S1 E24: The Lottery, Erdogan & a Fish Cannon: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Season 1, Episode 24, November 9th, 2014. Finale. John Oliver does a deep dive into the lottery, thanks the season's very special guests, and gives updates on Turkey's president, Mike Bloomberg, and an unexpected use for a fish cannon. Even more unexpected than its intended use.
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[@HinekoAkahi]

Salmon Cannon is still one of my favourite segments ever - just, the way they got all those people from different networks together to participate in something ultimately meaningless but most definitely joyful.

[@francca]

Definitely some season finale-worthy effort right there 🙏

[@richardsimon4135]

One of the best bits in tv history

[@lynemac2539]

As a Washingtonian, I am so proud. Also I love salmon!

[@mosesbacke2311]

Salmon Cannon and Eat Shit Bob are segments that will live on as long as there is a TV set or a computer.

[@trishaferrand1395]

Definitely disgusting.

[@stephenholmgren405]

This is like finding a $20 bill in your pants every time you reload your youtu e homepage

[@kenisi_thedevilonhigh]

Man if that only worked.... Le sad face

[@linux750]

Amen to that! Teach us about what's REALLY going on Jin Oliver!

[@speedodragon]

bruh same.

[@stephenholmgren405]

I saw the typo after i posted it but figured nobody would read it 🤕

[@amberts180]

I’m never clicking another one until they include the date in the title. I don’t trust them anymore!!

[@yourlordsavior5724]

Guys I went and looked up all the links John gave us and holy sh*t it is still up and it's still funny years later.

[@JAlves88]

Damm really? That's good shit

[@fogrepairshipakashi5834]

They actually explained this later, but every time they make a fake URL for a website, LWT and HBO legally have to buy it and keep it running.

[@raykyogrou0358]

i was also shocked they're still live lmao

[@kay_faraday]

does seem like they changed the images from the ones shown in the video tho.

[@Kwilson328]

@@kay_faradayi think they honestly updated the images as he aged

[@animeartist888]

I cannot believe that this is the first time I've seen that fish cannon bit! I laughed so hard it hurt! Thank you so much, LWT team, for gifting us these old episodes for free here on KZbin. You've legitimately made my whole month!

[@zumabbar]

the fish cannon segment had always been available on youtube

[@adam45z]

​@@zumabbar that doesn't mean everyone has seen it

[@zumabbar]

@@adam45zthat also didn't mean i said what you said

[@josephevans6293]

Same here...my sides are killing me

[@ilyakotovich7319]

It is 2024…. World is being torn apart by wars, pandemic and greedy people in government and corporations. But fish cannon still reminds us- humanity still can do great things.

[@TimmyTheTinman]

The pandemic ain’t around anymore but all that other stuff yeah

[@IkanisuShikari]

All Washingtonians should be proud... this is truly emblematic of our state.

[@trishaferrand1395]

Or stupid things.

[@brairr9966]

Man interferes with everything that is natural because of their greed

[@jii.]

​@@TimmyTheTinmanIt just went into remission. The threat of another pandemic is still there.

[@radiobob1908]

I need everyone to know about the Survive The Sound fish tracking game. Every year, scientists in Washington State microchip some salmon to track their journey to Puget Sound. These fish are then given names and cartoon avatars. Some of my favorites are Brian Mackerel, Sergeant Snackbar, and Floundry10. Businesses (usually local and/or fish-related, but not always) can sponsor a fish. For example, Floundry10 was obviously sponsored by Foundry10. This funds the restoration of salmon habitats. Some teachers also have their students sign up and pick a fish to track on their journey. When I was in high school, I picked Forest, who, if I remember correctly, got eaten by a sea lion at one of the dams that the salmon cannon helps fish across. This year, Survive The Sound begins on May 6th.

[@cloudbrooks]

thank you for this info!! :D im so glad i know about this now

[@kimsleep4111]

Once again, humanity is screwing around with an animal that has its homing function that took millions of years to evolve totally screwed over to accommodate us

[@edwardgrimes7535]

THEIR THEME SONG HAS LYRICS!? How have I gone ten years without knowing that?

[@pennybutnotthecoin]

So glad i found this comment lol i never would have guessed it

[@jcwoodward0629]

I caught that at the end and it blew my mind too

[@jessaminemanchester]

Anyone know if the full version with lyrics is available anywhere? (I'd love it if I could find it on Spotify/Apple Music/etc but even an unmarked audio file on some decade old webpage would be cool too, I just want to hear the full song!)

