Hard Rock Politics

Politics on tap at Hard Rock

From left to right: Bill Maher, Anderson Cooper, Bill O'Reilly (August 20, 2012)
By Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel

6:03 p.m. EDT, August 20, 2012

The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is gambling that hard-edged political commentary can draw patrons that slot machines and poker tables can't.

From the left, Hard Rock Live is offering comedian and HBO personality Bill Maher. From the right, it's serving up commentator and Fox News talker Bill O'Reilly.

There's even someone for people who event promoters see as appealing to folks who are in between the two: Anderson Cooper, the CNN anchor and daytime talk show host.

Hard Rock Live, a 5,500-seat indoor concert arena, typically showcases a different kind of entertainment. Performers including Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Chris Rock and Robin Williams have appeared there.

Phil Madow, president of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, said Hard Rock Live has "dabbled" in political presentations in the past, but this election season presents an opportunity to do something different.

"This was an incredible opportunity for us to entertain and help South Floridians and visiting guests make an educated election decision, regardless of whether they are on the left, right or smack dab in the center of the political landscape," Madow said in a statement.

The liberal view is up first, with Maher appearing on Sept. 2. Maher has pushed the boundaries of political talk on TV for 18 years, first on the show "Politically Incorrect" and more recently on the HBO program "Real Time."

Next up, in what the Hard Rock said is "conveniently scheduled between liberal and conservative discussions," is Cooper, who appears on Sept. 20. He's one of the CNN's top personalities, and recently generated headlines by coming out as gay.

Finally, just 11 days before the election, O'Reilly appears on Oct. 26. Besides anchoring one of the most successful political talk shows on cable TV, O'Reilly has written books and pens a syndicated column carried in newspapers around the country, including the Sun Sentinel.

aman@tribune.com or 954-356-4550