John Oliver Is Still Working Through the Rage

[@stephenriggs8177]

To me, the biggest tribute to John's work is that every comments section is full of insiders saying, "Thank you for telling our story."

[@nielskorpel8860]

Good point. Well noted. Nuff said. Comment boosted.

[@rrael]

Yeah he's a comedian doing the actual investigative journalism that most media doesn't bother with. What a world we live in. But we'd be worse for it if not for John Oliver.

[@davejones4946]

I find the "I'm a real journalist" composure of the interviewer disconcerting. I haven't watched network TV in a very long time and I guess now that overall tone is weird to me. I'm not even young, Im 42 years old. But that level of seriousness is weird to me now.

[@x3Vicki]

You 1,000% have hit the nail on the head. The latest episode on living with disability is the ep I resonated the most with bc I’m the caregiver for a parent with dementia. The Medicare application process was summarized perfectly and I felt seen and less alone. I think that was the first ep clip I ever commented on.

[@darknesswithin2667]

@@rrael He's a comedian with that sweet, sweet dragon money with which to pay investigative journalists. Most mainstream journalism outlets are *struggling* to make ends meet with the modern cycle.

[@jayeisner8849]

I don't care how British sensibility forces him to frame it; the desire to make the world better permeates every atom of the show. The courage to be earnest is rare these days and I love them for it.

[@vairagya108]

what is 'British sensibility'?

[@tmtmtlsml]

@@vairagya108 Keep calm and carry on

[@Bluetangg]

@@vairagya108he mentions how his view of Britain’s history effects his view of the noble aspects of the show.

[@thatmanfred]

​@@vairagya108 To be self depreciating, to minimise, stiff upper lip. That, combined with historical guilt, is a big part of why he doesn't like to be interviewed, be complimented, to be called a journalist (a job he greatly respects and a term he likely doesn't feel like he deserves) etc. It's a different mindset to the yank one, which is much more likely to celebrate one's own accomplishments, to strive for those sort of accolades.

[@medievalchameleon102]

Even in the bathrooms

[@rrosaseconda]

Without John Oliver & Jon Stewart the present historical moment would be intolerable. Kudos for featuring John's process.

[@23erisx]

If they didn't exist, we'd have to invent them. Glad we don't have to do that, the genuine article is SO much better!

[@GlobalCitizen55]

And Stephen Colbert.

[@Alex-js5lg]

Add Seth Meyers to the list.

[@eden5260]

History isn't exactly his strong hold . That's like taking history lessons from TikTok

[@BothTeamsPlayedHard]

Get out more.

[@kt9166]

John Oliver states and restates that he himself is not a journalist, but that he does have a team of journalists working every single story. I have found, over the ten years of LAST WEEK TONIGHT, that what they do is tackle the hard stories, the truth to power stories, the stories that will make you cry with compassion or rage, and make them understandable and with golden nuggets of comedy to make the whole thing go down like Mary Poppins' spoonful of sugar. I have learned so much over the last ten years, and I hope that LAST WEEK TONIGHT goes on for another ten years. It has become an Important show, one that you can record and show to your middle or high school or college class to explain a very difficult subject. Maybe you aren't a Journalist, John, but you certainly are an educator. Bravo and God Speed to you and everyone at LAST WEEK TONIGHT!

[@Xanderall]

Well said. If he were a journalist, he would be looking for the information himself. Instead, his talent is knowing how to present the information in a way that will interest people long enough so they can internalize some of it

[@jschuler53]

@kt9166 Great comment. Thanks. Finally an intelligent contribution to this weird thread.

[@lesliefarrell7675]

True!

[@MylesDavid]

Perfectly expressed!! 😊👍🏼

[@rolan638]

I completely agree, but i think his point is more that they cover stories that weren't picked up by the mainstream cycle. Stories that have had some time to develop, and that there is more to talk about. I still think this qualifies as news, but usually the information is not new, not by a couple months at least, when it is presented on last week tonight.

[@PhilipJackson03]

It’s simple really. I see that big eyed toucan on the thumbnail, I click.

[@m.a.b.4104]

💯

[@anonymes2884]

He's easily in my top 10 large billed birds.

[@Max_Ater]

This just made me choke because I laughed so hard

[@daniellatanswell3990]

Hilarious and so true! Sadly, this interview was pretty dull.

[@julane-h2y]

@@daniellatanswell3990 Dull by dragon standards, however some of us like our entertainment non-loud, nonabstract, or exhausting!

[@waywardmind]

Jon Oliver isn't a journalist, period. However, his show is inherently and rigorously _journalistic_ -- so much so that it makes most major news outlets, especially cable news and headline-chasers, look amateur by comparison.

[@olddecimal2736]

News outlets don’t employ journalists anymore. The real journalists are comedians now. lol

[@Toddy15]

True, but dont forget that he hires journalists. I think it is just sad that the "funny, heavily led" show, still feels more "unbiased" then the actual news outlets.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

True. He was a comedian over here in the UK. I'm glad he agreed to move over and do his show because he was getting underused on the panel shows over here. He's done so much better in the US and using his comedy background helps him get the message across.

[@Kuriousape]

@@TheStevenWhiting true. Much missed on the Bugle though.

[@Tdfries]

John Oliver and his team are definitely Journalists. They are doing what Journalists do. They are Journalists.

[@stephensorensen4477]

John Oliver may not be a journalist but his show is journalistic, and deserves every journalistic award and accolade.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

He Is a journalist, young person

[@Ohm521]

@@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491 He himself says he is not! He has the integrity and insight that journalists should have however. (from an old person :p)

[@garrenosborne9623]

Hes not the Journalist need, hes the Journalist we want........... better than most & better than none at all

[@mage4423]

I believe he has a team of journalists and he does some as well, but he is the face of all that hard work

[@Stew-s5e]

He’s a comedian that does his research, and compared to modern day media talking heads he sure seems like he is. Sad the way the media has become a political propaganda machine forgoing facts for commercial success.

[@Strype13]

I find it extremely commendable how humble John came across. If I'm being honest, I think I've learned more valuable (albeit, often quite depressing) information from his show than any other show on television, and I mean that in the highest regard possible. Producing a show that is exceptionally educational while, at the same time, being extremely entertaining has got to be one of the most difficult endeavors imaginable... and John and his team are remarkably proficient at it. And I just hope he realizes how invaluable his content truly is -- at least to me, anyway. The man is a national treasure and an absolute legend.

[@tigerb1976]

I think the only show I've ever learned more from was Sesame Street.

[@vegan.atheist.weirdo]

NYT: "I'm glad _somebody's_ hiring journalists." John Oliver: "Unfortunately, it might _just_ be us." This is so accurate that I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[@BigSmiley0TV]

Much like the rollercoaster of watching his show

[@chrisoakey9841]

I would add, there is absolutely no responsibility or accountability for journalists. For evidence see the dominion voting discovery. The accountability was not as journalism lying their asses off to deliberately push conflict. They are only charged for defamation. The damage to a company. Not damage to the country.

[@Insanabiliter_In_Linea]

At times, both are acceptable.

[@redhottpussyliquor]

Both ! ❤

[@michaelkottler]

A little of both, perhaps? But in all seriousness, yeah: What you said.

[@stevennicgorski1657]

John interviews so well. Its like every question catches him off guard, so he answers from the heart each time

[@cherylbenton7107]

I totally agree with you! He allows himself to be open and vulnerable and therefore feels so authentic.

[@ghostlytavern129]

I hardly ever see interviews with him and I 1000% agree I LOVE hearing his normal voice x)

[@sublime8956]

Please

[@olddecimal2736]

@@sublime8956the answer is no. Not even pretty with sugar on top.

[@BerylliumGold]

You can hear how nervous he is too, which is such an endearing characteristic

[@jayreed9370]

I think it's interesting that all of the Daily Show alumni inevitably get asked the "Are you a journalist" question more than any other. I think a better question is usually "what happened to journalism, such that you have been in many ways chosen to take its place?"

