Maher originally wanted the series to be titled "True Dat" or "The Truth Hurts" but HBO rejected both. Maher settled for "Real Time" but does not like the title.
An episode scheduled for November 9, 2007 was canceled due to the 2007 Writers Strike. The scheduled guests were Ben Affleck, George Carlin, and Tom Brokaw.
The fourteenth season finale was the first episode to air after the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. The fifteenth season premiere aired on Inauguration Day in 2017.
Aired its 500th episode on June 21, 2019.