coming from the live audience and maybe that makes you feel like you’re part of some majority? People seem to use it to tell themselves “the majority shares my views.”
I could go on and on but it’s a ridiculous term. And I’m not even touching on the nerd in the OP with a friggin headshot in his profile MY GOD A HEADSHOT who thinks he’s a centrist but has playlists and channel subscriptions that say yeah, no.
Dude even 45 year old accountants say based now lol crazy world.
Only someone who didn’t play sports would try and argue politics doesn’t exist…
I think nepo babies are everywhere. Which parent is not going to help their kids get a leg up in the world, especially in a field in which the parent is well versed in? Just different careers yield different value and may or may not require more objective performance based outcomes. However, i really don't see where all this removal of merit based examinations is going to take the US. Some students are more talented, or worked harder to understand their material. Working hard honing ones talent is a virtue, so why deny what is rightfully theirs, the fruits of their labour and effort?
It's just another example of socialism for the rich and rugged capitalism for the poor.
@@IsaacDozier1 please explain
This is how it was for the longest time. Your great grandfather was a blacksmith? Well you're one too now, just like dad and grandpa. Just people notice more when its about affluent roles in society.
@@kristjanvendelin3566 this
my father worked in the fastener industry (nuts and bolts - hardware etc) also owned a few unsuccessful companies... my older brother is now a manager in that same industry... i also worked in that industry but left to work in cleaning which is the industry that my mother is a manager in
Getting rid of merit, isn't going to fix racism or the evils of the past. It just makes everything worse for everyone. Some times I wonder if it's be design ?
"Enjoy the good life... just don't say you didn't have a huge advantage."
This is true of people in general and not just Hollywood.
Nice to see Maher coming around.
Bill Maher should do a podcast with Lawrence Anton
He should do a podcast with Stalin's grandkids. Stalin defeated Hitler and saved the world and gets a bad rap in history
I was just thinking about this with basketball how there is no luck, it's just pure talent. And how nepotism babies have no idea how privileged they are. Because they're are in a system that is less about merrit and more about connections which is all show business is about. Well done.
There's no such thing as luck, everything happens because of the will of God
@@purplelove3666
Yes, thus child molesters exist.
God hates kids, or those kids had it coming.
Brilliant commentary, thank you for this!
Sooo...what's your take on Bronny's 4.4 million dollar contract?
He nailed it with sports...
Such wide claims of nepotism are foolish. Surely many actors etc with famous parents have done their own work.
I don't know that it is completely absent in sports. I think Kyle Shanahan (for example) definitely benefited from who his dad is.
You can't overlook sports, either. Having a wealthy athlete parent 1: Ensures a kid gets their genetics, which is the ultimate win in sports. 2: Athlete parents typically have funds that allow for comfortable lifestyles that afford their kids the ability to practice with not just a professional parent, but in top leagues, or in their own personal training facilities. It's a lot easier to practice your slap shot or practice free throws when you're professional parent is giving you pointers while you drill on your personal court or rink. Then there's knowing development programs, navigating talent scouts and college recruitment, and even having a parent who is in the front office of a MLB or in the dug out as a manager.
Granted, yes, there's still work involved, but having that foot in the door at the big leagues when you're a good but not great minor league player in a field of players hungry for the big show is an advantage.
Not every nepo-baby can act and continues to act. Sophia Coppola got the part in Godfather 3 over Winona Ryder and never acted again, though she became a successful director. Similar to the sports kid, she gets a directing job not just because her dad's Francis Ford Coppola, but also because she's been exposed to the movie system, sets, behind the scenes, acting, staging, which gives her a more intimate understand of the industry, which is a leg up skill wise.
Not to mention that the children of famous athletes are considered solid gold as far as promotion is concerned and tend to get prioritized over more talented athletes that aren't the sons of old players. This mostly happens in combat sports (see Marvis Frazier, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., Ryan Couture, Kron Gracie, etc.), but it does happen in other sports too as evidenced by people like Bronny James and Eli Manning.
The military is a great 2nd choice for a meritocracy if the sports thing doesn't work out.
Almost every actor has to get their SAG card before getting an agent, and that isn't easy!
These Nepo babies get a agent to represent them because of who their family is. When they say it's just that they got a foot in the door, Bill isn't lying, that's 80% to 90% it.
These Nepo babies have the best advantage and not even close, they don't know what hard is! The connections they have and the people they know that are producing projects are abundant.
Here's how to get a SAG card:
"any person qualifying through work as a background actor must have completed three (3) days of work as a background actor under a SAG-AFTRA (or AFTRA or SAG) collective bargaining agreement."
so, 3 days as a background actor lol.
@@honuswagner9348
You're missing something!
you have to have a line of dialogue.
I know many back round extras and they don't have their SAG card.
That's the catch 22.
You have to get these small little parts but they're very hard to get and even when you do finally get them if you can? you still have to pay your union dues which are $5000 just to eligible to get an agent.
@@-C.S.R SAG card says $3000
@@honuswagner9348
They lowered it, good!
Sometimes you can negotiate your first job and they'll pay your initial union dues, if you're lucky?
Total BS. you can get a SAG card, you simply need to get a paid job. You don't think that a famous person can't get their talentless kid one crappy acting gig in a local commercial spot or a dinner theater. Don't kid yourself.
Im ashamed to say then even having a celeb involved in your life in any way gives people a boost. my ex husband grew up with a famous comedian and they a few years ago reconnected. But i think my ex started over stepping. This man paid to get my youngest daughter braces we could not afford to and i myself would speak up about who helped my daughter. I do owe this man for helping my daughter with her teeth and confidence after she had been bullied so bad. But in the end what does it matter who fixed her smile. It was a kind thing to do.
Hmmm
Bill Maher’s a sane voice amongst the crazies.
🚨 I live in ❤ VA. In the club my hubby & his friends were discussing how their fraternities and the campus has changed. They can’t believe. We need to do something about it. What they mean is they found a lot of color people in clubs and places that were exclusively fro WASPs. Latinos in public schools, especially from low income towns. They finished and start working. College is not their priority. The question is why this WASPs rich kids have low grades and not the same academic interests their parents had. I feel bad 😞 because some Asian and Indian are nice and I’m nice but, they the guys talk nasty things about their kids being in places where don’t belong.
Depressing.
Steven Sagall has NEVER done it. Not once in his entire career.
On the other hand...when Bill is right, he's right.