[@sayofthelor]

@@jessaminemanchester go by valley lodge

[@saferoundhouse5910]

The song is Go by Valley Lodge

[@Crow-Fly]

John oliver being free to watch on KZbin! A match made in heaven!

[@theanthill22]

The actors keeping a straight face after getting fished was funny

[@LindaC616]

Especially the soap actors

[@user-gp4dk6wz4o]

The salmon cannon is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.

[@chriskelly6559]

And everyone that got fish smacked kept a straight face....but I'd bet the outtakes are side splitting funny.

[@Imaginita]

The Salmon Canon lives rent-free inside my head.

[@austinb3463]

He looks so young. So happy.

[@oliverisenberg1862]

He hasn’t learned what we’ve all learned yet

[@davidfuentes9957]

@@oliverisenberg1862or his future self.

[@getnkosi]

So long ago

[@gedster]

I was curious as to whether or not the Mike Bloomberg sites he mentioned near the beginning were still up or not, so I checked All 3 remain online, all these years later. Amazing.

[@davidfuentes9957]

Yay, I checked and you’re right!

[@GoneAsGoneCanBe]

I have sat here while working from home, with this playlist going since yesterday. Sad I have hit the end. Can't wait for the next season to get uploaded.

[@singproud22]

Been doing the same, and was just thinking the same thing.

[@MusicfromMarrs]

Memorial weekend provides.

[@MeepsNcheese]

Ten whole years have passed of me being an avid watcher of the KZbin clips of this show and *this* is the first time I've heard that there are LYRICS to the theme?? Sidenote: I'm oddly emotional seeing a 10 years younger dancing John

[@SnooperSwizzle0728]

ME TOO. What is it? Maybe there’s it’s just poetic and sad to see John Oliver dancing gleefully before the pandemic, before the fall of Roe, before Drumpf, before Jan6, before Ukraine+Israel/Gaza. It’s not even because it makes me reflect on wtf I was doing in 2014 (because it does). It’s so sad sad to see Oliver blissfully dancing before the world became irrevocably different in the span of 10 years (and not really for the better). The world is now infinitely more complex despite dealing with the SAME issues but on top of it we’re now hanging onto our democracy by a thread.

[@MeepsNcheese]

@@SnooperSwizzle0728 It's like...he's older and more tired now, and he often jokes about how bleak the world feels, but at the end of the day there's just this little spirit and silliness that shines through. What a light, honestly.

[@johnchessant3012]

S1 E24 (aired November 9, 2014)

[@Sam-Cain]

John Chessant, we salute you!

[@cloudbrooks]

o7

[@mrfrostrunner5192]

Hey that’s my birthday. (Not the year though)

[@Robert_MacCready]

One of the best 30 minutes of tv there is.

[@ultimatehawkeyefangirl]

So this is the episode that started the bit of buying random URLs… incredible!

[@nonamemcnotaspy8654]

Ready to rewatch season 2!!!

[@oxpolitik]

When I first moved to Michigan, I tried to find public transparency documents on the lottery. Couldn't find them. Mind-boggling to think the state runs an organization that manages billions with so little accountability.

[@JusTypical]

Imagine buying a ‘98 Mazda for $2500 today. Wild

[@goddollars]

This was the craziest part for me lol take me back

[@jiggly-puffy]

Throwback to when Seth did a standing monologue

[@stefanhoimes]

And Colbert doing a Report!!

[@Sam-Cain]

And Jon Stewart on The Dai-oh wait no nevermind.

[@alexissweet5890]

Throwback to when Seth was in a suit.

[@trustingpeddler383]

So glad for the full episodes. I'm 36, but I want to be John Oliver when I grow up.

[@GeauT]

From Oregon. I remember when the lottery, and state gambling, first started. I was pushed as a way to fund schools. Since then, legislation has siphoned that money off to so many other things, that education is getting a pittance from Oregon Lottery.

[@TheMugbearer]

I can't believe they showered John Oliver with fake salmon for the halibut.

[@kevinfoster1138]

My mother remembers when Washington state lottery started and is still very disappointed the money they said was going to the schools STILL hasn't made it to the schools.

