bill maher is the emmy-nominated host of "real time with bill maher" on had hbo, standup comic, best-selling author. we called him today in view of this announcement tonight and asked him if he would come as an old friend. bill will be performing at the orleans show room in las vegas on the 17th and 18th of july and at the ameri star casino in kansas city on july 30th. thank you, bill. >> i'm honored you would ask me to take over the desk, larry, thank you so much. i'm ready to step in at a moment's notice. >> larry: what a -- so you're making an announcement tonight. >> do you want to finish the hour or would you like me to take over right now, larry? >> larry: well, this was tough, bill. it was -- it was time. i was are ready to do it. cnn folks agreed to it. we sat down. we are going to do specials and more time with the family and i want to expand, i want to do other things that i haven't been able to do. >> i am reminded of what my father, who was a broadcaster the day miquel mantle retired, stay isn't some he began the broadcast. >> larry: put me in that class? >> mickey mantle? you ar

, the host of hbo's "realtime with bill maher." joan and bill both took part in the kennedy center honors of george carlin. bill, we've been talking about, why do you think joan is not -- why not when they talk about great comics, why don't they list her? >> who's they? who are you -- >> larry: i don't know who they are, but she's not invited to parties, she's not on -- >> i'm not on the radar. >> larry: when people name a great comic, they don't name joan rivers, but she's a great comic. >> well, you know what, first of all, don't go by they. we've all had our slights from they. i could read chapter and verse -- i could do an hour show on that with you, larry. they don't know what they're talking about. joan rivers is, you know, ask any comic. it's like, who votes for the all-star team? it's the fans, they get it wrong, but the players, when they get it right, they know. ask the comics. joan rivers is one of the great comics. i love joan rivers. i don't agree with what she said about getting the jews out of palestine, but i don't t

bill maher has cast his spell on you. >> no.ld do anything to keep larry in this chair. >> so would i, bill. i'm only kidding. >> i know. >> it's like i said, larry king has always been there, always been there. i'm going to miss you terribly, larry, because, frankly, you're one of a kind. >> larry: well, so are you, reg. >> i'll miss your suspenders, i'll miss your voice, i'll miss everything. >> larry: i'm not going away. >> okay. that's what i want to hear. that's why i called. i want to make sure you're not going away. >> larry: you're a doll, regis. i'll see you in new york. >> good night, bill. take care, guys. >> good night. >> that was not regis. that was an impressionist, but he did a fantastic regis. >> larry: did you see the guy at the mirage in vegas? >> what guy? fred ganz? >> larry: no, the impressionist. not the -- the ventriloquist. the ventriloquist. i'm going to -- never mind. >> edgar bergen. that's the last ventriloquist i can remember. is anyone in the age of the internet and wifi still doing ventriloquism?

it is people who have served in vietnam, including people like bill maher, saying we get it. we understand. host: you mentioned that a lot of the vietnamese officials brought the agent orange issue. one of the debates being brought up this trade. can you explain to the viewers how this impacts trade agreements. farmers trying to export them to vietnam. guest: i wish i had the numbers in front of me, but i think the united states is number two or three biggest trading partner vietnam has. when you go to vietnam, it is filled with american goods. as well as we trade a lot of commodities with vietnam. we need good trading partners in asia. we also need good strategic partners. partners that will be with us as the complex world unfolds this century with china and the rest of asia. leaving aside the moral impulses, we have to say, who would be a good partner for us? when you go there and see the business relationships from nike shoes to motorola phones and you see what a good trading partner they are with the united states, i think the summit is happening later this year -- it is