Actor Ben Affleck has lambasted American television host Bill Maher for encouraging “gross, racist” ideas of the Islamic religion.

• Australian Muslims left ‘shocked, afraid’

Affleck, a guest on Maher’s show Real Time with Bill Maher,  hit back at comments from fellow guest, author Sam Harris, who described the Muslim faith as “the motherload of bad ideas”.

“It’s just an ugly thing to say. It’s gross, it’s racist. It’s like saying: ‘Oh you shifty Jew’,” the Oscar-winner said.

Affleck said he disagreed with the generalisation that all Muslims were extremist and could be seen shaking his head and putting his face in his hands.

“How about the more than a billion people who aren’t fanatical, who don’t punish women, who just want to go to school, have some sandwiches, and don’t do any of the things you say all Muslims do?” Affleck added.

Maher went on to draw comparisons between extremist Muslims and the Mafia, describing Islam as the “only religion that will f***ing kill you if you say the wrong thing”.

A frustrated Affleck then questioned his fellow panel guests as to what the solution to extremism was.

“What is your answer? Is it just to condemn Islam? We’ve killed more Muslims than they have killed us by an awful lot,” the 42-year-old said.