[@anonymes2884]

I mean, it's pretty obvious what happened right ? _We_ happened - we mostly stopped reading good print journalism that takes months of work to research, check etc. and started expecting the news to be one click away and _also_ be entertaining (because heaven forfend it should take 20 minutes and a bit of focus to read an article). Essentially, we stopped wanting to _pay_ for journalism and we _especially_ stopped wanting to pay for journalism that wasn't telling us what we wanted to hear. (granted, we had "help" from various quarters like "big tech" and advertisers between them promoting the attention economy, commercial interests deciding the news "cycle" should now be 24/7 etc. but ultimately, if they didn't succeed they wouldn't have continued. Basically, we hacked ourselves and it _might_ be our undoing. Happy weekend ! :)

[@porqpai7082]

@@anonymes2884can’t leave out that most newsrooms were, to my experience in the early 90’s, distinctly NOT diverse. The internet provided that diversity with minimal cost to the consumer and so here we are. Print wasn’t talking about any of this before the advent of social media. Not to this degree.

[@scoobertmcruppert2915]

@@anonymes2884Wrong. The advertising and decline in good journalism came first. Then the internet removed the barrier of entry for people to give their opinions and have them heard without needing multimillion dollars in startup costs…and then advertising kicked in again

[@redrockpaco]

Wow!!! What a great thought! And yet so true. Delusion is real.

[@sorinlazarioan]

@@anonymes2884”Ce n’est pas un journaliste” 😄

[@markee1010]

"How can you not be angry...unless you're a sociopath"-GREAT quote. Reminds me of a sermonette I heard at station sign-off back in the mid-60's, and I quote, "If you're not angry, you're not paying attention". And that came from a non-denominational minister on the subject of American poverty. The saddest part of being human, is knowing that we COULD be so much better to each other, but there's a significant portion of us that just say nope, it's every man for himself. We are children in so many ways. When will we grow up? Ever?

[@cygnus62]

I think most people want help the needy, the disagreement is what is the best way to do that.

[@nancyseiler2844]

Beautiful comment. Surprised you haven’t gotten more replies.

[@ourblueheavendesign]

So true!!

[@gsauce132able]

Great post. Reminds me of that song by Pink Floyd/David Gilmour "On The Turning Away". Why do we choose to be cruel to each other? When it's not difficult to be kind to one another. As an older adult in the second half of my life living in the United States trying to deal with the current polarizing political climate, I'm having a difficult time of not becoming a misanthrope and giving into nihilism. I'm just hoping that we elect the right leaders to run our country and make life a little bit more bearable.

[@markee1010]

@@gsauce132able YES! And being cruel IS a choice! That's important to remember.

[@mhartan]

For someone who is not a journalist, Oliver and his colleagues are a lot more rigorous in their fact-checking than any news outlet I can think of, including the NYT.

[@DaSkonk]

Couldn't agree more, well said. The NYT could certainly use more than a little of John and his colleagues' accuracy rigour, make no mistake.

[@susanheinz5804]

I love fact checking! If only trumpers could do it and understand it! He has a rapid fire presentation and does it so well! I’m glad he’s on our side and became a citizen, tho he may regret the latter! We should get to vote on a topic for 1 show per season! I don’t have cable but get to see a condensed version on KZbin. It’s clear why his show wins so many Emmy awards!

[@arbellfriday6613]

Problem being they have a 6 week process to get it right whereas the news media at the most has a day.

[@TheSimianDeity]

I have really enjoyed and appreciated LWT. But I do take issue with the way John Oliver hides behind the defense of "its a comedy show not journalism" when *clearly* it is journalism first and comedy second. He seems to have learned this tactic from John Stewart, and I find it to ring a bit hollow in both of their cases.

[@NoWorriesLa]

@@DaSkonk As well as dedicating a budget to fact checkers (and copy writers and editors etc) in the same way an entertainment company can/does.

[@lostboy583]

John Oliver may be British.. but he’s our national treasure

[@gerdforster883]

Claiming other countries' heritage as their own is a very british thing, so this makes him even more british.

[@van-hieuvo8208]

He's gotten American citizenship, so if you're American, he's one of you now.

[@anonymes2884]

@@gerdforster883 Indeed. I just made the OP an honorary Brit (it's my turn to do it this week). (sure, maybe you haven't actually stolen another country, ordered ham, egg and chips in a Spanish restaurant or fully internalised the incontestable fact that speaking English loudly and slowly _at_ people from abroad is basically the same as learning their language but you're still in)

[@diogovale700]

He's a world treasure

[@julane-h2y]

@@van-hieuvo8208 One of us!

[@MitchellTF]

He doesn't think he's a journalist, not because he doesn't think he should be held to that standard, but because, despite meeting that standard, he has too much appreciation for people who do the real work, to take credit from them.

[@EnderoftheGame]

That's a great way of framing the position that I feel like he's shared

[@diogenesrex7847]

To add on to what you're saying (not take away from it) I would also say that it has to do with the show's place in reporting on stories. They aren't journalists because they are not doing the research most of the time. They occasionally reach out to people for comment, but they fit more in the role of the reporter than the journalist. They are aggregating existing and often painstakingly researched sources to deliver a final product. And yes, "news aggregator" is a descriptor with a shit reputation now, but in the realest sense that is what is happening here, and I think it makes the team working on the show acutely aware of how important the grinding journalistic work they rely on and pull from really is.

[@ekdaufin1485]

“So what can we do” is SO IMPORTANT so that we(I) don’t become horribly depressed at the end of each show. And when there isn’t really an actionable one for me, even symbolically, it’s REALLY hard and something to have to recover one.

[@shiplesp]

Comedy, when it works, is the court jester. The only person in the kingdom who can speak truth to power without being beheaded. In that tradition, it is essential. Considering the coin flip we are currently facing, the odds are that we could need it more than ever. Well done, jester John.

[@someguy8375]

plus, considering that humans are known to react to attacks on their beliefs in the same way as a physical threat, couching controversial discussions in humour helps get people to feel comfortable with foreign ideas

[@julane-h2y]

@@someguy8375 like truth, empathy, kindness, peace, survival...

[@mackenzieclarkson8322]

Hot John got nothing against this man

[@nielskorpel8860]

And then there are comedians who take the jester role and, somehow, a way to abuse it.

[@KootFloris]

John Oliver should make a main item on why so much 'journalistic' news media sucks!

[@cherylbenton7107]

I thought that I couldn't adore John Oliver more than I already did, until I watched this interview and heard, not only his process, but also felt the genuine emotions in his voice and demeanor. Thank you !

[@danforthmedia-kr1jv]

He is clearly a lovely human being. I'm so glad I watched this. Already liked him, but this made me happy to see a different side.

[@charleswentworth1530]

I really like how whenever John puts out anything, it's very genuine. His interviews and show obviously, but also spur of the moment things like his farewell to a football (soccer) player who was retiring

[@mkhanman12345]

Did you subscribe

[@thatguy1706]

I got to roughly the 8 minute mark, and had to pause, nearly made me break down a little bit. I've watched his show since season 2, always knew he sourced well. But to now know that 6 weeks and an extensive, dedicated team go into checking the validity of the things they're showing..... much less in the day and age of "they're eating the pets"... as truly awful as things are or may get, it's so reassuring to know that people are working this hard to "get it right"

[@mkhanman12345]

That’s what we do. Duty and integrity is all we know.

[@WillyShankspeare]

I love that one of them is Dan Gurewitch from College Humour.

[@wcg66]

The fact that "news" channels can't even bother (or want to, or be incented to) match the research a comedy show does.

[@Spoutinwyze]

im at 8 min mark too. the NYT interviewer was really trying to push the "opinion - not news" to try and appease their Republican customers, but i am glad John made a point here, that it's fact based opinion. If you had the facts, your opinion would be the same. Which is to say, many things aren't up to opinion at all if you are decent human being.

[@jdmmg4904]

❤

[@markpoppe8681]

I am "that Dad." When my kids were old enough to ask about what they saw on the news, I would walk them over the world map I had on the hallway wall and point to the place they had asked about. Then we'd talk about the history of that place and how current events were connected to the past. We had some great chats, and it was great to see them walking away to chew on what they'd learned.

