Government Surveillance: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

There are very few government checks on what America’s sweeping surveillance programs are capable of doing. John Oliver sits down with Edward Snowden to discuss the NSA, the balance between privacy and security, and dick-pics.
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[@rawb]

Holy shit is this so well done. I could not stop laughing during the second half of that interview.

[@ThePrisma90]

Hey! It's Bruce Willakers! Fancy seeing you here.

[@Darticus42]

BruceWillakers :D Didn't know you watched this series. I'm right there with ya'! Also, good taste in comedy ;)

[@davidmilner3598]

Earn Money for Motoring, Enroll in "Get Paid To Drive Programs In US' at VehicleCommercial.com

[@trepid23]

Anyone remembers Justin Long's birthday?

[@Capone184]

trepid23 June 2nd! HOW DARE YOU FORGET! He's going to be so upset this time! ugh...

[@mobydicki9060]

You can literally pinpoint the moment when Snowdens heart breaks in half.

[@demogorghon]

Moby Dick I I was watching this and thought "Wow. Olivier just destroys him." Luckly in the end it wasn't so bad.

[@ThePudgyPlatypi]

+Demogorgon White I don't think John Oliver was trying to 'destroy him' more then he was attempting to bring a topic that most people are ignorant about to light in an entertaining manner while still actually being informative. Its sad, but as John Oliver so eloquently put it, "People just don't give a shit" about the serious matters that we are faced with these days...

[@demogorghon]

ezekeil33 I realise that. And he did real good job making Snowden explain things in understandable way. Then again first part of interview seem a bit agressive. Just like MobyDickI said: You can see the man heart breaking when he realises that people in USA don't give a shit.

[@funeralgiggle3771]

ezekeil33 I agree, besides these sorts of interviews usually have off-camera conversations to bring everyone to speed. It's not that candid. This interview was very well done, it's funny, it's catchy, it's important and it allows for the message to get more coverage. However, I think it still sad that the message was only temporarily noted. Security has only gone up, and resistance has not been that much more significant. It's pitiful, and it's going to get worse.

[@deathhound7]

+Demogorgon White Take away the comedy from it, this was a pretty hard-hitting interview. Dude was pretty harsh, but at the same time, I think Oliver is actually sympathetic to Snowden on this, and I daresay I see more journalistic integrity here than with reporters and commentators that are not comedians.

[@farooqyousaf9516]

The fact that this was Snowden's first major media interview back then just shows how amazing/underrated John Oliver is. I heard someone in some interview reveal that 'Snowden's people wanted to do this only with Oliver as he does the best journalism'... That's exactly what you get from this whole episode. It's both funny and smart, without painting Snowden either as a hero or a villain. You do see that Oliver has a soft spot for Snowden, but his journalistic ethics stop him from looking too biased.

[@twei__]

exactly this. comedy/satire shows somehow always do the best job at researching a topic and actually make it enjoyable to watch the resulting report

[@PlaidHiker]

it took a Snowden to leak this info. It took a Oliver to frame it in a concerning way to the american public. Much like his framing on the picture he gave Snowden.

[@GraysonGranda]

Oliver's really asking some uncomfortable questions with full confidence.

[@strangebrew1231]

As far as journalism goes really Andrew Callaghan is doing the best. Oliver and most of MSM are just parroting what their federal handlers tell them

[@salamantics]

@@strangebrew1231 "federal handlers" lmao you must think highly of news anchors if you think they're all secretly in league with the feds. Also john would've shut the fuck up about coal if that was true.

[@WGB3019]

It took me a while to get what Oliver was after - personalize the data, and suddenly the American Public is interested as hell as to what the Government is doing with our data. That was a clever mechanism. I think a story about the making of this episode would be fascinating.

[@BobTheTesaurus]

its a well known issue that very few humans care about anything that doesnt IMMEDIATELY affect them. Its why "save the world" stories are almost never as compelling as "Save your Family", and coincidentally why so many apocalypse movies focus on the main character trying to save their family. We cant relate to a big picture problem

[@HCG]

Same, I was a bit shocked at how crass Oliver was being at first, but he was exactly right at the end. Most American’s only care about things that relate to them.

[@rubyrobles7516]

@@BobTheTesaurus I believe they make these types of movies too make Americans THINK that we as a country are united and to make us belive that as Americans we are always prevail. Belive that the heroes (government)will always save America when enemies attack = you as a citizen will not question your heroes (governments) real intentions, because they are here to protect and save you.

[@ReeRee_is_watching_you]

@@BobTheTesaurus especially in the US! In Europe people are more aware of the problem.... 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@appalachiabrauchfrau]

@@BobTheTesaurus people say the selfish gene doesn't exist, but we see it everywhere.

[@Mentiac]

Snowden totally missed a chance to call it "Junk mail"

[@Snellinator326]

Ha! Good one!

[@kxmode]

Genius! lol

[@bobcromo3279]

You did it for him and that's all that really matters. So thank you.

[@ImSteveKolek]

I BROKE THIS COMMENTS LIKE BUTTON!!!

[@lokitus]

XD

[@thesutton3255]

I'm 15 And I know who the fuck Snowden is. I'm not even an intelligent 15 year old.

[@BobBob-of7fg]

Same here and I don't even live in the US

[@thesutton3255]

lol

[@hellNo116]

good for you man. I was trapped in my own bubble back then

[@mrswan7745]

+TheSutton Well, at least u gots one a dem dere ejumacations unlike the people on the streets of New York apparently.

[@handofdoom4970]

+TheSutton im 13 and from canada

[@macmundie]

Jesus, you can see the soul leaving Snowden’s eyes while he watches the New York interviews.

[@cat-le1hf]

I think he knew how stupid the average person was, but it still hurts to see it.

[@ibendover4817]

As stupid as they are its not completely their fault. You have poorly designed and underfunded school systems that get worse every year making them more stupid. Mass poverty and and overworking culture that makes putting food on the table and paying rent your sole purpose of existence. More sugar, salt, fat and other unnecessary crap being shoved into almost every food source making the country more obese, lethargic, unhealthy and lazy. Add all this up and being spied on would be the last of an average joe's concerns. The american government and corporations have successfully broken down the American fighting spirit and their desire for freedom when it comes to these matters.

[@nihili4196]

He knew, but it's one thing to know, and other to actually see it.

[@jaimevargasalvarado579]

This was like torture. You basically sacrifice your life for this cause and here comes a guy showing you no one gives a fuck... A bit too harsh from John

[@cameron398]

This is the happiness I get is he will never get to to return to the US and yes his relevance was a flash in the pan. Enjoy Russia sounds like an amazing new homeland.

[@alexisrivera200xable]

John translating the serious and complicated issues into idiot friendly explanations is a MASSIVE service to this country. Its 2021 and this sadly is as relevant as the day it was published.

[@filhanislamictv8712]

True even though It was a bit heavy handed at times

[@yankeeedandy]

Edward Snowden is an American hero, end of story.

[@steh8831]

Agreed.

[@cpt_nordbart]

Chelsea Manning too?

[@Mercer806]

Snowden is an American traitor, end of story.

[@Mercer806]

Hero hahaha hardly... Troops fighting for your lives overseas and dying for their country are heroes. A guy sneaking around copying every little goodie he can as fast as he can, fleeing and running away like most thieves and buglers, and dumping all out there screaming I did it for everyone!!! Not reading what he stole and releasing it all anyway then begging a country that violates its neighbors sovereignty for protection (Cold War enemy again) refusing to come home a face the music like we expect our children to do when they break the rules. Congratulations your ""hero" is a coward and a traitor, enjoy your dick pic....

[@DJHise]

+Mercer806 I see you value loyalty over ethics. You'd make a great Nazi general.

[@frankschleicher6252]

I am german and I think Mr. Snowden is a hero.

