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Club Random with Bill Maher

Club Random with Bill Maher

John Mellencamp | Club Random with Bill Maher

Feb 23, 2026 · 1h 18m

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About this episode

In this unexpectedly reflective Club Random episode, John Mellencamp admits he never listens to his own songs, sometimes forgets he even wrote them, and proudly calls himself "the biggest liar." He talks about growing up in Seymour, Indiana where, as he puts it, there was nothing to do but fight before the conversation widens to Farm Aid's hard realities, the limits of celebrity activism, and his surprisingly warm early encounters with Donald Trump, including a popcorn run at the 1988 Super Bowl. He also talks about his upcoming tour playing the hits some of which he's rarely, or never, performed live. But it's a parting thought that lingers longest: "A writer writes to what he aspires to…