The IRS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Nobody likes the IRS. But recent budget and staff cuts have made it increasingly difficult for the department to do its very important job. Don’t take our word for it. Ask Michael Bolton.
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[@Khorothis]

I never thought I'd care so much about any government agency, let alone tax-related ones. Damn, John, that's magic.

[@InorganicVegan]

Well, it is important...

[@Danrarbc]

John has a gift

[@joshuaharris3943]

Khorothis Just how little do you know of how the government works? I'm not sure why it takes a tv show for everyone, not just you, to take an interest in anything of any importance.

[@randomstranger5877]

Joshua Harris Yeah... But seriously, I don't even know why people wouldn't even care about important matters like these. (Especially me.)

[@Sevenfold120]

Khorothis John is a god in the form of a man!

[@Zenobiwan]

Are we seriously not gonna talk about how the fucking IRS has a youtube channel?

[@locustzedicus2437]

Spyker Because every government agency has a youtube channel now a days.

[@BlaubartMT]

Spyker Should they not have a youtube channel? Are they posting inappropriate content? Is it an effective means to communicate with the public? I can't figure out why you might think the IRS having a youtube channel would be a problem.

[@sriontube]

Spyker They do and they use the latest Sanyo SCP-5300 the first ever camera phone in USA to record videos.

[@kevlel9561]

Spyker Every organization with more than 5 people has a youtube channel

[@Hoeech]

Spyker Are you seriously saying that you DO want to?

[@TheSecondVersion]

Fun trivia: That IRS contestant? He WON. And he did it in style. On the last question, he used up the "phone a friend" lifeline to just call his dad and tell him not to worry because he knew the correct answer :D

[@OriginalJunebug]

I still remember seeing that when it first aired. Brilliant idea.

[@LadyAnalicia]

"Hi, dad! I don't really have a question, I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna win the million."

[@meatiesogarcia6478]

Yeah, in the Spanish version happened EXACTLY the same thing, although he called his wife in the last question instead of his father. I think I heard it happened in some other places. It's a TV show, it's not real, it's rigged. That's why the host presented him differently, so he could be the unlikely hero, the nobody you start hating and becomes the audience favourite because he wins the big money like a boss. That's why I hate Slumdog Millionaire. Nah, I was kiding. That's ONE of the many, many reasons I hate Slumdog Millionare.

[@bonnierite]

Vito C what a G

[@ghostfenrir2338]

I'd I remember correctly, he was the first contestant to win on that show.

[@valathe]

"if you compare someone to the gestapo and they *don't* get offended, that's a big red flag!" oh the easier times of 2015...

[@ZT1ST]

I mean, it's not the only red flag of course - it's just a big one. Getting offended by that doesn't mean you don't have other red flags - it just means you don't have that one particularly large sized flag. It's also worth noting if they aren't offended by being compared to the Confederacy too - something I guess the U.S. forgot to add to its "Red Flag Definitions". possibly because the official flag was mostly white, and often confused with the flag for surrendering.

[@honkinbubbafulton8791]

Why? It’s still a big red flag.

[@valathe]

@@honkinbubbafulton8791 74.216.154 people seem to think it's quite okay actually

[@jackwarren1687]

Lolol for real

[@inigomontoya628]

@@valathe this number is hyper specific and I'm confused and scarred to ask where it came from

[@Krustenkaese92]

BOLTON!?!? The North Remembers.

[@SelimxBradley]

Pepperidge Farm remembers.

[@ameeraawadh]

hahahahaha good one!!

[@valvesart3865]

***** oh my god lol

[@manraajsingh]

and Winter is coming.