[@charless607]

Frank Schleicher I'm American and I consider him a hero as well :D

[@vinercent215]

Well, our government screwed us over as well, the BND (foreign surveillance) declared everything on the Internet foreign and gave tons of data to the NSA, because they did not have the technical knowledge of the NSA. So they let German data be analysed by the NSA... Of course they said "We carefully filtered any German data", well, that German data is defined by the statement on the top. So we owe a lot to Snowden, and that was only one if the direct impacts, I could rant over an hour how the NSA is hurting global internet security, but that is for another time.

[@charless607]

I am American and I think Manuela Schwesig is sexy

[@occiferjehons2329]

Frank Schleicher I'm from Sweden, And right now I'm not wearing any pants.

[@vinercent215]

Charles Shilling​ What if I told you, I have no clue who you are taking about, I guess by the name it's a German celebrity, we don't really care about more than boring German politics, Ukraine, middle East and soccer, I get really mad when soccer is on top news before 120 kids being kidnapped by Boko Haram. Oh, and the NSA affair was on top news as it was hot, now you rarely see anything about it.

[@giggabiite4417]

I just want to say, even 7 years after this interview, you're not forgotten Snowden. What you did was incredibly brave, and incredibly patriotic. Every now and then I think about you and wish that you will soon be pardoned

[@justandy333]

Amen to that!

[@Gambit22003]

I was 100% in Snowden's corner in the beginning, now I'm not so sure. Only after re-watching this interview today, after having seen it when it first aired. He decided to open the pandora box and make the American people aware of what our government was doing, and the fact virtually no one in America even knows who he is tells me he failed miserably. Only making life no better for anyone else, and a total living nightmare for himself.

[@ashlyboss]

@@Gambit22003lol there was literally a movie made about him, maybe back then “no one” knew who he was but that’s ridiculous to say now. And also, you have the benefit of hindsight. Super fun to have I know, but try putting yourself in his shoes at that place and time. Had he done nothing, said nothing and kept his head down I would’ve called him a coward. Instead he risked his *entire life* to try and expose the fact that the US government is spying on literally everyone. And now he can’t go home, because he tried to make the world a better place. People like you kinda disgust me. You sit here with the benefit of hindsight and have the audacity to criticize him simply because he’s not famous, like Beyoncé or some bs. Wtf is wrong with you? THOSE are you values? You value someone only if they’re rich and famous? You don’t actually care about their actions or intentions, just whether or not some redneck hillbilly knows your name? Maybe you’re right, maybe Americans aren’t worth protecting.

[@Tombuchaill]

It just shows how degraded we have become in the West...that's no fault of Snowden.@@Gambit22003

[@xyzqsrbo]

@@Gambit22003 I'm not really following how his message not getting the sucess he wanted somehow should mean you aren't in his corner anymore or that he isn't brave for it lol.

[@lloydal8359]

it's depressing to see how Edward Snowden is basically forgotten in the US. But then I remember my government didn't even have the balls to do a live interview with him and instead kissed the US' ass even after we found out that the NSA spied on our chancellors phone. "spying on friends is not ok" was the harshest words our leaders could find - it's infuriating

[@Mostdefinitelynotabot]

The way you describe your leaders reaction. It's almost like our NSA has dirt on all your politicians lol.

[@Jkjoannaki]

I'm greek so pretty much anyone can Google how our national security changed its qualifications (to easier ones) to have our prime ministers PERSONAL SECURITY as chairman of our national security organization and LITERALLY SPY on political opponents. I don't understand how Americans are so fucking naive and don't understand that spying on your people without any litigation or even any criminal suspicion is extremely dangerous for democracy

[@gho5trun3r68]

It's also depressing to hear people get Snowden confused with Assange and WikiLeaks.

[@leonessity]

@@gho5trun3r68 When parents have the attention span of a cat thrown on the floor at a Stompin' Tom concert, they teach their little clones to be the same... Most folks 'hear' the newscasts but the stories are presented one after the other, and in such quick succession the general population doesn't actually get a chance to really LISTEN to what is being relayed, nor are they given time to critically think over such things, so they don't. Ergo misinformation and the world of media relations.

[@mikejohnson7183]

Can I hear what government to which you are referring?

[@Khorothis]

John Oliver, teaching smart people how to translate their smart ideas to concepts everyone can understand and relate to.

[@da_roachdogjr]

Khorothis Perfect video description mate.

[@nishitraj.]

Very smartly put mate!

[@Slyker71]

***** I dont agree with "stupid being normal". I agree with people being more and more concearned about the important issues and be able to debate about those issues, but not all concepts are easy to grasp for everyone. Its kind of like how Neil deGrasse Tyson is able to "translate" astrophysics' terms to people who are interested in it, but do not understand the complexity of its language/concepts. So i agree with Khorothis . Hopefully, this will get people more involved because they can relate to the problem.

[@Yerfdog1]

Khorothis haha I read it in John Olivers Cadence tone!

[@MarcelloNesca]

Khorothis I found that in Academia or even high level corporate world (ive worked in both) that people do have issues relating back to the populus. I believe its in our best interest AND responsibility to translate their expertise to the average layman.

[@SpectralKnight]

23:00 Crushed soul Poor Snowden, he is an actual modern day hero.

[@LegendNinja41]

but the people only care about these in movies and don't want to know about this difficult topic even if it's important,it's just so boring that people not even give a shit.

[@ellamartell728]

+mad bro yeah make a movie with Bruce Willis of his story and maybe people would start giving a shit

[@eightball8008]

lol, that's genius. go snowden!!! I'd hide you in my house if only the CIA wasn't tracking me right now :(

[@SpectralKnight]

Omar Martell Guys they are making a movie about Snowden, that is supposed to be released this year (October I think). Though not starring Bruce Wilis.

[@SpectralKnight]

***** Yeah, but the US government is naturally very insistent that they don't. And foreign Western media (such as here in Europe) really wants to follow the US lead in such cases. Besides selling fear of the "other", sells much better than selling fear of the US government. They also need to have space for all the useless junk people seem more interested in. Like who Paris Hilton has fucked now. Who the fuck cares? We have two lying and horrible people that should be put in jail running for the presidency of the US. And you want to talk about how big some shallow idiots butt has become? Civillian's are being MURDERED by a foreign government in the middle-east, and that isn't worth even a damn side note?

[@DmonHiro]

Man, John was AMAZING in this interview. Like, he was 100% serious, and asked the hard questions.

[@prosandcons-fl2cc]

hard questions

[@altusshow7574]

"If we sacrifice our values because we're afraid, we don't really care about those values." Said by a man, a hero, who threw his entire life and any safety he might have in service to his values. Mr. Edward Snowden cares about his values.

[@sillygoose635]

He was incompetent.

[@letsplay7828]

@@sillygoose635 Thank you! You can even tell that John thinks so as well. People want to fight any criticism of this man and I get why. Regardless of people's opinions of this man's motivations/actions, we all should be able to admit that he made mistakes. What person in that position wouldn't make some errors in judgment?

[@elijahdonb7553]

@@letsplay7828 at the end of the day he is a hero who did the right thing, and anyone honest can admit that of course he made mistakes

[@KiraShirleeAnimates]

I know the reason Edward was late! ... ... ... He was SNOWDEN

[@meanderingwayfarer0928]

+TheMagicalMysteryTour You know, that comment is... magical... mysterious even, if you will. But no one can say it was too tourible. Ba-zing!

[@melaniem948]

+TheMagicalMysteryTour You need to be stopped. ahahahaha

[@tristanparkk]

FML, I am the king of puns and I was beaten. I resign.

[@tomtuttle9291]

+TheMagicalMysteryTour nice

[@persiazad]

+TheMagicalMysteryTour i didn't get it!:-(

[@pedrocoutinho9268]

My little brother is 14 and he knows who Edward Snowden was, and we're not even american

[@DeadPyro96]

The not even american part is the important bit. I actually believe more people from non-US know more about this issue than americans do.

[@pedrocoutinho9268]

Dead Pool I actually think youre right Ryan Reynolds, but in all seriousness I do believe that..