[@andiwestcott7187]

I feel every bit of John's rage. It's absolutely insane that Trump has become so obviously fascist yet retained so much support. It's frightening, depressing, and maddening.

[@davidevans6009]

You poor deluded soul

[@MagicManICT]

Became? he's been like this since he started doing television. He's been this way since he started building skyscrapers and casinos. From what I've read and seen of how he grew up, nothing much has changed since his father sent him off to military school. He has most definitely become worse as he's gotten older and others have been willing to bail him out of the worst of his decisions.

[@eoinleen1]

​@@MagicManICTUntil he started using mob violence as a tactic I would not have called him a fascist. It took him a while to get to that point.

[@dhulbert855]

@@MagicManICT And that he's been a con man and a grifter and a cheat EVERY step of the way, and that there are uncountable numbers of people that he has shafted along the path.

[@TampaDave]

@@eoinleen1 Charlottesville.

[@makeadifference4all]

Who wants to see “Last Week Tonight” bonus clips with Hot John?

[@angusschuurman864]

Not gonna happen

[@audreymuzingo933]

@@angusschuurman864 Angus, are YOU Hot John??😯

[@Gus-n9u]

We got the Josepi bit when they did Beauty Pageants. He was super hot Jon. It could happen!

[@dallasdandigitalproduction393]

Hot John made me laugh. Geezuz

[@QueenoftheKitties]

We already have a Hot John with John Oliver. He is beautiful inside & out

[@crawkn]

"It's only funny _if_ it's true. It has to be truth, for it to be funny" answers the question "why doesn't MAGA have comedians."

[@LadyDewBuild]

Well said

[@markstevens1729]

There have been funny people turn conservative (Dennis Milller… Adam Corolla…?) and immediately get a funny-bone-ectomy. You can exaggerate in comedy, you just can’t lie.

[@crawkn]

(edit: this reply was to a comment which was since deleted. I'm not insinuating anything about "radical leftists" having any relevance, I am refuting the commenters assertions that they do.) @@MS2036-c8o With only a few exceptions, those are comedians who have become less popular due to a general perception that they aren't as funny as they once were. Your attribution of their decline to their having been "cancelled" by a radicalizing left is suspect. Yes, people do base their preferences in humor in part on their political leanings, but my thesis is that their humor has also been compromised by a lack of objectivity in representations of truth. By your assessment, radical leftists would have to comprise a majority of those who appreciate humor, and there is no evidence that this is true. There are no radical majorities in the U.S., only radical minorities who may be disproportionately noisy.

[@animeyay4]

They do, we just don't see them because they're not funny to us. Typically they all do the same joke of "you can't say this anymore" whilst literally saying something usually pretty stupid.

[@crawkn]

@@animeyay4 Much of humor in drama derives from people saying embarrassingly irrational or unpopular things. It detracts from the humor when it is apparent that the unpopular things the humorist is saying or scripting are their genuine beliefs.

[@SunriseViewer]

I’ve been watching Last Week Tonight forever. Always on KZbin, because it’s just not accessible otherwise in my country. I really appreciate this conversation. Thank you.

[@spinnydave]

"To a certain extent sometimes its like fiddling while Rome burns". That line from John reflects how many of us are feeling day by day. Well said. Nihilism can creep up on all of us if we don't keep trying.

[@DennisMoore664]

I'd argue that Nihilism can creep on all of us _even though_ we keep trying. Sometimes even because we keep trying and all we're doing is slamming our head against an impenetrable status quo of willful ignorance, whataboutism, and/or one-sided civility. Sometimes Nihilism is all I've got left in me until I can muster up the strength to push that darkness away and try again.

[@thisbushnell2012]

I do what is before me, knowing my power to effect change is minimal and local. I hope for the proverbial butterfly effect, but do not expect to actually see it in one short lifetime.

[@ElysianLys]

Man, John sounds like he's on the edge of tears for chunks of this interview. Given how bleak the subject matter of LWT can be, it doesn't surprise me, but it does break my heart a little.

[@Bigboigoinlong]

The way he almost seems like he’s about to cry reads as just overwhelming anxiety to me. I can get that way sometimes when I have to talk and feel incredibly anxious. I feel choked up, but it’s not from sadness, it’s from feeling so anxious that I need some form of release. Him saying he doesn’t do interviews often makes a lot of sense. I’m sure it’s exhausting for him.

[@danderedere]

@@Bigboigoinlong I hear anxiety as well when he sounds choked up. He's nervous and it's pretty clear that he's more comfortable (to various degrees) when he can make a joke, laugh or talk about something he knows the answer well, such as explaining the writing cycle.

[@Allvah2]

This is 100% his anxiety coming to the surface when not "in character". It's deeply human, and as a person who also suffers from anxiety, it couldn't be more apparent, and - importantly - relatable.

[@PatrolBoat-Riverine-Streetgang]

Yeah I'm just listening to the audio and that's what kept tripping me up thinking, is he about to cry? I hope he's doing ok.

[@5210smile]

Came to the comments to see if I was alone hearing that. I agree that it is likely interview anxiety

[@jamespardue3055]

John comes across as every bit as intelligent and sincere as I always imagined him to be. His shows are always brilliant, you can really see the hard work that goes into putting the material together. Thanks again John to you and your staff.

[@EleanorofAquitaine42]

I totally agree with you. My favorite interview of his is when he did Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Colbert’s interview was a gem as well.

[@Face2East]

UK here - you guys got one of our greatest exports in the recent years. A good interview of a guy who is on top of his game.

[@ktkee7161]

I think he's a less funny Ben Elton. I also don't like the way he ridicules Britain now he's left, calling us hideously white and ridiculous things like that.

[@bettybelenky-ht9ur]

Commonwealth country here (Canada) - you've shared him with the planet. And we all thank you.

[@imnotmike]

I think it's obvious that John's goal with Last Week Tonight is to make sure that Seth Meyers never wins an Emmy.

[@lynnhettrick7588]

Do I smell another Jackal in the room? 🐾

[@obi-ron]

Is that you Seth? 😅😅😅😅😅

[@petersulewski]

@@lynnhettrick7588 Corrections is a gem. I'm so glad Myers does it.

[@gonzalojordan835]

I would love to se a special of both of them

[@WarriorDudePerson]

@@gonzalojordan835 Strike Force Five podcast features them both

[@danawelcker3441]

I learn something from every John Oliver show, which is why I primarily started watching. However, he is also very amusing and entertaining in his presentation even for serious subjects. It is easy enough to check his facts but I tend to agree with his opinions and at times make notes for further reading on my own. I am grateful that he is bringing attention to some very important issues that are not mainstream.

[@paavobergmann4920]

My very first John Oliver video was that about nuclear weapons safety, and that was equally hilarious and horrifying, and I thought: "I need more of this guy!"

[@Nancy-n4o8k]

I don't think it's 'easy' to fact check Oliver. Like he said, he has teams that work for several weeks to interview and pin down what's true and what isn't. Please tell me how you easily fact check John's research teams.

[@marcusmurphy1481]

@@Nancy-n4o8k Because you don't have to put as much work in as they do. They have a lot of work to do to be certain they are getting legit information from a credible well informed source, they probably have to go through checks on several sources to find the right ones. It is like an interview team for a job posting, they have to screen a huge number of candidates, however in order to confirm they have hired a qualified candidate I only have to scrutinize the one!

[@Pehz63]

It's not easy to fact check him or anyone. Because they bombard you with so many claims and you can never fact check all of them. A 10-minute video would take 10 hours to fully fact check, and nobody takes that time. And if he leaves something out, you probably won't even know to look there at all to get the full picture.

[@daphnebabcock1151]

John's show makes me laugh, makes me think, makes me angry, and sometimes makes me cry

[@unduloid]

It makes me reach for the Lagavulin Double Matured.

[@Tenems941]

Sounds like daddy material

[@johntorres2268]

His show makes me thoroughly enjoy doing more research on each topics I see. No college professor has ever made me feel that way.