[@TheTenthDoctorandHisTardis]

I’m ready for season two to drop! 😊

[@fcbahamutzero]

Did i really just binge all of season 1 in one day!

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

That fish cannon bit has me rollin in my bed at 6am!!! The look on some of those actors' faces was priceless! Wamda Syke's "WTH?" was timeless. How were those soap opera actors able to keep straight faces when the fish hit her in the face during their dramatic moment? I wanted it to go on forever... LOL! 🦈 🦈 🦈

[@lorigoshert6667]

I remember pretty much all of Season 1 well! I was teaching English in Prague at the time. I had a few groups of students who worked at an organization that ran a lottery there (Now I remember the name - Sazka), and I showed them part of this episode in class for listening practice and discussion.

[@ultimatehawkeyefangirl]

Please tell me you showed them the Salmon Cannon segment!

[@lorigoshert6667]

@@ultimatehawkeyefangirl I probably did at some point. I had a lot of classes and showed several clips from Last Week Tonight and the Colbert Report over the years. They were great for starting discussions with advanced-level adult students.

[@Ani-rq7wv]

Wait does the LWT song have lyrics?! It’s had lyrics this whole time?!!

[@alexanderguarionex4498]

Couldn't wait for this next episode

[@itchiegames]

i mean it came out a decade ago so you could have just went and watched it

[@jordanlewis4983]

Still classic with the salmon canon. I can just hear the call: “You guys wanna be on HBO?”

[@themadinspector]

I love the salmon cannon bit! 😆 🤣 😂

[@Caseyisawkward]

The commitment to the bit

[@ACE-wy6ty]

THIS IS A GEM I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED!!!

[@skullfish1013]

if I won the lottery I'd buy a whole cart of groceries and not worry about the cost.

[@heatherregimbal4552]

Sadly you won't have enough for a whole cart, unless it's junk food

[@seluhir8820]

Salmon Cannon LITERALLY never gets old. It always brings tears to my eyes - because I'm laughing so hard.

[@enikata7349]

Oh my goodness, the salmon cannon bit was awesome!

[@angelowentzler9961]

The salmon cannon segment is the best thing ever made. EVAH

[@dwbrock1992]

🎉 make old uploads great again! Lol watching the ones I missed (most of them)

[@TheeAntiChris]

JOHN OLIVER speaks the brutal truth hilariously!

[@jiedcogahilme676]

#ThankyouHBO for making the complete episodes available. I can't even access HBO where I live.

[@tracynonumbers]

the only other reason was to watch Bill Maher before he became ultra-bourgeois old white guy

[@Matuse]

I have so many things I need to warn 2014 John Oliver about...

[@LunaryxDiarmait]

That is one hell of a salmon cannon!

[@joink25]

Wait wait wait...the show theme has lyrics?

[@jvissers3086]

It feels like I haven't seen this episode for 10 years!

[@Satsujinki1973]

They need to revisit the Salmon cannon in this time of war.

[@danielriggle]

The fish launching had laughing so hard.

[@firerun777]

Didn't know the Salmon Canon was this early. With so many cameos I thought It was at least at season 2 bit

[@MisterTutor2010]

The lottery is a tax on people who are bad at math.

[@eugenejr.subrado8201]

Wow! Those sites are still active. 😄

[@Dice12K]

Well, I just finished watching the entire season 1. Thank you for this. Here's hoping for LWT to do this some more.

[@dominikcramer8812]

It is SO amazing to have these shows available on KZbin!

[@batmanjones655]

The Danube Waltz was made for fish cannon

[@joshhawes6084]

The fingers crossed in green and white was the old logo for Virginia in the early 90's

[@seymourdemonica9264]

I will never be over the RBG chihuahua

[@heixiong5860]

The real tragedy is that they don't bring the Salmon cannon back every episode.

[@raptormesh]

Best use of fake salmon.

[@tee_es_bee]

Thank you for uploading the entirety of season 1 from a current HBO subscriber! 🧡💛🧡

[@Rad9000]

Salmon F'ing Cannon.

[@nymack66]

Nailed it they did, love the Salmon cannon

[@jamiemcnern7651]

Needing season 2 in full as fast as those fish are moving through that cannon! 😂🤣

[@veggigoddess]

We will never be able to unsee a raw rotisserie chicken strip dancing

[@daviddunn2104]

How can you not love John Oliver, classic comedy!