[@ajayreads4461]

I think John Oliver describes the reason pretty well: For a lot of (of course far from all, though) US-Americans, the idea of intruding the privacy of people in other country's for (the USA's) national security isn't a very big deal at all. UNICEF data, the movements on foreign bank accounts owned by people who have never even been to the US is almost a whole different "world" of privacy. (It isn't really, of course, but it's easy to look at it that way.) For those foreign citizens, meanwhile, it's bordering on an agressive act - and we often find out that out own government knew of this and didn't bother to inform us either (I'm German... Merkel was pretty cool with the whole thing until it turned out that her phone data had been colelcted, too, which I realize is going even a step further, but she still didn't voice her criticism early enough). tl;dr: Almost everybody here seems to know Edward Snowden. There debate about this was strong, too - interesting to see how little reactions there seem to have been in the US; I didn't know that.

[@AltPrizm]

AJay Reads so true

[@sebastianschwarz207]

There are so many random people in New York and every city in the world that don't know sh*t about anything.

[@latchkeykidfilmsLLC]

This is an award winning episode, and why I watch John Oliver. Well done.

[@nikkiholmes2634]

I will go ahead and toss in a "Bravo" note from my end, if I can, please?🙏😂

[@christinacoffman1843]

I hope Edward Snowden knows by now that not all Americans are oblivious to his many sacrifices for us. It so saddened me to see him watch how oblivious people were when asked who he is. He is a hero, NOT a traitor. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And, thanks to John Oliver for his comical take on a very serious issue, while also bringing the subject matter to a level all people can understand. Much respect for both of these men.

[@janatownsend-gee3409]

if you watch Edward Snowden you can see his faith in humanity slowly dying, i pity him. He lasted so long before it was revealed to him that we are all ass-holes

[@sync0x]

Finn Sprigg Exactly; "I don't want to learn;" then you do not want to keep your first and second ammendment rights either.

[@86Wutang86]

Finn Sprigg totally agree

[@Aeroldoth3]

Finn Sprigg I agree. It's so sad. A person who sacrificed all to alert the country to gvmt's illegal actions, and nobody cares, nobody knows who he is, and of course, nothing has changed. Nobody has been arrested, nobody convicted. He gave it all, and for what. My heart goes out to him.

[@janatownsend-gee3409]

Aeroldoth3 that is actually a very strangely positive way of looking at it

[@72Yonatan]

Aeroldoth3 - The possible benefit to him is that he might find a Russian wife, and would that be so bad after all?

[@lalamelol]

I love the fact that you interviewed him. Though I would have preferred if you had let Snowden talk more

[@Mralexdenver]

Check out the ted talk he did. He talked a lot there

[@Mralexdenver]

Google it lol

[@Mralexdenver]

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=lkIjVcTqGtO9ugTXm4G4Cg&url=www.ted.com/talks/edward_snowden_here_s_how_we_take_back_the_internet%3Flanguage%3Den&ved=0CB4QyCkwAA&usg=AFQjCNF8hz-o4_tJz1IEZNeksJprribAIw&sig2=V_diCW6ZIosQisUYe-YDUA

[@BadassArabianMofo]

Problem is, as much as John Oliver brings disturbing news to the public eye, he still is the host of a comedy show.

[@digitalphreedom]

***** why is that a problem?

[@chowder2260]

This is why John Oliver is the greatest. His journalism is just outstanding. Making issues relatable, funny but without taking away the story’s essence. This was absolutely brilliant.

[@Tonyhouse1168]

*brillent

[@jynflyn3650]

The look on his face when John asks "What was UNICEF doing?" slays me lol 19:09

[@RaithSienar]

Snowden is a fuckin hero.

[@darklordtiberious]

+RaithSienar you spelled idiot wrong, look I will agree that his intentions were noble. But his actions betrayed America and American lives not to mention lots of lives of those allied with the US. As John Oliver PROVES in this clip, his actions led to the rise of ISIS who have killed THOUSANDS. Even snowden recognizes this and wishes he had done it differently. what he should have done is taken the information to another agency that can deal with it at the proper clearance level. If you think they would sweep it under the rug, think again. agencies fight each other for funding and would love to have gotten their hands on this information to take funding away from the NSA and those programs and take the funding for their own programs. Snowden would have been hailed as a hero by EVERYONE at that point. noone would be calling him a traitor. but as it stands, he is.

[@RaithSienar]

Omar Abdelgawad Sure thing Mr. NSA agent. What would have happened is that the "other agency" would have gotten the funding for the NSA cut and their own funding raised and the people would have never known about what was happening which to me is more important than any of that shit.

[@darklordtiberious]

+RaithSienar so you knowing about it is more important then the lives of thousands of people? this is what you are telling me.

[@RaithSienar]

Omar Abdelgawad Not just me, but the entirety of the United States. It's absolutely important that we know about this so we can attempt to force the government to install countermeasures against ANY organization doing domestic surveillance, because in your little example what's to stop this other mystical "organization" from stepping up and doing the same thing?

[@GlockRevolver]

I completely agree with....the people that make this NSA shit work are the real traitors. You can tell when his faith in humanity was restored, when the people on the laptop were talking about the "dick pic program". You can see it in his face

[@noobnomu7792]

poor Edward Snowden, the look on his face like "is this what I sacrificed my freedom for"

[@prettybullet3845]

I noticed that also.

[@merely_aida]

Yeah, that kinda broke my heart

[@gmail2277]

+Aida Aman this is fake

[@merely_aida]

+G Mail sure, it is. And the Bowling Green Massacre is real

[@EmilioReyes_97]

KRealm and look on the bright side, Jonh here helped him out through the manic of Dick Pics.

[@heyysimone]

Watching Snowden realise that yeah, if he'd thought of it in terms that the general public public would understand it, the way people who havent learnt all the nuance and the lingo of what he took and shared, then maybe the people would be outraged, is great. Once again, the last week tonight team has managed to, with humour, make a topic that is convoluted and indepth and so important, understandable to the masses, and then allows those people to realise what the higher ups gmhave been doing right under their noses.

[@krugerstan]

it's the responsibility of journalists to parse it in a way that is understandable. If a body didn't understand what Snowden did, perhaps they might consider changing to a different media source.

[@dudeabides3872]

Edward Snowden is a true American hero. It’s important to inform ourselves of all the information he sacrificed his life for.

[@bri7757]

Yet noone gives a shit. Of we were smart we'd ALL get rid of our smart phones. Collectively say we don't want this shit. I didn't vote or ask for this. I thought this was our country?

[@colinmcmasters8366]

I agree completely. He sacrificed his life, just so we can be informed on how we are being governed. Like it or not we are surveilled but we should know how and when.

[@TrickerFailureFilms]

A british guy, who hosts an American TV show went to Russia to interview an American that can't live in America anymore.

[@FuugaNatsu]

+MetaLink Pretty much, yeah. Ain't that a doozy?

[@ZayIvory7]

+MetaLink What a Twest..

[@nataliemccarthy9140]

True dedication

[@nikhilkhannaMBA]

Thanks for telling us James Bond..

[@TrickerFailureFilms]

nikhil khanna so trueeeeeeee

[@chrischeng2922]

Breaking News....Justin Bieber.. ARE YOU SERIOUS???!?!?!?!??!??!?!?!!??!?!??!/!?!

[@Bridger15]

I half expected to hear the congresswoman in the background saying something to the effect of "are you fucking pranking me right now? seriously? this is for real?"

[@Boon2Dock]

I did a spit take when I saw it. Then I just said: Oh it's MSNBC....

[@cwalter42870]

Boon2Dock But unfortunately, it's not just MSNBC who does stuff like that. Every "news channel" cuts to random celebrity misbehavior stories because fame is much more attention grabbing than some boring story on government programs.

[@DarthAndrew520]

yea at first i thought she was gonna be interupted by something stupid like Benghazi or some domestic shooting..............When i saw what it really was i literally got up out of my chair and crawled into a corner thinking to myself "whyyyyy oh whyyy oh how can you be this stupid."