[@Lowlandlord]

Sometimes all at the same time😅😂😡😭

[@jennymac2209]

It’s gold

[@LabGecko]

Thank you for choosing this interview NYT, and thank you very much for all your work John Oliver !

[@davidlewis8814]

“Nihilism is completely useless; that’s the coward’s way out…”. Oh, well said, sir! Hear, hear!!

[@TulipIris7244]

💯

[@itsROMPERS...]

It's not typically a chosen strategy

[@hezigler]

"Say what you will about the tenants of National Socialism. At least it's an ethos." Walter Sobchak

[@williamyoung9401]

Someone should tell the Boomers and college kids.

[@davidyohalem629]

@@hezigler No one rents from Nazis. Oh! You mean tenets. That's different. Never mind - paraphrasing Emily Litella. Now tell us about all the violins on TV.

[@virginiathornton]

One of my kids when they were ten asked me if there was a John Oliver calendar, like the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit calendar or other supermodel calendars. I have raised a family of John Oliver fanatics.

[@idontwantahandlethough]

you're a dope mom :) P.S. although now I DO want a sexy John Oliver calendar. Not for your kid, for me.

[@AmyNorm]

Amazing! You’ve done it right 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@virginiathornton]

@@idontwantahandlethough I know right

[@TheCMB410]

This is amazing. You win the internet. And parenting.

[@mmarzett]

Sounds like a BBQ that I would absolutely attend. (If invited, of course)

[@GenaTrius]

He should send his research team off to see if he's a journalist, because I think they might just come back and say "You're technically one of the only journalists in America."

[@Frizzleman]

Well said

[@jp13119]

Besides the Great Amy Goodman. 🇺🇸

[@Bigboigoinlong]

No I agree with John in how he describes it. I think he definitely could be a journalist if he wanted, but if he doesn’t do the research, then he isn’t a journalist.

[@alecdejongh5008]

yeah hes not a journalist, hes a journalist's boss. same way Elon doesnt make cars, his company does. John doesnt do journalism but his show does.

[@tristanridley1601]

The people on TV are 'New Readers'. If you think any of the people you see are journalists, then Jon DEFINITELY is.

[@nickanthony214]

Yes, the KZbin distribution is critical to get the message out there. That’s how I initially stumbled upon Last Week Tonight. JOHN OLIVER!!!!!

[@Sm0lm0l]

25:03 The fact that John doesn’t think that he’s indispensable breaks my heart. 🥺 My beloved bird beaked british man, are the reason I can stomach the absolute heart wrenching topics you report.

[@ghostlytavern129]

Same I adore him oh my gosh I would cry with out this show!

[@FirestormX9]

@@timphillips1218 what? For an egotistical person, sure, cause "i don't think that i'm _dispensable_ " is not what John was trying to say.

[@RunD.Ones1s]

He’s just being humble, he’s intelligent enough to understand that he’s the only one who could do his show

[@leab6221]

@@RunD.Ones1s I thought so too. He dodged that question, but it's pretty clear that it's because he wont let anyone else handle the material and he's right about that.

[@timphillips1218]

@@FirestormX9 I read it wrong.

[@unktheunk1428]

he sounds so much more vulnerable, like he's almost on the edge of tears any time he's talking about the work distinct from the stage performance. fucking godspeed to John Oliver and everyone else working on that team, out there doing gods work trying to turn the empty rage that comes out of knowing how fucked the world is into forms that the wider public actually has the capacity to metabolize. "nihilism is the coward's way out"

[@elahn]

I thought the same thing. Like,” is he holding back tears?” Though maybe I was just misinterpreting his tone but maybe not.

[@damrat]

I came here to say this. I definitely heard genuine and deep emotion and conviction in his voice as he was answering. John Oliver genuinely cares about what he does. Part of what makes his show so good is that he really gives a damn.

[@danielmckendrick1371]

He's probably a really anxious dude. When he's on his show, he's reading his lines off a teleprompter, and not having a conversation with someone who is intensely staring into his soul.

[@shorgoth]

How can I say this... I see a lot of myself in him, I watched many of his interviews and he's one of the rare people I truly identify with in therm of our thought processees. He's trying to be the most genuine he can. We abhore lies and don't deal well with not understanding. There is a sort of granular view on things we have where everything relating to a subject is important for a complete understanding. There is a simmering disgust, despair and wrath toward a world built in a way that hurt people, but also a genuine love for a lot of things that we find intensely beautiful and important that we want expanded. People like us who feel so much and see so much of the wrongs in the world we can't close our eyes on, to us it's like a bloch of ink on a white shirt we can't get our eyes away from. We tend to feel it all at the same time, anger, humour, love and everything in-between. I can be deeply angered at someone for their behaviour yet be genuinely feeling their hurt and want the best for them at the same time in a confusing mash up. We also tend to have a poor self esteem, laughing about ourselves is a reflex to dedramatize our own chaotic emotional state, to keep things lighter in deeply troubling times. This is how we survive our own intensity. There is a lot of self awareness I hear in his words, a lot of conscious constant analysis on top of his regular consciousness always nitpicking at his personal opinions to test them to avoid harm at all cost. People like us want others to feel good and not share our doom and gloom, but we also know that sometimes things have to be said so they can be changed. So I'm not surprised at this strange mix of vulnerability and strength. This constant self doubt born from knowing human nature, that naging knowledge that our instincts don't serve the greater good most of the time and that poor choices of words and action can have dire consequences... I'm ocasionally a cyberpunk writer and my writing is quite similar to his in the way that I'll pull a completely dystopic idea and turn it into a joke yet at the same time the joke is only funny because it is true to reality. In my story, my main character has a brain implant with a large language model as an opperating system with access to all her senses. The earliest joke is right at the begining, the first paragraph is a brain publicity selling nutrishakes, harassing the main character like an agressive pop up for your mind while she's in the middle of hunting someone for their bounty. It's a joke, my readers find it hillarious because it is true to reality with all the add content we see everywhere on the net and we know that the minute some tech billionaire put one of those commercial brain implants on the market they will try to use it to influence our commercial behaviours.... And facing that reality I feel rage, yet can't stop myself making fun of it constantly because otherwise, I would always cry. By making it a joke I reclaim back some power from that devouring void of morality. I can denounce that sort of behaviour and try to weaken it through humiliation and ridicule. Ridicule can be a weapon, we see it by calling Maga weird how powerful it can be to inoculate a lot of people. Bullying can be for evil but it can also be for good, bullying is about enforcing standards of behaviours and against aberant and dangerous behaviours it is required for a healthy society. It can also be a awful thing to destroy people who don't fit in it just because they exist differently. So, a double edged sword... but our society told us that bullying is only evil and don't offers nuances about it. I don't have the reach he does, frankly I barely have a few tens of readers, nothing to boast about. I'm a nobody, but I still try to do my small part. I think people like him and I are somewhat born crusaders in a sense we can't help ourselves to confront true evil yet lament the state of things with all our heart. Yet we are not violent people by nature, just really atuned to an inherent sense of justice we seem to share.

[@That_Lamer]

Honestly in many places through this you can also see how intensely he has his guard up. Feels like he wasn't sure what he was walking into with this interview. And considering how the NYT has shifted over the last few years, I don't blame him.

[@pikeyMcBarkin]

I really love how John Oliver is saying "If what I do now has no integrity, then what am I doing here" He is incredibly proud of his work.

[@ReaperIFF245]

There are moments during this interview where I can literally hear the emotions he's feeling in his voice, and it's genuine and raw. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this.

[@xelasomar4614]

I had a strong appreciation of John Oliver, it is now multiplied. What a world it would be if we had a lot more like him.

[@taidee]

Indeed.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

Mr. Oliver's take on Opioids killed much of my respect for him. If only he considered what it is like to live with a broken back & crushed nerve root, he would have done less damage to those of us who live with severe chronic pain. As currently we can't even change doctors or hospitals due to the stigma despite being a responsible pain patient for decades...

[@erasmus_locke]

He keeps saying it's a comedy show but Let's be real the jokes are only there to stop the audience from collectively hanging themselves. The death penalty episode is not what anyone would call gut busting laugh factory material.