[@jtburney]

***** Captain Jack Sparrow remembers.

[@marmiteghost]

beginning of the video: how is jon supposed to make us sympathetic towards irs? end of the video: HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOUUUU

[@sabrestrike]

anon03030605 only if you ignore the blatant corruption, and the weaponization of it. Also the reason they computer system hasn't upgraded it the incompetence of the IRS itself. I'll link articles from almost 20 years ago (and the problem goes back much further) In addition what most people don't know or understand that there is no over-site of the IRS, it has its own courts, so to appeal an IRS decision you must go to the IRS court system. There are no checks and balances news.cnet.com/IRS-trudges-on-with-aging-computers/2100-1028_3-6175657.html www.nytimes.com/2003/12/11/business/at-irs-a-systems-update-gone-awry.html

sabrestrike I'm sorry but saying that the IRS hasn't got any oversight is just wrong. Even one of the articles you yourself linked talks of the IRS oversight board and the IRS homepage lists a further 10 or so agency/organisations, tasked with the oversight of the IRS. True, it's hard to pin the amortization of its equipment and methods on anyone else but the organisation, but that doesn't inherently imply the organisation is a headless chicken or a dog without a leash.

[@partymaniabethesda]

sabrestrike Not to mention the logic of this video doesn't make sense. Yes, the IRS makes money by spending money on enforcement, but that money doesn't just magically appear, it comes from US, the taxpayers that might be late or that might not be making ends meet. Part of the reason there is such chronic poverty is a combination of enormous taxes and extremely high rent. When up to 90% or more of your income is going to taxes/rent how the hell is there any chance of upward mobility? The government loves the current tax system because it keeps people compliant, we talk about it as though it's voluntary but people go to jail for not paying their taxes. Voluntary my ass and if I had an anus that screwed me over as much as the IRS can then I would opt for surgery and implanting a new one over fixing the current one.

[@sabrestrike]

Blake G You also have to look at the complexity of the tax code. You make a simple mistake that can cost you a lot of money and (worst case) your freedom. How much does it say that gangsters like Al Capone and Gotti and 100's more) were only imprisoned for tax evasion, not the majority of the crimes they committed.

[@sabrestrike]

Karl Kütt Okay there is over-site however it clearly isn't doing its job. 12+ billion spent on computer upgrades, with no system in service or likely to be for sometime. Abuses of power by employee's. The IRS is broken, its time for a complete overhaul or a new organization with a new culture and personnel.

[@karlbassett8485]

Being British he should have explained how the vast majority of British people do their taxes. Step One: Get a job. Step Two: Er... Step Three: That's it. The entire system is automatic. Your employer calculates your tax from your pay based on the code that HMRC (The UKs IRS) gives them, and withholds that amount and sends it directly to HMRC. That's it. You do not have to do anything. Every year HMRC send you a statement. You look at it and throw it in a drawer. If you are due a refund, say you changed jobs or were between jobs for a few months, then you get a cheque in the mail. Automatically. If you are self employed, or have significant investment income etc, then you have to file a return, but that can be done online. For 99% of working people they don't have to do a thing.

[@sophiathefurbst]

W H A T

[@antimatter_nvf]

@@sophiathefurbst Even better - almost every European country does taxes like this

[@Dereksaysno]

That sounds amazing.

[@ca-ml1rs]

The most alarming thing was that LWT suspiciously did not mention owner of tax filing products such as TurboTax, Intuit for instanced, lobbied or conspired against government programs like IRS government tax preparation or return-free filing, to protect their business interest. One would think those are low hanging fruits that this program loves to dissect.

[@idiocyincorporated7635]

@@ca-ml1rs i think he has a full segment on those.

[@CRASHjester]

Props to Michael Bolton for keeping a straight piece throughout that whole number. Impressive, especially that last bit.

[@PumpkinSpicePretzels]

He did it through his whole career

[@PRMCFTW]

I'm from Switzerland: to get help with my taxes, I SKYPED the tax authority. Yes. And they immediately answered. And were super nice.

[@Som09mer]

Didn't know that was possible

[@sdb9971]

thats really cool

[@OlOleander]

+Roderik M Besides the aiding and abetting of the super-rich to dodge taxes in their own country, hide disgustingly disproportionate wealth, and avoid penalties for everything from fraud to war crimes?

[@SirDavidPaladin]

How does one migrate to Switzerland? I'm from the Philippines and I run a software company. Our IRS keep sending me letters about not declaring the computers I'm selling.