[@gregmiller9710]

Chad Walter Not to those of us who are worried about our freedoms that have been lost to the US regime

[@scottierasberry4449]

This piece deserves the highest journalistic accolade. John Oliver is brilliant.

[@gwenmarcus3712]

I admire Snowden so much. If people read his book, an easy read, they would understand why he did what he did. His intentions were good and he rally didn't expose any dangerous secrets. He also has a great sense of humor, and he is so intelligent.

[@BigTrees4ever]

Why don’t ya marry him? Lol jk I’m actually going to read his book

[@finnburke2709]

Actually the House Intelligence Committee explained why Snowden is a traitor and a fraud in a rare bipartisan report in 2016. They found Snowden caused tremendous damage to U.S. national security. He was not a whistleblower and was a poor performer and a disgruntled employee. He was and remains a serial exaggerator and fabricator and The NSA and other U.S. intelligence agencies have not done enough to prevent another massive unauthorized disclosure. I think to say a person who breaks the law is a hero is a bit crazy.

[@tristanmoller9498]

How can Americans, even New Yorkers not know who Edward Snowden is ? I live in Germany and every 4th Grader knows who he is... Gosh how about watching the news ?

[@MusikSkull]

+SanchoKobe watch some tedtalks. americas media doesnt give shit about important news first cause britney news or whatsoever are cheaper than going to iraq or cover stories like this, if the propaganda does its job by keeping americans stupid and uninformed then the rest of the world thinks that is better than that and only americans have to pay, every fucking country recycles old and/or edited reportages to save money, propagandized people and leave us in apathy and oblivion, capitalism is safe and our minds closed to let politicians etc divide and conquer since the dawn of humanity. its not a new world order, or other effectively organised new age shit conspiracies to terrorizing people like grimm fairytales its the world order since humanity started to write

[@Art_From_Tezikovka]

It was a hyperbole for USA Id say that about 40-50% if population knows about the issue, but as the 2 years have passed we are still immobile, about the NSA constant surveillance relying on 'if i dont search anything bad ill be dine online'... sacrificing 'little' freedom for safety...

[@R0N1N-TV]

+Tristan Möller Not all news is this informative. Most is just Grade A United States BS. And that is why those of us who care enough, go searching for sources usually foreign sources of real world news. Because American news only cares about what the fuck Celebrities are doing, funny videos, and is Kanye running for president?

[@charlesajones77]

+SanchoKobe "as uninformed as possible"... You do realize that this video is about the stuff you think the Government / Media is trying to hide from you, right? Also, I'm 40. I don't know a single person who could give a rats ass about Justin Bieber

[@charlesajones77]

+Ulises Medina Oh man, Kanye West should definitely run for president. That's just about the only way this election year could be any more hilariously dreadful.

[@AuroraOctane]

You can see the sorrow in eyes when John shows him the recordings of people in NY asking if they knew who he was. It's so upsetting how uneducated Americans truely are. This man is a hero for this country. He gave up so much for us just to have him be forgotten. Well, if you ever see this Mr. Snowden, there are people here in this country, who appreciate what you did and what you sacrificed to give awareness. 

[@supercoolguy43]

Aurora Octane There's a little gray arrow at the top left of your comment that let's you edit your comment.

[@AuroraOctane]

Lol

[@acav9315]

You are so true

[@mike112769]

+supercoolguy43 Too bad she wasn't educated enough to figure that out on her own without someone having to tell her about it. She probably does not see the irony.

[@supercoolguy43]

Aurora Octane There is also a button that allows you to reply to comments.

[@francisarmitage8142]

Watching this episode (again) in August 2021 is almost surreal. It saddens me, as an indictment on myself, that I don't know Snowden's status right now, but he is surely a national treasure. Without taking anything away from Snowden, John Oliver must be an international treasure.

[@lordkayx]

the way John Oliver Dumbed this highly important conversation down and added humor to it so the layman could have a much deeper understanding and invest personally in the problem is brilliant. He deserves to slap a face and win an Oscar.

[@olddirtymongrrel]

As a Australian I am ashamed of Julian Assange for his recklessness and arrogance, but I look at Snowden and I see a patriotic freedom loving Yank, yes he made mistakes but his intention was to stop the USA from becoming a police state. Sadly he may never return to his homeland.

[@TheDarkfire216]

olddirtymongrrel You got to understand that reporters are the best when they can be the devils advocate while at the same time be supportive. He for the most part agrees with Snowden, but He has to make Snowden look at his actions and question if he has regrets, because as soon as he does he either owns up to the mistakes, or loses his conviction and respect because he would want to take back his actions.

[@Ssschah]

olddirtymongrrel the next POTUS could potentially pardon him. Or the one after that etc. It's probable a president that voted against the Patriot act and against NSA surveillance could allow him back.

[@shoegazer5451]

olddirtymongrrel what mistake are you talking about ?

[@klmaapp]

olddirtymongrrel how is julian assange reckless exactly ?

[@lfesuzuki]

+olddirtymongrrel Not even returning home isn't the worst of it. He's very limited to where he can travel without the threat of being extradited. So sad.

[@sergiomelendez285]

Best quote towards the end of the video: "You shouldn't change your behavior because a government agency somewhere is doing the wrong thing. If we sacrifice our values because we're afraid, we don't care about those values very much."

[@ANURAGIAM]

@@desireeochoa1354 Because I love america thats why!

[@desireeochoa1354]

@@ANURAGIAM You Are A True Patriot. 🇺🇸❤🇺🇸❤

[@sunritroykarmakar4406]

truly

[@MrAlexanderLang]

Amin brother, Amin you should just accept it as you accept that the sky is blue.

[@nightlightabcd]

This was posted in 2015, it is now 2019 and the US has the most corrupt and compulsive lying president and criminal and treasonous administration in US history and supported all the way by the Republican party that refuse to facilitate impeachment proceeding of a Republican, no mater what, and the US leads the world in shootings, mass shootings and mass school shootings while criminal Trump makes a mockery of the US and democracy every day!

[@astrammd]

This is such a brilliant way to educate the American population. Journalists and media organizations need to take notes.

[@jennyjohnson5428]

Making the concern about government surveillance relatable by equating "information" to "your dick pics" was a stroke of genius I could only have truly expected from the mind of a generationally repressed Brit.

[@ColonelPeppers]

You can see where his heart breaks, when he realizes his message did not get across.

[@danzwku]

26:03

[@mariadecosta]

I was thinking that too! :(

[@danzwku]

when did he say biggest traitor?

[@leocipa]

+Dan K 16 08...when snowden entered the room.."the most famous hero and or traitor"

[@Olivia-ot6up]

It's at around 22:40

[@mequable]

I felt so bad for him, when he watched that video footage. I can't imagine what is like to fight for what you believe to be a cause in favor of all American citizens, lose your job, lose your house and even country, and then see some random people having no idea who you are. It probably hurts a lot.

[@rOxinhoPKK]

yeah, it was pretty bad

[@MikhailNovitskiy]

mequable well he actually is quite happy with the outcomes of his actions. He stated many times (and even briefly in this interview) that he didn't anticipate his revelations to bring so much attention overall. Despite those folks on Times square not giving a damn, his actions have clearly influenced the political discourse a lot.

[@NightDoge]

aaron west Yes, apples are also red.

[@arcticfirst]

Yeah Mikhail, but to be confused with Julian Assange? He must have thought "son of a bitch".

[@reggieluv31]

I agree. It's scary what the average intelligence level must be in the USA. People are too busy sending dick pics. ; )

[@bullseyebuss]

This is one of John's best interviews ever! Well worth the 20-hour round trip.

[@trippibethea7599]

Give John credit. He was tough but fair in his interview. He pressed Snowden at times. Great job.

[@MrFanderwald]

they interrupted a serious plea for public debate on section 215 with Justin Beiber news??!!!! Excuse me, I am going to go throw up now....

[@Fifthcaptain]

+kaustubh upadhyay Thats what you get from Andrea Mitchell! That Greenspan whore that MSNBC bought. Actually, calling her a whore is an insult to the word "whore".