[@rickyrickardo3445]

The show is basically funny school most the time. It's something no other show offers

[@SubyWuby]

@@rickyrickardo3445 Exactly, I could learn about anything in this format, it's so engaging and well presented, my ADHD mind loves it and focus through the entire thing, it'awesome. School should have been like this!

[@richardprice-l5b]

It’s humorist, which is a form of news opinion combined with satire. His denial of that is disappointing and hypocritical.

[@wordzmyth]

​@@richardprice-l5b he said that the main story was factually based with joke to lighten it and his conclusion at the end was opinion. Which was not so far from that. I agree with the person who said journalistic

[@richardprice-l5b]

@@wordzmyth but he is being disingenuous when he distorts facts and comes at things from a bias, then says it isn’t opinion and isn’t journalism, just facts. Not so.

[@GibertPlays]

I listen to how technical John is in his description of his show and its development and operation, and I can't help but think that he's just so engaged and interested in the project running well. I bet he'd be a good boss.

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

He was simply overqualified for the journalism biz, and they didn't deserve him. But we do. If we're good and eat our vegetables.

[@ksb24091989]

Dude went back to standup to support paying the writers during writer’s strike. His staff is a well oiled machine and they love him.

[@Winspur1982]

I agree! In this world there's John Oliver bosses and Jimmy Fallon bosses and I ALWAYS want the former type.

[@GinaGreenlee]

I feel like she hammered at the same three questions for nearly 40 minutes. Like she's trying to uncover something that isn't there. The man seems pretty open and direct about three points: "I'm not a journalist but I don't elide the responsibility of accuracy;" and "comedy and tragedy can co-exist:" I mean, has this woman never been to the theatre, read great fiction; and John is not despairing. Comedy is how he stays grounded. For the love of God, ask the man something else.

[@emjayprobably]

Agreed! It's such a weird corner to attempt to box him into and I can't figure out what the end game is.

[@TheSongwritingCat]

Welcome to the current state of "journalism." Being a news reader doesn't make someone a reporter. And there's a reason the op-ed section is off in its own corner. I'd say the line of questioning was worrisome if this hasn't been the state of the corporate media landscape for years.

[@emjayprobably]

@@TheSongwritingCat it might also be related to the fact that I've read somewhere recently that folks trust hosts like him and Jon Stewart more than "real" news. Maybe it's like a weird reverse Uno where they're trying to latch onto him hahah

[@TheSongwritingCat]

@@emjayprobably I think there's a bit of envy because when questioned, she talks about the jokes (and not, for example, freedom from the pretense of objectivity). Journalists can absolutely still be entertaining, whether it's through humor or otherwise writing in a compelling manner.

[@sarajuvey]

@@emjayprobably They should definitely be worried, and jealous, and reeling, because whereas they seek clickbait headlines, nothing more nothing less, late-night shows have emotion, give fact-checked information, and give calls to action. "Journalists" like this interviewer and "real" news outlets can either correct their path or lose more and more viewers/readers.

[@lorrainebrown1520]

He is brilliant. That’s why he keeps walking away with the awards. His humanity always shines through his work.

[@christopherfarley9331]

No, it's because he is on the right side of the political aisle for Hollywood, which is why he is won at the expense of other talk show hosts like Trevor Noah and Steven Colbert. He only produces 20 shows a year for only 30 Minutes? The others do it all year around. He is an annoying arrogant British bloat who is basically a tool of corporate media!

[@Gaccount-cr7zn]

This dude is a world class educator. Big fan.

[@distracted-dad]

To the journalism question, I think a good analogy would be weathermen. weathermen are not meteorologists, but they need meteorologists to do their job well. Jon is not a journalist, but he needs journalists to do his job well.

[@LA-qv1ir]

Good one. Honestly, I kind of feel that journalists maybe, at least unconsciously, envious of shows like Last Week Tonight, for all the things John Oliver said: the resources, the freedom, and the acclaim of both fans and the industry (e.g., Emmy awards).

[@corneliuspildershmidt]

Great analogy! You’re a quick witted guy, huh? Have a great rest of your life!

[@unduloid]

His name is John.

[@distracted-dad]

@@unduloid quite right, my mistake.

[@Gabriel_H77]

Terrible analogy. Weathermen usually are meteorologists. In the US, accreditation as a weather presenter requires they at least hold a degree in meteorology.

[@LollyWildharber]

I have just discovered John Oliver and his amazing program. I am hooked! He takes difficult subjects and adds humor to make it easier to handle. I am obsessed with watching it…..even going back years to see history through his eyes.

[@JachymorDota]

Damn, it really hurts to see funny and charming guys like John almost choke and tear up when talking about the horrors of humanity he has to face and package into a digestable little packages of comedy. Thank you for your service, conniseur of artful furry rats!

[@CVL13]

Hard disagree on two things John Oliver said in this interview: 1. Comedy can absolutely make the world a better place. If only by offering an escape from how horrible a place it currently is. And in its best form, it can start conversations about the hardest topics by making people sharing a laugh about something they then realize might have to be addressed. Which brings me to the second disagreement: 2. Your show just happens to make some of the less talked-about, but still horrendous, topics slightly more bearable by combining them with ridiculous cabbage weddings and bonkers sagas of you trying to have a sewage plant named after you. So whether you like it or not, you are absolutely making the world a better place, both on an individual level by getting people to laugh about sad things, and by highlighting some wrongs that otherwise would remain shrouded from the public eye.

[@jonmendelson1104]

In addition to the things you described, there are some examples of his show literally making the world a better place. There have been several things but the biggest one I can think of is buying 15M of medical debt and forgiving it.

[@CVL13]

@@jonmendelson1104 Very true! Plus all the donations to food banks, there's a lot of actual impact there next to the alleviation through comedy.

[@swesttttt]

This comment needs ALL the updoots.

[@jschuler53]

CVL. Don't forget the bird contest in which he won and now it's the national bird of, ah, New Zealand??? Australia?

[@TundraTurnip]

He has 100% made the world a better place.

[@Javier.M.]

The fact that actively working journalists can´t understand why John doesn't like to be called a Journalist is crazy to me. His job in the show is to be a presenter and a comedian. He presents the work of the journalists ( writers, lawyers, etc. ) in his team. If you actually wanted to talk to the actual journalists maybe stay till the end of episodes ? read the credits ?

[@jhegre]

The issue might be that the interviewer really really likes to be called a journalist. And perhaps this is because she really is more of a presenter?

[@Gabriel_H77]

​@@jhegreIt's deeper than that. Google: Jon Stewart, Chris Wallace

[@anonymes2884]

@@jhegre LuLu Garcia-Navarro has a degree in International Relations and a masters in journalism. She's worked as a journalist and news producer for the Associated Press, the BBC World Service, NPR and the New York Times among others (she also reported from the frontlines of the Arab Spring in Libya and on the invasion of Iraq from, y'know, Iraq). So nope, as a quick google would've shown, she's very much a journalist. (and as is made clear in this interview - as well as the credits of the show - John Oliver is co-showrunner and a writer on "Last Week..." _as well as_ the presenter. So it seems entirely appropriate to me to ask him about what the show _as a whole_ produces - which is often very "journalism adjacent" IMO - regardless of whether he himself is a journalist because he's one of the people that _decides_ what the show produces)

[@Nikkithedog-t6b]

And yet he's better at it.

[@audreymuzingo933]

@@Nikkithedog-t6b Because Nikki says so.

[@oliviaraney4307]

"a machine for your curiosity" is a really beautiful way to look at LWT. I also like that he's differentiating between himself and journalist out of respect for journalism. He's orchestrating a team that does journalism, but he doesn't do the actual investigation himself it seems like. Journalists are the ones on the ground day in and day out that are doing hard research, discerning what is "true" and not (as far as that can ever be assessed), and amalgamating it into a story or package that can be given to someone like John and the rest of his team. Journalism is a skill set that is truly under attack and not well understood anymore. The ability to synthesize huge amounts of data, seemingly unrelated details, assess the credibility and accuracy of a wide variety of people/sources....that is the crucial day to day work that I don't think John wants to take credit for being hands-on with. And I really respect him for giving credit to the journalists that work on his team and making that distinction.