[@fossilfighters101]

+

[@mommyslosingit]

Thank you, John Oliver, for being hilarious and teaching other people about shit that matters.

[@guytapatio9818]

MBTV Vlogz lol. he makes news and important info fun

[@terraventusaqua123]

MBTV Vlogz What about Jon Stewart and Larry Wilmore/Stephen Colbert?

[@martin-zuritastudio2838]

MBTV Vlogz AMERICA

[@thejaguar9]

Robert Jay Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are both leaving us :'(

[@terraventusaqua123]

thejaguar9 But, for now, we still have Stewart and Wilmore.

[@PoweredByEnvy]

I'll never stop loving how this man just recklessly blows hbo's money.

[@ahmedhaji7196]

I am sure a top notch manager in HBO is fan like us, only difference is he is a fan that can approve and/or give the money. I'll do exactly the same to keep this show on.

[@uthmanbaksh3530]

The guy who was on Who Wants to be a Millionaire from the IRS went on to win $1 Million while using only 1 lifeline, and that was to call his dad to let him know he is about to win the million. It was one of those moments in TV History that I was lucky enough to see on TV as it happened! So hopefully he didn't have to work for the IRS anymore.

[@tristanflynn4014]

You bet he knows how to get around having to pay the taxes you have to pay in winnings in your country.

[@dlira6242]

With Colbert gone and Stewart on his way out, this is the only news source that can be trusted any longer.

[@Thytos]

Dominic Lira Give Trevor Noah a chance. Maybe the Daily Show will still keep up the high quality.

[@AntonAdelson]

Thytos I second that.

[@Hopeofmen]

Except this isn't news. This is a comedy show that comments on the news.

[@FieldMarshalFry]

Dominic Lira try the BBC mate, it is impartial by law

[@Troublesome2008]

Hopeofmen It's news to anyone who hears it for the first time.

[@Daszkal]

The IRS's slogan should be "Lets just get through this, people."

[@ladorablemonsieurolivierur9224]

Just like the anus^^

[@fidjeenjanrjsnsfh]

"Confused? Blame your congressmen"

[@SaraWolffs]

The Dutch tax service (same thing, really) uses a slogan that can't be snappily translated, roughly "we can't make it any more enjoyable, only easier". Maybe the spirit is reasonably captured by "we can't help it, but we can help you". Except, y'know, the IRS is so underfunded that the second part'd be a lie.

[@adamx9793]

Booker Prime, too bad they’re predators. Dream on.

[@KY_CPA]

"We will get through this, together" ... The new slogan for the IRS and dealing with Coronavirus

[@Azurejam]

For taxes the government is like "You tell us how much you owe us, but we know the correct answer and if you get it wrong you go to jail" Isn't it a great system?

[@TimStamper89]

It makes me glad I've never had to file a tax return because my companies have always done then for me each month

[@geoffpriestley7001]

@@TimStamper89 paye?

[@theripper451]

Isn’t that John mulaney?

[@baclm555]

I am confused, I am not american, but is filling your taxes just declaring your income, or just checking the state declaration of your income is correct ?

[@dannooo548]

@@baclm555 The system works like this generally: Throughout the year, you guess roughly how much tax you will owe then pay that to the IRS automatically from your paycheck. Like if you have 8 kids and give millions to charity, you might tell them to withhold less than normal. Then, at the end of the year, you collect all your information like actual income you paid taxes on already, gifts to charity, things like education expenses you can deduct from your taxable income, bank account interest that you didn't have taxed witheld on, tax credits for like buying a house, stuff like that. Then you calculate how much taxes you actually owe and settle the score. The IRS might already know some stuff that they will call you out on for if you lie (like that they know you don't have 4 kids since you gave fake social security identification numbers) but they have no clue how much you gave to your neighborhood food bank.

[@SWEETIJO]

I nearly choked on my apple when he said "burn him, burn the money witch" 😂

[@StarAgentRXA4682]

"You don't miss your anus until you lost it" I never expected Michael Bolton would ever say something like that

[@Giondi]

"You never miss _____ until it's gone" is a stupid thing to say, though. Why would you miss it? It hasn't gone anywhere, you still have it.