[@TheAutobotPower]

I don't know what was the worst part, because of HIM or because was in Florida....

[@gingerflakes101]

Are you fucking serious.

[@uwcb1]

Fifth-Why such anger towards her? Please feel free to share articles etc to show how she has harmed you. Lets open this up to the 18 people who 'liked' the comment. Why do you hate AM so much?

[@Himani_inamiH]

Its like the stunts they talk about on Newsroom happening in real life fucking ridiculous how bogus our news and media has become there is no moral or ethical duty to inform its all about ratings money and entertainment

[@corkscrew4585]

I Wish he would have let Edward talked fully and more, I would have liked to hear what he has to say about what Murica does.

[@bluerose5071]

citizenfour explains his opinion a little bit more. A great watch if you want more on Snowden.

[@michellegroskey7991]

but where would that have left snowden, it cannot be about our carnal need for information as so gracefully put.

[@michellegroskey7991]

its funny how they wont tell the ppl how to contact the previous youtubers. but as i always say- dont give up. they block me soon enough. just watch me. excuse misss spells as it may happen in forums as a single mom i am usually rushed

[@Belbecat]

I like to think he only cut Snowden off when he felt he was headed towards saying something that was dangerous or too difficult for people to understand.

[@michellegroskey7991]

good point

[@Brewsy92]

This is still a masterclass example in interviewing prowess on John's part.

[@Indomitable_Alykat]

Ik you'll never see this, Edward, but your sacrifice is forever remembered by those of us whose lives it's shaped. I cannot fully even conceptualize all that you gave up to warn us, to show us the truth behind the lies, and I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that it is appreciated. Your commitment to doing what is right and speaking truth to power is truly inspirational. Your passion for justice has inspired countless other activists and I want you to know that I personally would be honored to be named on any blacklist where you are as well. ❤‍🔥

[@DontExpectMeToListen]

It was only on my second watch of this that I actually realised *what* John was doing here: forcing Snowden to dumb down all of this important information in a way the average American would care about, understand, and remember. It's fucking genius. How did I miss that on my first watch through?

[@peterteddy3367]

I actually thought he was very rude and asked myself why Snowden kept up with his bullshit until I realized this

[@eadlynjune]

I still wish he would've done it in a way that was more respectful to Snowden, and at least I hope he was notified beforehand of John's intent and what he was going to do. I like what he was trying to do but the way he did it was very offputting for me. But maybe he did a good job at making me sympathize more with Snowden? I dont know I just had very mixed feelings.

[@dodopoopinpoop]

Sad but 100% true and appropriate.

[@markstewart4501]

Consider the average is 100...50% is below that....ah, average conversations about the weather and average STUFFY STUFF is...well, do you get it? I want the general average to raise, and/or the up 50% just realize the vigilant- care they need to ALLOW(f'ed up, right? allow.) the lower 50% to live their perception of reality...to much is given, much is expected. Can the smart be those on the protective side of the rest...ah, please.

[@chafacorpTV]

@E Fox you didnt get it, you're getting pissed off on your own dude. rewatch the video.

[@brandonbair]

You have to understand John Oliver is a comedian and Snowden knew this going into it. Oliver did a brilliant job of taking a serious matter and displaying it to an audience in a way that they understand and can sympathize with while maintaining his comedic performance. This is why I love John so much, and I am sure Edward was satisfied with the way his message was translated into terms that a majority of America could understand.

[@edgehill66]

So Americans only 'understand' serious issues if they are wrapped up in comedy?

[@meikyuunotobira2240]

they also understand them if they're not wrapped up. They just don't bother dealing with them.

[@NotExplicable]

+edgehill66 pretty much yeah...

[@catradummy_ytp]

Absolutely

[@dirtburger2773]

pretty much, yeah. well, it's not so much "understanding" as it is "giving a shit."

[@dudeabides3872]

John Oliver is the only person that comes close to Carlin in being able to teach through comedy.

[@JonPL]

Hicks > Carlin. Also, ever heard of "Epic Rap Battles of History"? Because they're proving your thesis invalid.

[@UndertheNeedle282]

I ADORE how quickly Snowden caught on 🤣

[@armashuvitz]

Welcome to America: where the comedians are the journalists and the journalists are the comedians.

[@xxX_420BlazeIt_Xxx]

It's sad isn't? When the media is corporate owned and linked to the government agenda, that's what you get. Everybody is in each-others pockets. Keep the American public afraid and keep them distracted. John Oliver is a fucken journalistic hero. Props to HBO as well, for letting him even do this kind of show.

[@hugocf]

Very well put! Let me quote you on that :)

[@geraldtrudeau3223]

Beautiful! I loved that!

[@rangedfighter]

This is satire. Political satire is notably good at pointing out problems everywhere, not just in the US.

[@Illlium]

I think "Welcome to America: where the comedians are the journalists and the journalists are the joke." would be more appropriate, but your version works too.

[@sennataylor592]

I feel like while John Oliver comes across as harsh/dismissive towards Edward Snowden in the interview, he knows that Snowden is vastly more intelligent than the majority of Americans and often forgets that when he talks about government surveillance, so John was trying to get him to 'dumb it down' as much as possible so the average American could care about it.

[@grimm00002]

@Senna Taylor Well he was. Snowden just made a huge sacrifice and for the common person to not even know what his sacrifice meant is just heartbreaking. From a higher standpoint, I think John just did Snowden a favor: not make his sacrifice go to waste. I'm not an American, but me knowing all this perhaps wouldn't matter to Snowden. American kids would though.

[@IS0JLantis]

At 23:07 , johns face should tell you the actual atmosphere during thqt time and that everything was a skit mixed with an interview. Im guessing it was edited to look harsh but ultimately was meant as a comedy segment.

[@zfazzershroudvietcynide64e58]

oliver is stupid when it comes to interview

[@Pundae]

@@zfazzershroudvietcynide64e58 it was actually pretty well done. He oriented the information in a way average people would care about. Do you think normal people would pay attention to him talking about the inner workings of foreign surveillance when they didn't even care enough to know who he was?

[@JohannCABJ]

Oliver was harsh and dismissive because he wants to keep his job. Had he acted sympathetic or supportive of Snowden, he would have been sacked by next week.

[@tikrit3160]

Incredible that out of all of America's late night hosts John Oliver was the one to give the most responsible and ethical coverage of Snowden's disclosures.

[@schattentaenzerin]

Whoever on the LWT-Team came to with the idea of the Dick-Pic analogy: *You are a genius!* It's perfect in every way, to make people care about and understand these complicatedly written laws and programs. Massive kudos!

[@MangoMotors]

John is a pure genius. Some may have found that interview stupid, crude, offensive, but he got Snowden to explain the programs in simple easy terms. Its brilliant.

[@vaibhavgupta20]

Didn't get that.

[@LeZemyr]

MangoMotors Snowden was definitely made aware of what type of interview it would be

[@orangewallet56]

candice greene Hhahaha! I see what u did there :)))

[@RandallSavage]

Vaibhav Gupta "John Oliver answers brillent KZbin comments" was a segment

[@InXLsisDeo]

Eduardo Saldana He probably didn't need to be made aware, because I'm pretty sure he watched Comedy Central and follows Last Week Tonight like we do. But he was smart enough to understand the strategy of the interview.

[@bangboom123]

The funny thing is Captain America metaphorically did the same thing in Captain America 2 (with a much larger risk quite frankly) and he's treated unambiguously as the good guy. Yet Snowden, because it's the real government condemning him, is met with thousands of doubters and naysayers in the general public. Strange how peoples' minds work.

[@PrincessAshley972]

Thats because he's Captain America, a well known figure and super hero. Edward Snowden was an ordinary data cruncher until he did what he did

[@dimas0302]

Rockerchavnerdemo That's real life to you mate. Strange indeed.