[@mjduigou]

"Opinion columnists also get fact checked" - Gee, I wonder if the New York Times would consider doing that before publishing opinion columns?

[@davidyohalem629]

There are three kind of opinion pieces in the Times. There are in-house "pundits" who frequently publish corrections, but aren't "fact" checked; there are invited opinion pieces; and there are unsolicited opinion pieces. Each class is governed by different rules. I find many (most) or their in-house pundits vacuous and offensive(shall I name names?). Some of their invited contributions are equally offensive and vacuous. The independent submissions are generally more rigorous, although sometimes deplorable in their conclusions (such as they are.) But as with all editorial commentary, none reaches the standards of journalism in terms of factuality. The news and the editorial staffs are significantly different.

[@JoshSweetvale]

​@@davidyohalem629I presume by 'offensive' you mean 'mind-poisoningly foolish' rather than 'brain thinky hurt.' Conservatives pretend the former means the latter.

[@Iskelderon]

Nah, would prevent them from putting propaganda articles from an Israeli government asset on page one.

[@Nancy-n4o8k]

Why are you limiting your concern to just the Times?

[@ehlava]

Would be nice if news columns that are not editorial/opinion would be fact checked. There are reasons ppl like Sy Hirsch not in the Times anymore.

[@Bombero_Antiguo]

Comedy or not... the show contains more factual information in 50 minutes than Fox "news" does in 50 weeks.

[@eoinleen1]

To me Fox seems to be a propaganda news organization whose MO seems to be never letting the new deal happen ever again (in my humble opinion of course). They don't want factual information to get in the way of that objective.

[@reanimationxp]

years*

[@paulclissold1525]

Fox is fact free. There are no journalists.

[@andreacollins6306]

❤❤❤ 💯

[@kingzach74]

* Than many American News shows, not just Fox.

[@SueBee-d4x]

He may not consider himself a journalist but he could teach a master class to the "journalists" on FOX.

[@artoo45]

And at the normalizing, sanewashing Times.

[@melissah8415]

@SuBEe-4dx AND CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, The Washington Post, and The NY Times.

[@kimbercole2438]

​@@melissah8415Absolutely!

[@elpulpo800]

Yeah, but a clam could teach a master clsss to the "journalists" on FOX.

[@trainman222y78]

I don't think fox not knowing journalism is their problem. Just keeping their entertainment news-facade patched and plastered so it resembles integrity.

[@tonyg_nerd]

Thank you for producing the original interview AND the follow-up call. I love the insight and the information we derive from this process. I'm especially impressed by the intensive process of the Last Week Tonight staff, and wish the same process were as precious to all non-comedians who consider themselves to be journalists.

[@guyrose6602]

There is more rigor and competence in that weekly half-hour show than the entire Faux News circus tent.

[@6Glitch]

The hint is in the word news

[@jp13119]

@@6Glitch Because really it's 'faux entertainment' according to a judge.🇺🇸

[@mikerada2773]

and more than CNN and MSNBC combined, they are by far the worst of them.

[@MsHelloerz]

Or cnn or msnbc or literally any other american news outlet

[@BobDole1216]

I've always loved John Oliver, but between this interview and his Hot Ones episode my respect and admiration have still somehow managed to increase drastically. I absolutely love how thoughtful and respectful he is of contemporaries, of the people involved in stories, and of the arts of journalism and comedy themselves. Hearing his voice shake when he talks about how much he loves comedy, I have an embarrassingly strong desire to hug him and try to make sure he knows how much he's contributed to it.

[@AlisonBeautifulSavage]

He is the Paddington Bear of the American people :)

[@d4mephisto]

John Oliver

[@ghostlytavern129]

SO TRUE!!!! He could sell me my own coffin

[@tomokolovecraft3792]

​@@ghostlytavern129while explaining the underhanded happenings going on in the coffin business.

[@mikebradt8080]

I love John Oliver and the show. I have always been amazed by the amount of research that goes into the show. John's presentation and timing is always spot on. I love how he said that when they come across so egregious they decide to "burn it down"

[@oucatfive6806]

What a wonderful interview!!! I came of age in the 1960s when Laugh-In and the Smothers Brothers were popular on TV. I think humor is a great way to tone down the awfulness of a situation, and I applaud John Oliver and his staff for the bang-up job they're doing. It helps me to feel better about myself when I find that I'm laughing hysterically through a funeral. Some of us just NEED humor.

[@dannachristensen1774]

Honestly I don't watch regular news, I get incredible anxiety whenever I do, but I love watching John Oliver. I'm grateful to him and his team for providing reliable information about important topics in a way that i can easily digest. Because of shows like this I can stay informed on current events without sinking myself into a depression spiral. I'm hoping for at least 10 more years. John Oliver may not be intending to make the world a better place with his show, but he is and it is, nevertheless.

[@parkedawn]

Exactly the same for me.

[@feniaksfirings]

@@parkedawnand me - I feel like an important part of his show is the part where he says, Well, what can we do? It is hopeful.

[@gloriaf6971]

John Oliver is a treasure!! I am so glad he does the work he does. We need his voice!!

[@stacyyeany8322]

Amen John!! Hard to believe it's even close!!!

[@michelebartleson7971]

One thing I've always loved about comedians especially people like Jon Stewart Trevor Noah John Oliver even Stephen Colbert is that you have to be smart to be funny. These guys fact check and do all that stuff so that those jokes actually land correctly. Christopher Titus actually does the same thing. It's really interesting to hear them talk about their responsibility as comedians to be factually correct so they can be hilarious

[@Magidex]

I like Titus but I've never heard this. Reference, link? I'd love to read more.

[@Tebssis]

Don't forget Trae Crowder!

[@TVBjak]

The fact that John says all kinds of things on his show and NO ONE corrects him or seriously disproves his findings tells you have serious he takes his craft. There are plenty of fakers out there but John ain’t one of them. You don’t have to be a journalist to stand behind your work. John proves this.

[@williamyoung9401]

Interviews with conservatives always say, "I hate what he says, but I can't argue it," lol.

[@alexandermartin-sv2up]

However cf. TBN

[@davidyohalem629]

Jon is Jon Stewart's name. John Oliver is different. Both are excellent.

[@TampaDave]

John Oliver is funniest when he reads tweets from the real DT. Whoever that guy is, he is weird and funny in a dark, demented way. He looks like the perfect movie character to pull the lever on the torture machines from the Inquisition. And then smile at the camera and say "I did nothing wrong."

[@emeraldaly7646]

​@davidyohalem629 yeah, ordinarily quibbling about a typo would be unnecessary, but that's actually one that could distort the meaning in this context

[@DanielVerberne]

I think John Oliver is a real treasure. Man I'd love to meet the man in person one day and congratulate him on giving us all so much.

[@kevingearyart]

Thank you for this with John Oliver! One of the best and most enlightening interviews I have ever seen. Thank you both, so much!

[@CraigHigbee]

I loved this interview. John was a great choice to have on. He’s being modest about the level of his caring and desire for change with some of the deeper stories. His humor is also top notch.

[@shyambhandari1752]

John is a gem Britain lost to the US. Lots of love from Nepal 🇳🇵

[@kevoreilly6557]

He actually wasn’t funny in the UK - really found his voice in US

[@DimitriMoreira]

He does stories from all over the world, not just the US.

[@Yimello]

I remember John on the comedy circuit in the UK. He was pretty successful but didn't really shine compared to his peers, so going to the US was definitely the best route for him.

[@halkuhns8070]

Favorite memory of John Oliver no. 1: He's with I assume a son, in the era of his hosting the Daily Show in John Stewart's wandering time, they're watching TV and the son comments something maybe about why is the journalist crying?, and John says how you, my son will cry too when you understand, the boy says I won't cry... and John says you will! When you understand what they've done to this country, you will cry like a little girl! And no. 2: Offering Clarence Thomas $1,000,000/year for life to do the right thing and step down from the Supreme Court! My total hero!