[@reececrump8483]

+RootAccess I never expected Michael Bolton to sarenade the IRS...

[@nommy210]

+RootAccess - I have a new found respect for Michale Bolton for doing this piece.

[@BEEEELEEEE]

But like most revelations, it's unexpected, but undeniably true.

[@vetramont]

+RootAccess Look up Lonely Island Captain Jack, and prepare to have your mind blown. :)

[@BOBTHEBERT]

Admittedly, the magnetic reel tape system is actually not a bad system for storing data for long periods of time. Magnetic reel systems have a very long lifespan, as opposed to modern hard-drives that go bad within a few years. Hard-drives lose data and cause some of it to go corrupt, unrecoverable, within 3-4 years, which is not the kind of lifespan you want tax data to be stored on. Magnetic reel systems can last for decades, and have done so already. This isn't to say not to fund the IRS, but that the magnetic reel system isn't nearly as bad as people would think.

[@choggi]

Suitaloo Tape backup has been around for quite a long time for a very good reason (it lasts)

[@glebski1531]

Suitaloo i work with data and enterprise management systems and I can say that physical tape storage is still THE method for making data physical for compliance

[@mikecrapse5285]

Suitaloo Google also uses tape backup... It's one of the highest density and longest storage method. Heck, flash drives lose data within 40 years.

[@FoAmY99]

Mike Crapse What data aside from historical information needs to be preserved for nearly a half-century? So much would change in that time span, any benefit from such old data would be minuscule at best and certainly not worth the cost of storing it.

[@BOBTHEBERT]

FoAmY99 Tax data does. Reason being for estate taxes and really any tax data because people live for well over a half-century.

[@coreywelton8659]

John, not sure how you did it, but I now have a bit of sympathy for the IRS. It's a tough, boring, thankless job and to those who actually work there, keep up the good work.

[@luvpinas123]

The sad part is I understood everything those IRS employees were talking about on their youtube channel.

[@TakaComics]

How the fuck did Michael Bolton keep a straight face through that whole song?

[@CaptainSweatpants90]

I mean, he did have some practice, what with telling the tale of Captain Jack Sparrow...

[@Sonichero151]

Yeah you get a lot of practice when you dress up as jack sparrow and sing about pirates.

[@hellionshark3197]

He is a pro

[@FinVedGrohiik]

Danny Caracciolo

[@mooglygoogly5660]

Trevor Kent pro

[@InteristaS5]

I saw the title say "The IRS" and immediately thought "Oh, this should be good." I love you John Oliver.

[@MaggieLovesJimmy]

I'm amazed Michael Bolton sang that without cracking a smile/laughing and sang that last part so quickly without a hitch.

[@randomknowledgeperson2872]

As a person who has been to the ER at 2am many times I can in fact say that this man knows his sh*t

[@DNAsGhostzHouze]

Even after all these years Michael Bolton still got it. W for him...

[@ed765super]

Micheal Bolton always gotz it

[@Leandrasjones]

yesss... I listened to him a few times! his voice is just captivating!

[@mikecryea]

I was about to type that hahahahahha

[@theanimaster]

And I’m the 666th person to like this comment. Yikes.

[@katejmendoza]

Michael Bolton can get it.

[@dakotatucker1082]

US logic, cut the budget of the agency that gets the government money, so you get less money

[@roncur]

lol

[@lloydevans2900]

If the motivation behind cutting the IRS budget was to help with a government budget deficit, then of course that logic is bullshit. But when the GOP is in government, the motivation is precisely the opposite. Not only do republicans not care if the budget isn't balanced - they actually want it that way. Ever since Reaganomics, their main agenda has been to systematically deprive the government of funds. Often they do this by ramming enormous and deliberately unsustainable tax cuts through congress. Reagan did that, as did Bush senior, but perhaps the most irresponsible tax cuts (requiring the most blatantly dodgy accounting) were pushed through by Dubya. Of course, congress can't always be pressured into accepting tax cuts, but that is where attacking the IRS comes into play. If the GOP can't get tax cuts for their rich corporate donors passed the legal way, then starving the IRS of funds effectively allows them to evade taxes illegally. When a wealthy corporation decides to play tax evasion games, it takes skilled lawyers and accountants to fight that and make them pay up. This of course takes time and money, so the less funding the IRS has, the less they are able to go after the big tax evaders.

