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Bill Maher landed in hot water for using racial slur on his HBO talk show. The "Real Time with Bill Maher" host dropped the N-word when sitting down for an interview with Sen. Ben Sasse. He received backlash and faced call for firing following the blunder.

"Would you like to come work in the field with us?" the senator said to Maher as he extended an invite to his home state. The host replied, "Work in the fields? Senator, I am a house n****r." He quickly realized the gaffe and raised both his hands and said, "No it's - it's a joke."

Bill Maher just said the n word, @BenSasse didn't look horrified, and the audience applauded. pic.twitter.com/kFAs1S3dyM

— Yashar Ali (@yashar) June 3, 2017

Maher hasn't issued any comment, but HBO has. In a statement, the network said, "Bill Maher's comment last night was completely inexcusable and tasteless. We are removing his deeply offensive comment from any subsequent airings of the show."

Meanwhile, Sasse gave "3 reflections on @billmaher" on Twitter. The senator said he cringed at the host's attempt at jokes, but the video showed otherwise. "1. I'm a 1st Amendment absolutist. Comedians get latitude to cross hard lines," he wrote in his own defense. "2. But free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn't good enough. 3. Here's what I wish I'd been quick enough to say in the moment: 'Hold up, why would you think it's OK to use that word? The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It's therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don't use it.' "

Am walking off a redeye from LAX.

3 reflections on @billmaher

1. I’m a 1st Amendment absolutist. Comedians get latitude to cross hard lines.

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017

2. But free speech comes with a responsibility to speak up when folks use that word. Me just cringing last night wasn’t good enough.

(2of4?) https://t.co/e4Bw8s8tV2

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017

3. Here’s what I wish I’d been quick enough to say in the moment: “Hold up, why would you think it’s OK to use that word?...

(3of4?) https://t.co/mQL6wMEd7W

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017

(4of4)

"...The history of the n-word is an attack on universal human dignity. It’s therefore an attack on the American Creed. Don't use it.” https://t.co/kEZm5vPFHK

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 3, 2017