[@julane-h2y]

100%

[@jeremywilliams5107]

The Clarence Thomas was subtle - the man has shown he can be bought, now we discuss the price. (GBS)

[@EveryTimeIDavid]

This is such an interesting interview. He's such a thoughtful person, and he's able to articulate things in a way that just teems with enthusiasm and genuine care.

[@mostlyvoid.partiallystars]

Still one of my favorite episodes of tv ever was when John Oliver subbed for Jon Stewart on TDS. I literally replay it when I’m having a bad day. 😊❤❤🎉

[@ekdaufin1485]

Must look for that! Thank you!

[@JordanIsHereSometimes]

The line about the facts being structural to the jokes, I think, is why I’ve always found myself drawn to John Oliver, even back in the days of the Bugle Podcast. Without the facts, the jokes don’t work.

[@obscurecamera24]

My favs on the podcast consists of John's singing, rapping and yes the noir...The Congressman's Pe*&*s.

[@kilroy987]

The Disabled Benefits episodes was very depressing. The program is there for people who can't help themselves as much as they need to, yet the program is difficult to navigate, hasn't been updated to current financial standards, and lacks funding.

[@ghostlytavern129]

And stops you from ever being a part of the American dream. It systemically others you

[@AbsolutFlippy]

Absolutely. But I’m so glad John was able to tell that story so more people in our society can be aware of if and it can help us fight ableism. Disabled folks deserve to be a part of society and to not be trapped by programs that don’t work properly for them while claiming to be designed to help them out. I say this as someone with a very controlled epilepsy who might come to need help of such programs later on in life.

[@oughtssought1198]

It's been 3weeks now & I've still been afraid to watch that one despite looking forward to watching the next LWT every week I've seen it in realtime thru. folks I know for half a century ... it was bad when I was first exposed to it & still sucks today

[@NerdyBirdy16]

it's literally legal eugenics. If disabled people can't get basic needs, they can't reproduce.

[@tommonk7651]

I'm so happy John is a US citizen now and can vote in this election. I was lucky to see him doing stand up just as he started on the Daily Show. He was great then and has only gotten better.

[@lynnhettrick7588]

I saw John’s standup show at the Beacon with Seth Meyers in April. Excellent as always!

[@savannahm.laurentian1286]

Navarro seemed really passive aggressive & nearly insulting in calling Oliver an "opinion columnist." She then uses a crude & insulting reference regarding his facial expressions which mainly come from the nervousness of a genuine human being that values BOTH intellect & humanity. This is in stark contrast to Navarro's one-dimensional stereotypical "look I'm a New York intellectual" void. Oliver takes great pains to give accurate information, some options as to what people might be able to do to improve the world and he does so with a soul. Navarro had no reaction to the insanely intricate inner workings of the most responsible journalistic productions in modern times. She did not interact with Oliver, asked no follow up questions nor did she listen to most of Oliver's responses. Navarro does not come off as wonderful as she apparently thinks she is. John Oliver's handling of this Narcissistic Navarro Showcase quintuples down on his GENUINE humanity. Well done you, John. All around, well done you.

[@turtlebunch2]

Glad someone else noticed how awful and pointed this interview was. The irony of this cartoonishly terrible interviewer grilling John about journalistic integrity just fucking kills me. Reads to me like jealousy and projection. Like telling yourself good people don’t really exist to make yourself feel better about not trying.

[@andysorrel6354]

This is one of the most honest and raw interviews I’ve heard in a while. LWT has brought so many issues to the table that weren’t getting the exposure they deserved. While I agree with John about him not being a journalist, his research department has the highest journalistic integrity out there, more so than some news organizations. They’ll present the other side of the story, but then they back up why it’s not the best side to be on with strong facts. This is the level of news that we the public deserve. I look forward to my weekly episode of LWT because I always walk away more educated than I was before, which is not something I can say about other news programs. The lengths his team goes to is astonishing. Here’s to many more seasons of spreading the word and seeing a British man jump up and down in his chair. Cheers to John and everyone at LWT 🎉

[@oughtssought1198]

my comment re: this interview was "LuLu Garcia-Navarro did this so well it's as if John Oliver were interviewing himself" this is another example ... I suspect this was one psych therapist interviewing another kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4eym2mkdtStj5Y

[@francolerud]

May not be a journalist, but he has more journalistic integrity than all the major networks and papers.

[@jodie6925]

Yes - definitely more than the NYT in recent years.

[@samuelbarber6177]

It’s depressing when a comedy show is better at journalism than most journalists today.

[@grumpyAF]

I watch from the country that is barreling towards basically North Korea state, I have to watch via VPN (that is actively getting banned) and I cannot thank LWT staff enough for putting full episodes on YT. John and his team do terrific job. It brings me to tears to see people actually care about the bleak state of the world (not only in US)

[@Svid1701D]

You must mean the great country of Texas, or is it Florida? 😅

[@agoogleuser4356]

@@Svid1701D Ouch. I dont know which country, Hungary? Turkestan is already there. Real guesses?

[@shaunsmith9013]

​@@agoogleuser4356my first thought was Hungary

[@KYLgonk]

​@@shaunsmith9013I find it hard to believe that Hungary, even with Orban, could get close to NK. Perhaps Russia? Elimination and imprisonment of political opponents - check, isolated and brainwashed people - check, extreme censorship - check, people getting poorer as dictator gets wealthier - check, dependence on China - somewhat check, dictator with his own delusional narrative - check.

[@macd7743]

​​@@Svid1701D I don't know if this comment is more sad or funny, as it really rings true-not meaning to change focus from the OP whose situation is clearly worse from a citizenry standpoint than that of someone residing in Texas or Florida.

[@ronaldviens7862]

John was sounding kind of breathless describing his work ethic and the contortions of due diligence his show maintains. Just putting your work quality in someone's hands is an incredible leap of faith when that person is a stranger and may be more consequential than you could ever dream. Plus 5 points for cojones and plus 5 for showing a human side most keep hidden so well. Good on you John.

[@NWinnVR]

Compared to me, John has unfathomably more money and success. But I enjoy watching him because he's on of the few that seems to genuinely care and understand how life is for 'normal' people. Nice to see him just being him.

[@ghostlytavern129]

He’s a rich British man who cares and that’s very rare. I will cherish him

[@jennyqian1470]

To learn about the process of how this show is made makes me appreciate even more about its quality and why it keeps winning awards. John, I know it's hard for a true British to receive compliment, but I want you to know that you and your team represent true journalism more than many main streaming media professionals. - From a Chinese Canadian living in Vancouver, Canada who has an Africa-American partner.

[@takitakiboom]

"Opinion columnists also get fact-checked" NYT's Iraq War saber rattling and Gaza op-eds would beg to differ.

[@richarddeturner]

America and most of its media are pro-israel so what do you expect

[@kerimgueney]

For real. I hate how the host is trying to make LWT look like it's John's personal opinion column, while the vast majority of things presented on the show have gone through a level of journalistic rigor that is completely alien to the NYT - and that despite their $2.5B in annual revenue.

[@split4ss59]

Op-eds are opinions. It's in the name.

[@joeb134]

​@@split4ss59 Its opinons of what are supposed to be facts. The whole opinon is undermined if that facts are wrong

[@shaunsmith9013]

​@joeb134 i cant countbhow many ppl will say "the New York Times said" and its an opinion piece. Liberal media is not as agregious as "we arent news we are parody" FOX but NYT definitely likes to dance around public perception of what is printed in their paper (along with many others).

[@hggm7855]

Thanks Lulu..Great interview!! Saludos desde Panama!!

[@OfficialPrettyLittleLiars]

“Your face looks like you’re having a very very difficult bowel movement” is another key, perfect description of John’s face (said with love)

[@trillium.3.24]

Got him to laugh and relax a bit.

[@tombesson7293]

Cue Screaming Jay Hawkins' song "Constipation Blues'.

[@anthill1510]

They did him so dirty in the thumbnail.

