OCTOBER 23, 2014 Berkeley Taps Bill Maher for Graduation Speaker The ultra-PC school names him grad speaker. By Katherine Timpf The University of CaliforniaBerkeley has announced that polarizing TV host Bill Maher will be its winter graduation speaker. The host of HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, comedian Maher is known for his political commentary and satire, writes The Daily Californian, the official student newspaper.