REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER CONTINUES ITS 12TH SEASON MAY 2, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO; FRED THOMPSON IS THE TOP-OF-SHOW INTERVIEW GUEST; ZIGGY MARLEY IS THE MID-SHOW INTERVIEW GUEST; WALTER KIRN, GAVIN NEWSOM AND MONICA MEHTA ARE THE ROUNDTABLE GUESTS

REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER continues its 12th season FRIDAY, MAY 2 (10:00-11:00 p.m. live ET/tape-delayed PT), exclusively on HBO. Allowing Maher to offer his unique perspective on contemporary issues, the show includes an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with panelists, and interviews with in-studio and satellite guests. Former Tenn. Sen. Fred Thompson is the top-of-show interview guest. Musician Ziggy Marley is the mid-show interview guest. The roundtable guests are author Walter Kirn, Cal. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and finance expert Monica Mehta. A new edition of "VICE" debuts at 11:00 p.m., followed by a replay of REAL TIME at 11:30 p.m.

Other HBO playdates: May 4 (1:00 p.m.), 5 (3:20 a.m.), 6 (6:00 p.m.) and 7 (11:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 2 (2:15 a.m.), 3 (8:00 a.m., 12:30 a.m.), 4 (7:00 p.m.), 5 (8:00 p.m.) and 6 (10:00 p.m.)

Bill Maher headlined his first special on the network in 1989 and has starred in nine solo specials to date, including the hour-long presentations "Bill Maher�But I'm Not Wrong," "The Decider" and "I'm Swiss" (both nominated for an Emmy� in the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special category), "Victory Begins at Home," "Be More Cynical," "The Golden Goose Special" and "Stuff That Struck Me Funny," and two half-hour stand-up specials, plus the specials "30 Seconds Over Washington" and "Comic Relief VI�." Maher is also an executive producer of the innovative news magazine show "VICE," which recently returned for its second season on HBO.

Politico has hailed Maher as "a pugnacious debater and a healthy corrective to the claptrap of cable news," while Variety noted, "There may not be a more eclectic guest list on all of television."

HBO has renewed REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER for a 13th season of 35 editions, to begin in Jan. 2015.

Maher was the creator and host of "Politically Incorrect," which was produced by HBO Downtown Productions and debuted on Comedy Central in 1993. The series moved to ABC in 1997 and ran through 2002.

His last book, "The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody but Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass," was published in November 2011 and made the New York Times bestseller list. Maher's 2006 book, "New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer," also made the New York Times list, as well as bestseller lists across the country. He is also author of the books "When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden: What the Government Should Be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism," "Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? The Best of Politically Incorrect" and the novel "True Story." Maher produced and starred in the 2008 feature film "Religulous," the seventh most successful documentary of all time.

The executive producers of REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER are Bill Maher, Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Marc Gurvitz, Brad Grey and Billy Martin; produced by Dean E. Johnsen; director, Paul Casey.