What if Bill Maher became president of everything? Now imagine a world where politicians can’t lie, journalists court controversy face-to-face, and actors are forced to get real. What a wonderful world (or living hell) of Bill it would be! For 12 years, Real Time with Bill Maher has entertained audiences from an HBO hot seat, featuring pundits, professors, and politicians dissecting the latest issues, big and small. Here are our 11 favorite moments of Bill’s political pals and punch lines.

Back in the wild days of 2003, when real estate was overpriced, President George W. Bush declared “mission accomplished,” and iPods were as thick as your hand, a strapping young construction worker decided to do a reality show. Evan Marriott became Joe Millionaire, a dashing, rich bachelor who romanced a group of hopeful women on several exotic and lavish dates. Except Marriott was no millionaire, and the joke was on the women who believed their “true love” was wealthy. The show became a pop culture phenomenon, garnering 40 million viewers, among the highest ratings for a reality show at the time.

Take a look at a few of the country’s most prominent professional talkers to see what they were like before TV stardom, and after they became seasoned members of the media establishment.

Ann Coulter is turning the big 5-0, and Snakkle dug up some amazing pre-fame Ann pics to go along with a few of her crazier quotes over the years. So happy birthday, Ann, and here’s to another twenty-some-odd years of insane quotes (sure to make us shake our heads).

They’re the last guys you see before you to go bed. They make you laugh, make you think, and make you stay up later than you should. But before the musical guests, mugs, and monologues, the men of late-night TV were just like everyone else. Now sit back and relax—we’ve got a great show for you!