Bill Maher defended his choice to have the comic Louis CK at the Mark Twain Prize event.
He said CK does not deserve to face a permanent blacklist for prior issues.
Maher pointed to similar cases of figures who warrant a fresh look.
At a gathering with Donald Trump, Maher called Trump an unknown quantity.
He also liked Trump's focus on big-picture aims.
The Maher's remarks join current talks about the return path in the comedy circuit.