[@molybdaenmornell123hopp5]

She was out-Johning John there.

[@m.a.b.4104]

Regular listener of the audio only episodes but for whatever reason appreciate even more the addition of video. Maybe seeing people's body language adds to the conversation

[@thesimulation9651]

My child walked in the room to watch this over my shoulder and said 'she sounds like Lulu Garcia Navarro from NPR.I always wondered what she looks like'

[@Hexanitrobenzene]

Of course video adds to conversation, no question. I find it even easier to focus on.

[@63Lsp]

Are the interviewers usually this basic and desperately trying to cover their own biases? I thought, Oh I need to subscribe to this channel but not after that

[@mileswatkinson8135]

I love John Oliver, and I think he is way too humble. The things I have learned that I never would have known without his show are things that change my mind about the subjects, and how else do you change the world other than changing people's mindsets? He may not be a journalist, but his team really know how to get to the heart of the stories, and his presentation gets through to his audience. I hope he stays with it for a long, long time.

[@simonkapadia7582]

That's the point though, the humility is necessary to professionalism. If everyone is going around congratulating themselves and each other all the time, they're not exactly disposed to see the problems in what they do, to scrutinise their work for biases, errors or anything else. Humility in that sense is the soul of professionalism, because you are subordinate to the norms of your profession, merely aspiring to fulfil those expectations that are rightly placed upon you.

[@jenniferartin]

I learned so much more about the process of each story from watching this. I did not think I could have more respect for 'Last Week Tonight', but I do. Thank you.

[@MikesOrganicVideos]

John Oliver is a national treasure. So glad he’s on this side of the pond. 😁😎👍🏽👍🏽

[@jeffmckinnon5842]

Back in 2015, as a Canadian, I knew that Americans would never elect a president with the intellect of Donald Trump. But then it happened... A friend of mine just came back from a visit to NJ. He said it was a beautiful place, but every lawn had a Trump sign on it. I found that a bit terrifying for everyone. I like the show, but inside I am almost in panic mode.

[@bobganoush]

I think we're in trouble if Poilievre is elected but I feel it's headed in that direction.

[@chriscampbell2670]

@@bobganoush While the prospect of Pierre Polierve being elected PM is unsettling it's no surprise giving continuous failures of Trudeau and the Liberals over the past nine years and their unwillingness to show true contrition to the public has lead us to where we find ourselves today.

[@theshi3152]

@@chriscampbell2670 This doesn't mean we should elect Pierre. That's replacing a Turd with a Turd.. things will only get worse under conservative federalism.

[@chriscampbell2670]

@@theshi3152 I am not voting for Pierre I can read the room and agree with the sentiment that the Liberals need to go.

[@garethrussell3406]

NJ: like most states there is a democrat/republican urban/rural divide, and NJ's population is mostly urban and democrat, but in a minority of the area. Which in some ways is a mirror of the US as a whole!

[@mmarzett]

He may look like a near-sighted toucan that works in a bank, but I absolutely LOVE John. I truly appreciate him saying that he wishes that everyone could see the shows in their entirety on KZbin. It's rough for me because I live somewhere that Max is NOT available.

[@567dirt8910]

You can almost definitely get the shows without too much hassle. I would look at VPNs- very easy to use software that can spoof your location to anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, you just missed out on the golden days of sites like fmovies which had basically every episode of mainstream shows and movies free with the click of a mouse. There are still sites out there, but it's kind of the wild west. If YT had DMs, I could point you in the right direction, but I can't post them publicly. Most complicated method would be torrents, where you would be pulling your hair out trying to find anything older than a year or two- in public trackers anyway, which is all you can really access as a newcomer.

[@williamyoung9401]

I love how the interviewer says, "I hate the nerd look," as she's wearing glasses bigger than John's, lol. 🤓

[@davidyohalem629]

I live somewhere that Max is available, but they don't show Last Week Tonight. They do show the deplorable formulaic Bill Maher.

[@anastasiusfocht696]

What an fantastic interview! She asks so intelligent questions and is also so patient while John is elaborating his thoughts and perspecitves. I really enjoyed watching this! A conversation how it should be held.

[@ethanhuntley1313]

I’m someone in a poor area and I was slammed by the hurricane, I only just got power back in the last day or so, I’m really thankful the clips are posted on KZbin, I don’t expect to have disposable income for a video subscription for a while

[@anna-fleurfarnsworth104]

Oof, are you and your family ok?

[@brycesouthard2707]

Watching this in my car charging up my battery banks for another day without power…

[@ethanhuntley1313]

@@anna-fleurfarnsworth104 I’m better off than others, and I feel guilty saying anything aside from yes, but I don’t really think anyone in this area is okay right now, thank you for the concern tho!

[@ethanhuntley1313]

@@brycesouthard2707 hopefully you get relief soon, don’t forget to try and fill out fema if you get the bandwidth!

[@gmfutube]

Fill out your FEMA applications now that you have power again. You will probably be able to replace any lost income for a while. You may also find special deals on subscriptions right now for those hit hard. Best of luck and best wishes. Been there, done that. :) Betsy 1965 - 2 weeks no power Eleana 1985 - 2 weeks no power Katrina 4 weeks no power.

[@peterwhitehead1173]

“ Laughter is when it hurts too much to do anything else” - Robert Heinlein-

[@moniqueengleman873]

Time Enough for Love My favorite book by Heinlein. He was so ahead of his time. I am old, and I want more time!

[@onlyasandwich]

One of my favorite too. But man. Oh my. ​@@moniqueengleman873

[@janetbrown8639]

So true, my husband is same way!

[@Mister006]

That West Bank story was AMAZING.

[@AlisonBeautifulSavage]

Of course one has to recognise the humour of it, like John clearly said, it is absurd and we must laugh at the absurdity of things in life. To not laugh at it, in my opinion, it is to fail to recognise the absurdity of it all and that is part of what perpetuates the problem!

[@steveosworld]

that Episode is Peabody worthy. Definitely shifted my perspective on the whole situation

[@kochanfe]

AMAZING...ly dishonest, yeah. Call me crazy, but I don't think there's anything funny about propagating malicious, antisemitic blood libels. But, I suppose that throughout history The Pattern has always tended to reassert itself in the face of determined challenges to the legitimacy of hurting Jews for being Jews. It's just a shame to see The Pattern being given voice by someone like Oliver. It's grotesque (although, sadly, unsurprising) to see so many western self-styled "progressives" adopting rank antisemitism in its modern, twenty-first century guise of "anti-Zionism." Granted, the settlement enterprise may not be helping to quell the conflict, but Golda Meir said it best more than fifty years ago: "We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us." Everything else is window dressing. 🤷‍♂

[@AlisonBeautifulSavage]

@@kochanfe not true. There is a Zionist Christian lobby responsible for about 60% of Israel's GDP with the direct agenda of steering an apocalyptic conflict, not to mention, there is a hard right winged rule of Israel which as History has proven so well, results in dehumanisation and death. We can either sit and expect terrorists and extremists to have a change of heart and keep on blaming them for everything, or we can have an approach to it which won't result in such desolation and catastrophe.

[@harrybonneval4799]

​@@kochanfevictim complex much?

[@juliapardieutroyer9993]

Thank you Lulu! You meshed and fleshed out things with John so well. A true pleasure

[@berylbutton989]

The best of the best is John Oliver. I have learned so much. Great interviews. Thk u !

[@JeremySmithBryan]

This is the best interview I've ever seen. You can feel the realness, the genuity, and the beautiful synergy in the air. ✌️❤

[@BrianPeloso-ln4ry]

The fact that I am massively better informed after watching your show qualifies what your team...AND YOU!!!... Do...as journalism! Humility is cool too.🇨🇦

[@suzannetitkemeyernlq]

To John and crew - thank you so much for posting up your show on KZbin for those of us unable to see it on HBO. HBO Latin America here in Costa Rica really seems to struggle to find a time slot, and I usually miss it. As an American expat retired in Costa Rica I am intensely interested in the things still affecting my home country and family's home. Thank you for that!