[@anthonyserocco2774]

Rockerchavnerdemo People trust Captain America. They felt he was justified in his second movie. Snowden was himself an NSA contractor who revealed the information during a Democratic presidency. Obama's very name is enough to get the partisans in line over stuff that would've been reviled if it were done by a Republican, and especially by a Bush.

[@bangboom123]

Undertaker9711 Right, sure, but I mean in the context of people not 'getting' who Snowden is or what he did when there's an exceedingly popular film that illustrates (albeit very dramatically with lots of explosions- think theme and we're okay) the same conflict between liberty and security and how dangerous it is for people to have access to all that information. So it's not as if people are ignorant of it or can't fathom how important it could be (otherwise the movie'd flop). Ironically of course there were a few ordinary civilian characters in the movie that stood up to orders they couldn't follow, who were again treated as unambiguously good. So superpowers aside the movie tacitly backs Snowden. Thing about Captain America is that in his comics he always comes down hard on the side of whatever makes the moral sense, even to the point of turning his back on his country in some instances. And that's why he's a hero.

[@moety2]

Rockerchavnerdemo I think you are given people to much credit. I think they were on captain america's side because his name has america in it. If they did a few things different with the movie, like have Captain america took over Hydra and said he was going to use those same weapons and surveillance to protect americans and to go after the bad guys and obliterate them, many would cheer america, america and fall right in line and think that is ok because captain AMERICA is in charge. What do you think about that scenario?

[@MrTubeMeToo]

Seven years after first aired, still as relevant and hilarious as when it first aired! Well done John Oliver for putting it into a form everyone can understand. Protect your junk!

[@KidAstronaut]

John Oliver running is my new favorite thing.

[@ThisHandleFeatureIsStupid]

It's pretty incredible what an amazing good sport Snowden is about the tone of this interview; the patience and acceptance he showed in navigating John's shenanigans is fascinating. His message and actions are so profound, and despite having his life ruined by his conviction to his morals, he still manages to have a great sense of humor. What a guy...

[@tomhill3248]

Well he had to. Snowden realized part way through the interview that John was trying to help him out. Took him long enough.

[@ericjourdain892]

Balls of steel! Respect.

[@griffindowns8426]

He chose John Oliver out of a multitude of different options. He knew what he was getting into and decided that Mr Oliver had the most effective and neutral approach.

[@hepthegreat4005]

@@griffindowns8426 donno about neutral. John olivers greatest strength is his ability to pick a side, but seem like he's giving both sides. The world is never black and white, it's shades of grey, if the news makes you feel like "this is pure good/common sense" or "this is pure evil/dumb" you know you are being manipulated.

[@krisosphere9940]

@@ericjourdain892 now, literally balls of steel!

[@TDKska]

Makes me want to cry when i see how easily people forget. This guy took such a huge,massive risk and did it to protect people's freedom and that's how he's being thanked....

[@JuICyBLiinGeR]

Noïl Paprika look how they treated Hillary over crimes trump is getting away with. Obama with the Tan suit and Trump has Kurds killed. Look how they made Dr Christine Ford a villain and the drunk, a fucking hero. Republicans in power need to be gone. Not just from office but from the face of the earth. They have voted against the best interest of America for companies who want to make a quick dime from you human piñatas. They always vilify those who fight the corrupt. I don’t even have to go through history before and after King to make a point about it.

[@deborahnesbit1338]

Some of us will never forget.

[@Profile.4]

Learn more about Snowden he isn't what you think kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqikl6ypp5Jjpqs

[@JuICyBLiinGeR]

Toori Baba You’re watching John Oliver and you’re talking all this shit which was debunked ages ago. This isn’t a Fox News segment and trump isn’t watching.

[@cl1cka]

@@sabastian4858 He is not defending her. And you are stupid if you think he is. He is saying that she was made to be worse than she is, when Trump has done MUCH MUCH worse things..... And people compare her wrongdoing to his - there are no comparisons, it's like comparing theft to mass murder and saying "Well both guys are the same"....

[@jamesnurgle6368]

Snowdon is a hero but it takes a comedian to know how to tell people about it.

[@thegreenrose147]

Edward Snowden has my undying support and respect. He made a choice and stood on it, knowing what kind of life he was going to be living afterwards. That’s something not many, if any, of us are willing to do. I’m sure he misses home and everything he once knew, but he decided to make it a point for all of us to be able to know what our country’s government is doing behind the scenes. I can’t be mad at anything he did; I’m mad we as a people don’t know anything past his name and whatever the government chooses to tell us to believe about him. He’s a hero in my eyes. A historical badass for the ages. Much love to John Oliver for going to Moscow and holding this interview. Edward, the day you can come home (if that day ever comes) I’ll be ready to celebrate. You’re a hero. Period.

[@DisDatK9]

Okay, not gonna lie, at 13:00 I literally yelled "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" At the screen.

[@josephmort4039]

Same kind of thing happened during the Democratic Convention last year. The news was about to show Bernie supporters protesting when CNN just had to cut to Boys To Men or whatever that hack group is called who were performing inside.

[@Jkstolz]

DatK9 You do realize this is being cut and pasted?... Lol

[@Jkstolz]

Justin Biever is NOT a good distraction. Lol

[@neozasshi]

"Huh, maybe I should get on that." *Looks at calendar* "Goddammit."

[@flowerlullaby]

neozasshi at least it expired!

[@eddydelo]

Alannis Croft Not really. They just reinstated it and called it the _Freedom Act_. www.aclu.org/news/senate-passes-usa-freedom-act

[@josegale385]

Alannis Croft totally! arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/06/justice-department-plotting-to-resume-nsa-bulk-phone-records-collection/

[@kakurocksman]

eddydelo i dont think you even read the article you just linked...

[@eddydelo]

What a Swagget*The passage of this bill is an indication that comprehensive reform is possible.* *But it is not comprehensive reform in itself* Did you?...

[@samiamahim1005]

John's team did such a terrefic job of relating such a complicated topic!! Truly truly wonderful!!

[@JustinTrueDough]

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. Thanks Ed.

[@AlexanderHarris]

This is amazing. At first I couldn't tell what John was trying to accomplish, shooting Snowden down like that, but the goal was magic. If successful, this could have a big influence in the push to get this program shut down or changed. :O

[@LordDragox412]

And if he keeps it up, he might end up having an 'accident' because he was a terrorist, as he was trying to "stimulate the crowds of simpletons to riot against the government", or something like that... Damage control at it's best... >:P "Calm down people, we don't have your dick picks! That doesn't mean some of our people don't keep them stored on their private data drives, nor that we don't have access to them, it also doesn't mean we didn't see them BUT! We *don't* have them here, so don't riot or we'll publish them so everyone can see your dicks! Right here, right now! And it doesn't matter if you're a woman - if you have a dick, we'll show it to the world! So keep calm and carry on, and in two years you won't even remember this, as we'll simply cover it up and everything will be fine once again! 'Cause 'Murica! Fuck yeah! Freeedoooom!" xD

[@AlexanderHarris]

Nah, I doubt that. Politically motivated hit jobs aren't a thing in this country. At least not these days. There's really no point. Most any slimy thing our politicians want to get done, they can do within the system without a problem. The only thing they actually fear is losing their jobs. So they just pass the bills that people get angry about so people stop caring and move on to whatever thing they were doing before.

[@LordDragox412]

Alex Harris It was just a joke :P But I I must say, I do agree with your opinion on the subject.

[@AlexanderHarris]

Haha, sorry. Sometimes you never know what things people are willing to believe on the Internet. XD

[@quarbarian2]

Alex Harris Or they could be a major thing that theyve gotten really good at covering up...

[@jamespatrick6939]

how sad Snowden looked when he noticed people are really stupid and uninformed about a serious matter such as surveillance

[@DefaOmega]

I would watch the entire video of John Oliver nervously and semi patiently waiting for an hour for Snowden to show up.