[@dakotatucker1082]

Lloyd Evans no one is going to read your book

[@chriscombs21886]

+Dakota Tucker as of 5 seconds ago your statement is false

[@dakotatucker1082]

Chris Combs cool story bro

[@omogaju]

Michael Bolton is a legend. I also duff my hat to all the guys for keeping a straight face with that rendition

[@roncerjani9063]

"Unfortunately expression of sincere emotion has never been my forte." This is now my new catchphrase.

[@verdancyhime]

The IRS wants your taxes to be easier, too. Lobbyists from other companies like Jackson Hewitt and Turbo Tax are part of the reason your return is still difficult or costly to file.

[@jmurray1110]

Yeah did you have multiple attempts to bring return-free filing and make it so the government calculates them and have you review it to fix expenses. I think this how contries should proform tax investigations. similarly they shouldn't keep changing the laws and loopholes though i may be misremembering i remeber hearing that there is an average of 7 tax law codes change daily

[@priscillawilson2634]

@@jmurray1110 Please edit with punctuation. What?

[@jmurray1110]

ok ive made my point clearer hope this helps you understand

[@oopsiepoopsie2898]

Yeah TurboTax tricked me into thinking taxes can now be easy with them, until I found out pretty much every other country does your taxes for you

[@vicmartone]

@@jmurray1110 still horrible.

[@MikhailKalashnikovMiG]

Honestly it's episodes like this that prove time and again that Last Week Tonight is one of the most important current events analysis shows on television right now. John manages to keep the show fresh and relevant after all this time; if only Colbert or Noah were as good as him.

[@sdb9971]

he is the best

[@user-ui7po2eb1m]

I like him too I have been binge watching this for the past couple of days

[@Creationsofmyown]

that and South Park.

[@emeraldkat2167]

Well to be fair, full frontal with sam Bee is like a better version of Stewart era Daily show. I have trouble deciding on which show I enjoy more, this or FF.

[@IVISMiLESIVI]

Mikhail Kalashnikov I agree but I think Trevor is doing a good job with the daily show and Colbert has always been good, I just think he's on a Donald Trump kick right now. But yea John Oliver is probably the best of them all right now.

[@deanhart375]

To be fair to the IRS, I would also investigate groups connected to a movement with the slogan, “Taxation is Theft.”

[@syvarris467]

One of the things that has bothered me about this segment is that magnetic tape storage is still one of the most permanent methods of data storage. While seek times are slow, it’s still a preferred method of storage for backup or data archival.

[@arjunaravind1351]

Interesting, does the data never get corrupted or something?

[@syvarris467]

@@arjunaravind1351 Kinda? It's also extremely information-dense and pretty physically robust, for a storage medium anyway. For the large mass archival storage I'm sure the IRS needs, and the fact that the lists are probably organized in some fashion, makes up for the shortfall of tape storage. I would imagine the data being on hard disks during the year they're filed or needed, then moved to tape for long-term storage.

[@katherinepagan4860]

I imagine it cannot be hacked as well

[@goshinbi44]

Magnetic tapes are still a very viable method of storing data if you need it super long term.

[@TheWilyx]

goshinbi I thought exactly the same! But some people just don't understand how this stuff works.

[@BipedalP314]

William Soto They're great for long term storage but they're terrible if you need to access the information regularly.

[@ALegitimateYoutuber]

goshinbi Ya but wouldn't it it better to have it still on a modern systems so the data is vastly more manageable. I mean having back ups is fine but you need a system that focuses on efficiency. Otherwise you might not be able to keep up with the ever growing demand. Also if they modernized the system they could most likely have computer programs run all the data, getting things done faster, more accurately, cheaper, and make it more reliable.

