Cheryl Hines opens up to Rogan on what she learned about politics following RFK Jr Dem backlash

Actress Cheryl Hines spoke to podcaster Joe Rogan Tuesday about being married to RFK Jr., saying the backlash to him merely running as a Democratic candidate pushed her to the edge.

As Rogan and Hines spoke about extreme fringes in politics, the host recalled talk show host Bill Maher saying that outspoken liberal talk show host Jimmy Kimmel won’t talk to him anymore.

“Bill Maher is very much a left-wing person,” Rogan said. “He has been his whole life. He has not changed his opinions at all, but he’s always been very reasonable and willing to criticize the left as well as the right. Yes.

“And I don’t know if it was because he had dinner with Trump, and he met with him, which is just crazy. You’re not supposed to talk to people that are the president of the United States?”

Hines agreed, paraphrasing Maher’s lament that “’I sat down with the president and people went insane,’” she said, noting she can relate. “I know that feeling ’cause even when Bobby started running for president, even when he started running as a Democrat, people were angry. Democrats were angry.”

Hines said the backlash to RFK Jr. merely running as a Democratic candidate pushed her to the edge. The Joe Rogan Experience

“They’re just mean. Like, when it comes to politics, people just get so mean. It’s like, these are not the type of people you ever want in any position of power,” Rogan said. “The least charitable, most vicious people, the moment you are running against them in a political party, they will pull out all the stops, take things out of context, lie about you.

“Even if you’re in their party, it doesn’t matter,” Hines noted. “They were coming always after him, but it kicked up a notch when he decided to run for president.

“It’s just weird, you know. And there was like a feeling of doom for me,” she said of her state of mind as RFK JR. faced backlash. “He’s … Bobby’s tough. He’s so friggin’ tough.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and wife, Cheryl Hines, wave to supporters after he announced his entry to the 2024 presidential race as an independent candidate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. October 9, 2023. REUTERS

After Rogan quipped that RFK Jr. had developed thick skin like a rhinoceros after being attacked for decades, Hines said, on the other hand, her state of mind was like, “Oh my God, I’m not gonna make it!”

But while Hines said she was familiar with the fiercely competitive nature of actors in Hollywood, there is one bizarre aspect of politics she is still not accustomed to.

“They will viciously attack each other, and then a minute later in the hallway it’s like, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’” she said, sparking laughter from Rogan. “And I’m still in shock, you know? I’m still angry about what just happened in there, and they’re already over it. They’re already like, ‘Yeah, that’s politics. That’s what we do.’”