[@heroeshavefur484]

All these years later and still my favorite interview ever. :)

[@HyperionTitanus]

I actually feel pretty bad for Snowden here, he sacrificed a lot for something he believed in and so many people dont even care,,,

[@azifazeez]

People take comfort in lies rather than the harsh truth

[@sune9578]

Indifference is a pretty powerful tool. That being said, Snowden's efforts did not go to waste for everyone. The rise of privacy-focused services exist and are fairly popular because of his doing. It's important to keep reminding everyone of this, especially in the age where everyone is becoming more and more tech-savvy.

[@beths3288]

John Oliver is going for laughs to support his take on the story. He deliberately interviewed idiots on the street who aren't capable of understanding the gravity of the situation, but there are plenty of people who do. Snowden did sacrifice a lot. The fact that too many people don't even know who he is, let alone how important his whistleblowing was, is indeed disheartening. But sometimes taking heroic action means you pay the price, despite the fact that you've exposed nefarious activity committed by the powerful. Ultimately, what Snowden did has had a major impact in our awareness. We need to keep talking about this, or government oversight will continue to drag its feet in taking corrective measures. The people's ignorance and apathy are the battleground.

[@Google_Does_Evil_Now]

Why do you think we now have end to end encryption for some apps? I'm not sure I'd trust the encryption but it's a start. Snowden has made a difference. The fact he's on this show prices he made a difference. And credit to John Oliver for interviewing him and helping to communicate to people that the government can see your naked body and those of your family.

[@arcarcon4620]

@@Google_Does_Evil_Now a very unneeded change honestly, why would we care if the govt sees us naked. they're only doing their job on tracking possilbe terrorists, spies, etc. yes it "violates our rights" but what is it really violating if nothing gets uploaded publicly, why is it bad honestly when the president himself is tracked where he goes and still has boundries of over using his power. I rather stay honestly safer from possible terrorist

[@thewitchsfamiliar]

I do not care that this is from 2015; I still think this is one of the best Last Week Tonight episodes ever

[@carlpen850]

@ Raven Rose... agreed... it really shows what are priorities are and that gives a good clue as to why we're so stupid. Ask this same group of people when "Black Friday" is and I'll bet 99% of them will get that right.

[@carlpen850]

So it's the END OF WORLD again... darn... I missed the last one, and the one before that and the one before that etc. I'll mark April 8th on my calendar so I won't have to bother with cleaning my house or doing my dishes that day... and if YOU'RE WRONG that means that YOU ARE THE ANTICHRIST... and I will report you to the Pope's secret Jesuit hit squad and they will take you out... I marked your site

[@kenny5311]

I'd argue that it's the best episode. But that's just my opinion

[@boknowsbaseball]

All the best episodes were in 2015. When he started talking about Trump's every move - something for which information is obvious and satire unnecessary - it was all downhill.

[@dragonstory15]

I agree, these days whenever i see a non-trump episode i get happy.

[@mikegrindstaff]

This is honestly some of the best television ever produced...

[@MrMiyakiWaxOff]

"Yes I miss hot pockets very much." - Edward Snowden

[@dannydang4738]

Edward Snowden is a hero. Anyone who disagrees is blind.

[@JohnSmith-oy9by]

Danny Dang he's probably a double agent. So, either way...

[@LuciusC]

Is blind and hasn't seen all the dickpics he's fighting to save, of course.

[@nextlifeonearth]

John Smith What makes you think he's not actually a concerned American? Why do people like this always have to be labelled a double agent? If he were, the other party would have found out but not us.

[@JuliusCaesar108]

Danny Dang How do you expect to have a conversation if you think less of people you disagree with? Having that approach hasn't personally got me anywhere.

[@bottle2k]

I agree, to a certain extent. I do wish he would have come back and gone on trial. I believe we aren't having this discussion because there isn't a focal point. A big trial would do exactly that. Hey, I get it though, freedom (especially your own) is a powerful thing. As it is now, simplifying this down to the dic-pic is genius in getting people to see things, but this discussion should have been had a long time ago. Now, at the very best, it becomes a rushed conversation over that interview that comedian did, and once again gets brushed aside. Tragic really.

[@whitneykibble7979]

The interruption for Justin Bieber "news" is a symbol of what is so wrong with the media. Jaw dropping!

[@ChrisJohnstonMusic]

couldn't agree more!!!

[@dennisbode6106]

Its actually not the media. They just do what they think the people want to be informed of. And the people dont want to get bothered by important news. They just want to be entertained. Otherwise Trump wouldnt be President. I follow him on Twitter just because it is fucking hilarious. And i am not even American.

[@tonymahony2282]

Maybe also a possible explanation why we have, esp after this clip, the feeling that Americans (yeah yeah....not all of them, of course) are pretty uninformed, uneducated or just plain "stupid". Looks like America is all about lowest entertainment....sad

[@njultraflickshow3646]

south park level shit

[@ritayohannes8308]

Why are we looking for facts and investigative journalism type products from comedians like John Oliver.He nails it every time.

[@christianajoe8563]

When you invest, you're buying a day you don't have to work

[@chrispaul3778]

Assets that can make you rich Bitcoin Stocks Real estate

[@loydriley9221]

@@chrispaul3778 You're right Sir, it's obvious a lot of people remain poor due to ignorance, it's better to take risks and make sacrifices than to remain poor

[@cassiejacobs4197]

@@loydriley9221 It's not ignorance but due to some unprofessional broker in the market

[@tobytaylor4051]

Bitcoin is the most profitable investment online of only you trade with the help of a professional expert

[@maxiecharles2842]

I recently got into forex trading and im already marveling over the profits I'm making, I'm like " how the hell have i been sleeping on this

[@gotmilk2345]

At first I thought John was unnecessarily being an ass, but by the end of it I recognized the genius of this segment. Well done.

[@Sfsmacks]

Most will say BORING and stop watching if they don’t have a funny looking guy with a British accent making jokes throughout

[@gerardjagroo]

a sad commentary on our times

[@railpressureflip]

John in general is an unnecessary ass, almost all the time.

[@eldonhill4840]

@@railpressureflip oh yeah for sure dude. how many more people are informed about the NSA leaks after this video who wouldn't have been previously? it can't be many, right? edit: shit i just saw the views

[@bloodisfrightening1203]

John is taking in the role of the average American, in other words he is acting like an uncaring idiot. It’s a nice way to make people change their opinions without even knowing they’ve changed their opinions. You have someone who gives a smart and astute argument backed up by information and evidence and then have someone represent an opposing party to that argument act like a moron and/or say things that can be easily disproved by the other person. There is a nice example of this in Assassins Creed Odyssey where you are trying to lower support for an Athenian politician or something like that and Socrates invites you on stage to play the role of the moron. You attempt to make claims that Socrates can easily disprove and so on.

[@syd5380]

Watching Edward’s reaction to the videos John showed him of US citizens not even remotely being aware of or caring about the information he revealed or the sacrifices he made absolutely broke my heart

[@daTribbleMaker]

Sometimes a hero doesn't want to be seen doing the heroism, as to them the act of heroism isn't about making sure someone is watching or talking about them next day. Snowdon has an odd awkwardness about him, like the person in a group who laughs after everyone else is long finished..I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't score on the spectrum..And b4 anyone attacks me I score as well..actually most if not all artists, mathematicians, etc score so not an insult but a badge of honor in my mind at least. He has "loosened" up over the years since this was done tho.. And he is a hero of mine and a true patriot to what America and her citizens! I believe that his face was showing two thoughts simultaneously, possibly 3. 1 he was glad they didn't recognize his name because he didn't do it for fame, 2 affirmation that in fact Americans are illiterate to what their country does in their name but yet know every single thing their neighbors done the past week, an and sadness at the realization of the previous one was beginning to sink in that he risked everything not for money or his own KZbin channel,but the people he risked everything for only were con being laughed at due to the size of their sausage. A sadness most common sense literate are feeling now or should be.

[@Wojtek-420]

Same thing today. New people.

[@AjarnSpencer]

showed me he likes attention and it dented his ego

[@arjungutta7762]

@@AjarnSpencer it’s not even about attention, he sacrificed what he did to spread awareness-so seeing how unaware people still were probably made all the sacrifice feel a little pointless

[@SusanBAgony]

This is one of the best episodes of LWT, of all time. I'm watching from 2021 and it totally holds up.

