"Real Time" host Bill Maher took a swipe at prominent Democrats whom he accused of running "shadow campaigns" while offering kudos to Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., who formally launched a primary challenge against President Biden.

Maher heaped praise for Phillips' entry in the Democratic primary last week and while he stressed to the candidate it wasn't necessarily an endorsement, he told the 2024 hopeful he "could" eventually endorse him.

"I endorsed the idea," Maher said Friday, "because I did an editorial a couple weeks ago calling [Biden] Ruth Bader Biden. And look, we both struggle with the same thing. We like Joe Biden, right? And we think he's done a good job. Ruth Bader Ginsburg did a good job and did not know when to quit, and that's why you're here."

BILL MAHER ALREADY BOOSTING DEAN PHILLIPS' CHALLENGE TO BIDEN: ‘HE’S 54! DID I MENTION HE'S 54?'

"And it's not like others are doing this in a — sort of a — shadow campaign," Maher later said. "I mean, Gavin Newsom, our governor, seems to be all over the world."

"I saw that," Phillips smirked. 

"You know, they're going to the battleground states in the private — they're really doing it, but I feel like at least you are honest, and you're saying, 'No, I'm gonna do it.' Just do it."

Phillips, who has been outspoken in encouraging other Democrats to enter the primary, pointed out how there are "21 of us on the ballot in New Hampshire," telling Maher all it takes is a $1,000 check and being a 35-year-old, U.S.-born citizen to "become a candidate for president in the United States."

He also mentioned how in his failed effort to recruit another formidable challenger, he attempted to corral Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who he said would make "an outstanding president."

"And she's one of those who's running a shadow campaign," Maher interjected.

BILL MAHER CONFRONTS CUOMO ON NURSING HOME SCANDAL, EX-NY GOV CALLS QUESTIONS ‘MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING’

"Everybody's waiting until 2028," Phillips said. "And I'm making the contention to all of you tonight that I'm not sure that we will have a 2028 election in the way that we expect to happen if the inevitable happens and it is President Biden against Donald Trump. I mean, the numbers are astounding everybody. If we don't start to acknowledge that — there's this bizarre and very dangerous culture of silence in Washington, in certain political-industrial complex circles, that is dangerous — I mean, dangerous. And we're putting blinders on. It'll make 2016 look like a joyful year." 

After Maher offered compliments to Newsom, who he said has to "move to the center," and Vice President Kamala Harris, who has even worse polling numbers than Biden, Phillips reiterated "the more the merrier" as far as potential Biden challengers. 

"It's still not too late to jump into this race. I wish we had more competition instead of a coordination. This is not that difficult, and I don't understand why people are so hesitant to do what the country needs so desperately," Phillips said. "I called candidates who I say are more proximate to the race. They wouldn't take my call. They had their political people take the call. They asked me not to use their names. You know, when I say every most of my colleagues talk about this every day in hushed tones in the hallways, it's saying the quiet part out loud."

BILL MAHER HYPES NIKKI HALEY AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRUMP: ‘SHE’S HAVING A MOMENT'

Maher, who was previously a longtime defender of Biden's, began expressing his doubt about the president's chances in the 2024 election during his "Club Random" sit-down with Democratic strategist James Carville, who also is sounding the alarm based on recent polls.

"I think we're on the same page with Biden," Maher said. "Did a great service, but whereas in 2020, maybe he was the only one who could have beaten Trump, I think now he's the only one who will lose to him." 

"He did great not just because he beat Trump, but, you know, a lot of stuff he did — Afghanistan, Ukraine he handled right, everybody else's economy was worse than ours after the pandemic. These are some pretty big things," he continued. "But he will lose because at some point, perception becomes reality. And look, do I think he can do the job? Absolutely. Government, as you well know better than anybody, is done in small rooms like the Oval Office, where people are talking quietly and decisions are made. I think he still can do that fine. He cannot run for president. He'll look bad in the debates… I think, going to lose."

For more Culture, Media, Education, Opinion and channel coverage, visit foxnews.com/media. 

Matthew Perry's family and "Friends" co-stars gathered at a Los Angeles cemetery Friday to remember the late actor.

Perry's loved ones were seen at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, according to Page Six. The site is not far from the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, where "Friends," which starred Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matthew LeBlanc and Courteney Cox, filmed. 

Forest Lawn is the final resting place of many Hollywood stars, including Lucille Ball, Andy Gibb, John Ritter, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Paul Walker, Brittany Murphy and Bob Barker.

Perry died Oct. 28 after an apparent drowning at his home in the Pacific Palisades, Fox News Digital previously confirmed.

MATTHEW PERRY WAS ‘EXTREMELY POSITIVE, SOBER’ WHEN FRIEND MET HIM DAY BEFORE DEATH, SHE SAYS

His autopsy was completed Sunday, and his cause of death was listed as "deferred," pending toxicology results, by the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.

It's unclear when an official cause of death will be released. Toxicology tests can take weeks, according to the medical examiner's office.

Drugs were reportedly not found in the home, and no foul play is suspected.

Perry gained fame at the age of 24 after he was cast as Chandler Bing in the sitcom, "Friends." 

However, Perry wanted to be remembered as something more than his quirky character.

"The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, 'I can't stop drinking, can you help me?' I can say yes and follow up and do it," he said in a November 2022 interview with Tom Power. "When I die, I don't want 'Friends' to be the first thing that's mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that's mentioned."

MATTHEW PERRY TOXICOLOGY REPORTS PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO HOW STAR MAY HAVE DIED: FORMER MEDICAL EXAMINER

On Friday, it was announced a charity, the Matthew Perry Foundation, had just been established in his memory. According to its mission statement, its goal is simple: To help people struggling with addiction, something Perry always worked hard to do.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Before he died, Perry also spoke about wanting to work with Zac Efron again and was hoping Efron would play a younger version of Perry in a biopic.

"The discussion began with him talking about his recovery and his advocacy work and how he really wanted to start a foundation to help people on their road to recovery and generously donate money from his success in the industry to helping other people recover," Perry's friend, Athenna Crosby, one of the last people to see the 54-year-old actor alive, told Fox News Digital.

"He also talked about the medium of storytelling being the way that he wanted to do that as well. Given that he was an actor, he loved being creative, loved being in the movies and TV shows." 

Perry met with Crosby before his death. She exclusively told Fox News Digital Perry was "extremely positive" and "sober" when she saw him for lunch the day before he died.

"He was 100% sober when he passed," Crosby revealed. "I mean, I can't know what exactly he was thinking or feeling. I can only share my experience. And, of course, he was his own person that maybe he had said, done or thought of things the day that he passed that I might never come to know.

"In the interaction that I had with him, he was extremely positive, sober, acting normal, spoke very well, did not give me any impression that he was under drugs or alcohol of any kind. So, I think people are speculating that this was a relapse situation. I just want to defend him and say that it was not."

WATCH: MATTHEW PERRY'S FRIEND RECALLS LUNCH WITH ACTOR DAY BEFORE HIS DEATH

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Perry was remembered by the "Friends" co-creators as a "brilliant talent." 

"We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible," Marta Kauffman and David Crane told Fox News Digital. "All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives.

"He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliché to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us."

Perry was also honored by the "Friends" cast, two days after his death.

"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. We are a family," the cast said in a statement to People. "There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.

"In time, we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world."