[@ItamiBukoto]

goshinbi Holy shit, I found a good KZbin comment. What do I do?

[@ritvikmiglani]

goshinbi its not really efficient having those clunky tapes. We have the technology, we should use it.

[@Appleboy78165]

1:10 John DID become the first contestant to win the million (and he didn't even use any lifelines), so take that, audience!

[@WhiteArgus]

Wasn't he the one who used his phone-a-friend to call his dad on the million-dollar question just to tell him he knew the answer and was going to win? He technically used it, but I won't hold it against him.

[@Appleboy78165]

Yep, that's the guy!

[@tamiolson]

Appleboy78165 fuck you. So what??

[@Appleboy78165]

+Collector Junk Why so angry? Chill.

[@drdre4397]

Appleboy78165 lol I have no idea why that guy got so mad it's actually a really funny fact that you shared. good on thst guy

[@LiquidChris1510]

every time i see this guy with the mustard on his check im totaly losing my shit 😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 best episode ever

[@persona2grata]

That 1% compliance costing $30 billion thing really puts into perspective the corporate tax avoidance that has changed the effective corporate tax rate in the early 2000's from 17% to 10% today. That's $300 billion, and the corporate rate is *supposed* to be 35%.

[@dome2919]

It goes double when you think about the House Republicans' proposed plan to defund tf out of the IRS to fund the war. The defenders like to say "the spending has to come from somewhere!" without considering that all gov income comes this agency.

[@persona2grata]

@@dome2919 Agreed! The strategy is akin to saying "Our store isn't profitable enough because too many people are walking out of the store without paying for things, so we're going to get rid of all the security guards in the store to lower our expenses."

[@Dakkalistic]

You guys are doing it wrong. In Germany, our income tax gets deducted from our pay each month. Filing our tax report means getting money back. People fucking love doing their taxes over here.

[@empressmarowynn]

That's what income tax is here. At the end of the fiscal year you have to make sure it balances. If your employer didn't take enough out then you owe money. But if you declare certain things that are tax deductible like charitable donations, children, etc, then you get money back. I always get a couple hundred back each year just because of my income level.

[@MoonShadowWolfe]

In Canada, it depends on what job you have. Some deduct your taxes for you, others you need to keep track of yourself. We also get yearly income tax reimbursements.

[@njjj2688]

Everyone does taxes better than we do in the US. Congress, what are doing with yourselves? [Edit] Although, I have to give them credit for all the stuff they put up with.

[@commonsense31]

David Hombach true. All Nordic countries do it. Online.

[@TwilightStar91]

We in Australia go online and it automatically prefills like 95% of it. What's with the paper forms?

[@TheShaleco]

I was gonna sleep but I guess I can afford to stay up another 20 minutes

[@JeSuisHulk]

TheShaleco hahahaha same here

[@TokenBlackman7]

TheShaleco Amen to that, brother!

[@snowdog5479]

TheShaleco sleep is for the weak

[@Marc-qd4ly]

I feel you, man. Same here!

[@shmooveyea]

TheShaleco same; literally.

[@RodneyJohnson69]

Magnetic tape is actually the best medium for long term storage. They can out live hard disk and solid state by a large margin.

[@keiyakins]

I can't imagine why the IRS would scrutinize people who claim they shouldn't have to pay taxes more closely...

[@MrDeath9111]

John Oliver if you ever read this post know that you are FUCKING BRILLIANT!

[@5PYZ3R]

+martin matovic oh he knows, he knows he's brillant.

[@kylestubbs8867]

He prefers the term "brillent".

