BILL MAHER - MAHER SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH IRWIN HALLOWEEN COSTUME

MAHER SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH IRWIN HALLOWEEN COSTUME

US talk show host BILL MAHER has sparked outrage after appearing at numerous Hallowe'en parties over the weekend (ends29OCT06) dressed as Crocodile Hunter STEVE IRWIN, complete with a bloody stingray barb attached to a khaki shirt. The outfit is among the top Hallowe'en costumes in the US this year (06) and while some have found it amusing, other insist it is an insult to the late conservationist who died in September (06). Photos of the celebrity comedian making the rounds at Hallowe'en parties in Los Angeles over the weekend have been widely circulated on the internet. Maher hosts a weekly talk show on US network HBO called REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER and has angered some of his fans. One fan wrote on the star's official website, "I suppose he thought it was funny, but it was seriously lacking taste, decorum and respect for Steve's family." Another fan wrote, "I am kind of torn on it - I have a good sense of humour but this one is just kind of tacky."