Bill Maher supported his choice to have the performer Louis CK at the Mark Twain Prize event.
He said CK does not deserve to face a career-ending ban for old scandals.
Maher mentioned parallel instances of names who should be reconsidered.
At a dinner with Donald Trump, Maher labeled Trump a wildcard.
He also praised Trump's focus on bigger objectives.
The host's remarks join current talks about the return path in Hollywood.