[@mr.flibble3190]

"We don't know" is the precise opposite of a spoiler.

[@josephevans6293]

I was dying over the fish cannon ..one of the best clips ever

[@rainbowtropolis]

This is so awesome, I get to watch the ones I've missed!

[@heidiadkins4871]

I started watching this show routinely 5 years ago. I was only 13 when it started… so understandably was not watching this. I am very happy to be watching season one for the first time.

[@BadgerBabe89]

I can't with the Salmon bit!!! 🤣👌

[@Imhexed]

God bless you John for calling out the lottery scammers! Where's our superfunded education systems?!

[@evelina733]

So great! Thank you for sharing it again 😍😍😍😍😍💕💕💕🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@TheJoiUnspeakable]

The theme song having words will never not be funny.

[@jillmarie1332]

I came here for the fish cannon.

[@naomilu9910]

We thank YOU, Jon Oliver!

[@aabu4995]

Jet Force 5!!! Even w the salmon blasts. Where were you on this Kimmel?

[@birbluv9595]

I am going to watch the salmon cannon over and over

[@Rice-bowl214]

This makes my day I love the hustle John

[@dizzym9554]

Funnily enough two states I've lived in have been in the liquor business

[@dizzym9554]

Notably in Virginia you could *only* buy hard liquor at state owned stores called the "ABC" and yes they did advertise it as the money going to things like education

[@stefanhoimes]

PA has state stores and absolutely no alcohol in convenience stores. Some grocery store chains use a loophole about having restaurants and seating to be able to sell beer and wine. Current governor is in favor of loosening the prohibition-era laws.

[@larragunn2809]

Truly one of the absolute BEST shows on the airwaves today AMAZING WRITERS!! thank you thank you 💙💙💙

[@lucianbakerii4047]

The Oregon Lottery money is going to schools, but the legislature removed school funding from the state budget.

[@Daichi82]

I need Season 2 now.

[@rjpittman4510]

Salmon cannon is perfect. *chef's kiss*

[@Obiter3]

I'm gonna love these Best Of vids

[@thesilverhedgehog]

All praise the glorious Salmon Cannon!😂

[@BadJ63]

No one ever wins the lottery, it's always somebody else.

[@Simplynezooo]

The full intro song is 🤯🤯🤯

[@TheFlash1218]

The salmon bit is like a time capsule of a specific era of tv

[@richardsimon4135]

I'm ready for Season 2 now please

[@Kuriousape]

The mid video advert I had was for an online casino….. read the room, algorithm. Read the room.

[@jakehernandez12933s]

craziest thing is how true John Oliver is to his sense of humor over time. the style hasnt changed much cuz it didn't have to... quality journalist + quality humor in a weird unique John Oliver kind of way!

[@matrixphijr]

The funniest thing Jimmy Fallon's ever done.

[@josemcheremm]

Love you john.

[@RaulRib]

Who else binge-watched all episodes in like 2 days from release?

[@gimmiefriedchicken]

I require a small documentary about how to get got the salmon bit to work. I have so many questions.

[@Nixxote]

Ten years after this first aired we now have sports leagues like the NHL that exclusively run ads for online gambling sites. Not to mention the ubiquitous nature of alcohol in this part of the world. It really does not instil any real sense that we care about the destructive influence that this has on people struggling with addiction. We still callously wave our fingers at those poor souls dealing with it as though the game isn’t completely stacked against them. If you have managed to escape from the clutches of alcohol or gambling or any other destructive substance then my heart goes out to you. You are an incredibly strong person and you have my utmost respect. You beat the odds in a world that fully expected you to fail if not conspired against you and you promptly told it to fuck right off. Because YOU have shit to do and a life to live. Keep going. 🤟

[@thatpyrope]

Damn this crazy

[@bradleybarnett9545]

Season 2, pleeease.

[@AA-qt1hi]

They REALLY fished all these celebs in their working/interview environments. OMG I love this! But seriously though. I hope they didn't hurt too much when they caught them in the face

[@Sylenced1]

A National Treasure for all topics he and his staff, Paws of Justice, and more cover. When the EP ended with the year 2015 I checked my 2024 calendar and died a little inside. Thanks for making Sundays so very worth looking towards for so long, even if I'm ancient