(NewsNation) — Bill Maher says political extremism from both sides is why he no longer does stand-up.

The host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” was speaking with fellow comedian Patton Oswalt on his podcast “Club Random,” where he shared the reason why he gave up doing stand-up comedy shows.

“I feel like it was a great choice because I don’t want to be out there in this country in this political atmosphere. I could get shot by the Left or the Right,” he said. “It’s a good time to not be out there.”

He added that he was tired of traveling, while also saying he was funnier than some of his more successful peers: “That’s, you know, partly because I’m on TV every week.”

Maher continued, “And not that I didn’t sell a lot of tickets and do great theaters, but I didn’t sell arenas, and some people did who frankly are not that great. But, you know, when the audience is 35 to 45, they don’t want to see somebody 70. I want to see my generation, and it’s OK. I still have my show. I have this. I didn’t need it. I miss it, but that’s part of what it is.”

Bill Maher places blame on Republicans and Democrats

Maher has been critical of both sides of the political spectrum, blasting both Republicans and Democrats last week on his HBO show for focusing on Jeffrey Epstein’s emails immediately after the longest government shutdown in history ended, according to The Wrap.

“We can get back to the important business of government, reading a dead pervert’s emails. We’re doing this again?” he bemoaned. “I feel like I’ve seen this movie four times. … There’s just always more.”