HBO host Bill Maher called on President Joe Biden to bow out of the election after his debate debacle — and backed California Gov. Gavin Newsom to run against Donald Trump.

The “Real Time with Bill Maher” host compared the choice between Trump and Biden to the episode of “Happy Days” in which the Fonz jumps over a shark while water-skiing in his signature leather jacket – the pop-culture inspiration for the phrase “jumping the shark,” or running out of fresh material and turning to crazy ideas.

“If our presidential politics were a TV show, it would be a series past its prime in desperate need of new characters,” Maher wrote in a New York Times guest essay published Monday.

The op-ed comes after the 81-year-old Biden appeared to freeze at times while struggling to answer questions from CNN moderators during last Thursday’s debate. 

The disastrous performance led to hand-wringing from many top Democrats and also led the left-leaning Times to run an editorial calling on Biden to drop out of the race.

“There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr. Trump’s deficiencies and those of Mr. Biden,” the Times’ editorial board said.

“It’s too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden’s age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes.”

Maher said when it comes to Biden’s age, he “can’t ignore the obvious; none of us can.”

He argued that Biden’s stumbling effort was not a “tragedy,” but “a blessing in disguise,” as it gives him the opportunity to drop out of the race and the Democratic Party the chance to introduce a fresh face.

Maher called on the Democratic Party to hold an open convention – a move that he said might spark excitement across Dem voters and give the party a better chance of securing the presidency.

“Democrats could not buy, with all of George Soros’s money, the enthusiasm, engagement and interest they would get from having an open convention,” Maher said, referring to the liberal billionaire who is a frequent supporter of progressive lawmakers.

What to know about the calls for President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race:

• President Biden’s poor performance in the first 2024 presidential debate left some Democrats unsure of his fitness for office and future as the party’s candidate.
• More than a dozen congressional Democrats have joined in calling for Biden’s exit from the race. Former Biden supporter George Clooney echoed these calls in an op-ed published in the New York Times just weeks after he helped lead a record-breaking fundraiser for the Democrat.
• Democratic voters have continued to raise concerns about Biden’s nomination since the debate, with speculations and suggestions for replacement nominees running rampant.
• Biden’s former running mate Barack Obama has reportedly been trying to pressure him to drop out, and had prior knowledge of Clooney’s op-ed. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi allegedly told Biden he could not beat former President Donald Trump this time around.
• As the Democratic National Convention approaches, California delegates for the Democratic Party are reportedly in disarray as debate over the president’s chances of re-election threatens to tear the party apart.
• However, the Biden campaign has denied any plans for Biden to bow out and for Kamala Harris to step in as the Democratic nominee. Sources close to the president believe he might not be willing to drop out, while other sources claim he is “receptive” to giving up on a second term.

Maher said his pick to replace Biden on the ticket is Newsom, since he presents a stark contrast to the incumbent:

“He is forceful, is never at a loss for words or stats, never stumbles, is never intimidated. He’s unbullyable, and that’s important against Mr. Trump,” the political satirist said.

If Newsom made it on the ticket, then current Vice President Kamala Harris would either be booted from the ticket or forced to change her residence to allow California’s 54 electors to vote for both its candidates for president and vice president, Maher said.

Harris shares similarly poor ratings to Biden.

She has a 52% unfavorable rating, according to a Politico poll from June.

Maher said Biden not stepping aside has become “an act of supreme selfishness.”

He pointed to Barack Obama’s presidential run in 2007 as a successful example, when the “new kid on the block” persona helped catapult him to the White House.