[@mattdoesstuff4547]

Three words really only come to mind when describing this episode its awesome, painful, and beautiful

[@mitchellh5869]

That interview was actually somewhat genius. John Oliver's forcing of the topics forced Snowden to answer in such a way that people would actually give a shit about. Nice!

[@Bloodinhoo]

Old comment but yeah. Oliver was a mastermind in this interview, because he kept the context simple. Oliver knows that the government is pretty good at twisting words, and they did that with Snowden, so he kept the subject extremely simplistic and relatable. Not only that, he pretty much entered a "common american" character, where he didn't want to learn, nor did care about other people, except himself. That made Snowden change the entire perspective to how to address. Because Snowden didn't put any of that in a simple term, he is the "wikileaks guy". After Oliver made the transition from complicated government issues with "simple governamental abuse", Snowden is now hailed as a hero, which by the way, he deserves.

[@vladomaimun]

Actually this interview was very annoying for me. It really bothered me how John Oliver oversimplified this important issue, nearly turning it into a joke. It seems to me that Snowden was annoyed as well. Are dick pics really the most important problem here?

[@linkboss]

Of course it is not the most important thing. But what Oliver did here wasn't about going through everything like a more serious news outlet, but simplifying things for the mass to be able to understand what the problem is in a general way, something that had not been done before, and which is a fundamental step if you want it to change, since the more people understand a problem, the more they are to be able to have a somewhat informed way of talking about it. Even if it's about dick pics, people can understand and basically extrapolate the concept of "government is spying on all americans".

[@dianahernandez8688]

blingbling is not about being arrogant but yes unfortunally for the majority of people in certain countries unless you explain things in an extremely basic way including metaphors so people understand how it can affect them. The reality is the American public focuses on the wrong things and ignores the important ones most of the time. Goverment access to your everything doesn't seem like a big deal now because we have a fairly okay goverment (well... ill get back to you on that). But if you read any novels like Farenheit 451 and 1984, those society are not that many centuries away from our society. That public survey explains it better than anyone. You dont have to be doing illegal things to be worried that the goverments knows way to much about us. China is going to literally put scores on people that will not allow them to travel if its bad or get better internet if its good. Seems harmless right? But that is a dangerous precedent. Its not that irracional that some people don't love the idea of the goverment having too much access to its people. In the majority of phones now you even speak about lets say "cupcakes" to someone in front of you and then youtube starts suggesting cupcake recipes. We were literally talking about this yesterday in our bookclub. It may seem harmless that through your phone theres no privacy (even by just having it in your pocket) now, but again: dangerous precedent.

[@lou-nc4rc]

I actually hated this interview. Came away liking Snowden a lot more and Oliver a lot less.

[@joshualee5539]

Got to applaud how easily Snowden adapts his explanation to fit the context he was given. That’s an excellent skill.

[@willsofer3679]

Well, he did work in intelligence. So this kinda tracks.

[@foreversocal1]

He's straight bllshtng. Changing the subject & dancing around instead of answering

[@gabrielpace8370]

I was thinking the exact same thing

[@Vespyr_]

@@foreversocal1 Congratulations, you are wrong.

[@foreversocal1]

@@Vespyr_ what's your challenge? Snowden didn't answer the questions in regards to his treatment of classified documents & the responsibility of knowing the contents of the documents before handing them to media outlets & whether placing trust in those outlets to properly vet the info was the best decision

[@helenchelmicka7894]

John Oliver and his team have an incredible way of making ppl care about an issue that at first can seem pretty abstract 👏👏👏

[@jackaustin9561]

Edward Snowden is the closest thing to a true patriot this county every had. Knowing he might never be able to see his home again and STILL making the choice to do what needed to be done. A true hero

[@ryankelly9001]

3 Years later and that "If you weren't on a list you are now" John Oliver's dead cold stare response; still gets me

[@reubenbell1980]

Deanna Delmar So does Hillary to be fair. Anytime someone is about to speak out against her or Bill they end up dead.

[@yadisfhaddad722]

Good to know I'm not the only one re-watching old lwt shows

[@isabellevasquez7433]

Oh he was very likely on a list already

[@BlueWoWTaylan]

I love the Dick analogy since it is probably the only thing that Average American might understand as we saw from the footage. Which is quite sad really and terrifying how easily NSA and such can get away with their crap even after being exposed.

[@goldboyjr]

Lol he said Anal

[@SDC3]

***** This program is made in America. John Oliver, the host, has lived in America for quite some time now.

[@davebirney]

yea i wouldnt have thought it was a good idea making something like this into a joke but its definitely going to get way more clicks and shares than if it was just a boring regular interview

[@OlgaGax]

I think the dick analogy is brilliant because people will actually care, or find it funny, thus sharing the information.

[@wiggumesquilax9480]

It's not crap that's from their dicks; it's smegma.

[@gaypatterson4446]

I just realized how old this show is. John, Congrats for tuning in so early. I am a fan; just wish I had discovered you many years earlier. You are the man!

[@Mo.Ab.Ma-Ca]

Edward did the right thing.

[@newsyringe2834]

I can literally see the frustration of Snowden trying to explain this complex concept and I really applaud Oliver for making it a situation everyone can understand with added humor that people will remember

[@deepstariaenigmatica2601]

that's the impression i got too, excellent and a very important episode

[@fedtho]

Yes. Yes. Yes! You achieved the remarkable goal of the MERITS of this whole interview. (and lots of people have made excellent comments here)

[@EricaKriner1]

For anyone who was wondering, 2000 Russian Ruble equals 37.547 US Dollars.

[@Zersetzung]

And thanks to their failing economy it now equals $0.23

[@taylortierney6542]

RandomGamingUltra No, it isn't. After checking three different currency conversion websites, they all said that the currently, 2000 rubles is 37.23147 in USD, which is only a fluctuation of 31 cents. The whole "Russia has a failing economy" story is a load of tosh. Stop spreading bullshit.

[@Zersetzung]

Craig Tierney Sorry Mr. No Fun

[@Schepeppa]

RandomGamingUltra Sorry Mr. Factual Errors

[@kylemoney5557]

Erica Kriner Thanks for the info (I was indeed wondering).

[@OptimusPrime420s]

Can you imagine it has been six years? It's still 100% up to date

[@Maverick0451]

Back here again, watching John Oliver gold, years and years later. I love this show, then and now!!!

[@SawdEndymon]

Snowden is and always will be in my opinion: *A HERO*

[@cati101]

SawdEndymon 1312 exactly!

[@CRASHjester]

cati101 No question.

[@civedm]

It's sad they had to dumb it down like that for people to understand anything they are talking about.

[@Vigilante1O9]

CIV EDM If they don't dumb things down, 99% of the population wouldn't be able to understand it. This applies to basically any field.

[@civedm]

Vigilante1O9 I know. But that was seriously dumbing it down. Might as well whipped out some crayons and started drawing pictures for everyone. I was under the impression that snowden was a bit disappointed with having to dumb it down as such.

[@kokobain]

CIV EDM It's good to dumb things down. Nothing wrong with that. It was a clever way of explaining.

[@zaralass5274]

CIV EDM To be fair, what John Oliver is doing here is taking his point (that problem is so complex many just let it slide), which in itself is very valid, to the extremes for added impact and humorous effect. I bet that Snowden, to some degree, was aware of this, and even if not, we're all humans who sometimes need a good laugh. I'm sure Snowden appreciated the interview. It was funny, but yet sincere.

[@ZallCaTor]

CIV EDM At least someone with an audiance is brave enough to tell the truth. I tip my hat to him.

[@gordonpetten6553]

I've watched this a dozen times, I love and respect John. For some reason though, I can't stop looking at his hair this time, it's kinda weird right? Like look where it connects on "his right" our left, that's weird right?

[@dianechavel9261]

Thank God people like this exist