[@davep8221]

I had an incredibly good experience with an IRS employee (I wish I could praise him by name). I had effed up something and had penalties and interest. He really wanted to help. He told me what -- and *when* -- to do things so that I could actually have the penalties and interest negated. I only had a little time and he was very emphatic that I "do it now or get hosed." Pointed me at forms, explained things, etc. This was some of the absolute best service I've ever gotten. When I called he was a little grumpy because he had been being bitched at all day about Bush's "I'll give you $$$ if you like me" refunds. When I treated him like a human being and made a few jokes, it really cheered him up. So I ended up with no penalties and no interest. Thanks, dude, and I hope they didn't sh!t-can you.

[@act4666]

I saw this with my best friend when it first aired. We died laughing and Oliver you rock too. Thank you for telling the truth!!

[@piedpiper1172]

It’s April 19, 2024. I filed my taxes in about 30 minutes on the 15th and received my refund today. Crazy how well a funded and staffed government agency works. Thanks Joe!

[@lizatanzawa7910]

I have new respect for the IRS AND Michael Bolton~~~

[@yoginipatrice7992]

Liza Tanzawa Which is exactly what this video was intended to do....Brainwashing and mind control at its best.

[@1234kalmar]

Patrice Page LOL :D

[@passiveobserver]

Patrice Page Tinfoil hat.

[@yoginipatrice7992]

Chyouno Calling someone a tinfoil hat is definitely easier than doing any research about the history of the IRS. To make a not-so-long story shorter, the tax was intended for the corporations, not the citizens. I can't decide whether Americans are afraid to learn the truth or if they are just lazy.

[@lizatanzawa7910]

Patrice Page​ Lol!!!. I mean your clever remark about mind control. And the sad thing is, they don't go after deadbeat corps!

[@fidorover]

And with this one simple sketch, John Oliver cleverly avoids a tax audit for the next 5 years.

[@wompwomp9904]

What is a tax audit

[@shittyname2657]

What are taxes

[@dirkjehovah4731]

Who is John Oliver?

[@nolyricsneeded8424]

What’s a year?

[@ninty900]

What’s 5?

[@catfishdave6125]

Tape storage is actually the best option for the IRS. It has a high cost for tape readers, but the media is very cheap. It's slow, but you don't need lightning fast access to tax records.

[@middle_pickup]

Bolton and his band are trully amazing. Well freaking done!

[@stealthwolf1]

That song is like a peace offering to the IRS. An Oliver Branch.

[@DavidBrianPaley]

Only John Oliver could bring out Michael Bolton's true genius in a song about the IRS. LMAO.

[@ivanpodrez3403]

Some good things just don't change. The ending was epic! John is a genius! And Bolton can still sing like an angel!

[@bobbyelmi4324]

13:40 replay button. Never thought I’d become addicted to a parody song about the IRS

[@TheGiantBunnysaid]

Only Michael Bolton could sing about the IRS, anuses, and Star Trek, and make it sound like an instant classic.

[@AfferbeckBeats]

SING IT TO THEM MICHAEL

[@bensemusx]

I just got to that part of the video and then I saw ur comment :)

[@rohansingh7698]

Ok, Tape drives are actually the best place to store data. It's still used today by major companies because you can store 100's of terabytes of data on them for an extremely cheap price and they have a virtually unlimited lifespan on the shelf compared to modern hard drives which only last about a decade

[@SimpaticoReal]

RIP the legend Regis Philbin.

[@SkiDaBird]

Expression of sincere emotion is not my forte. I'm British. I was on the floor. Like literally, I fell out of my chair.

[@sirtobusfist6065]

OH! EVERYBODY OVER HERE WE HAVE SALVATION A REFUGEE FOR NON POLITICAL COMMENTS I was wondering if Michael Boltons song was a parody of somthing else

[@Xohadarc]

+SkiDaBird As a British person myself I can attest to the legitimacy of that statement.

[@mrsuperguy2073]

i can't say I've heard that stereotype before but another one is that if you say a word to ANYONE you don't know in London you'll get a silent, cold glarebc back.

[@andrewharper1609]

mrsuperguy2073 it depends on the time of day and whether or not they're from oop north or not.

[@onkelpappkov2666]

I'm German, so I repressed my amusement and grunted in agreement.

[@Sakraida82]

People also attack customer service people over prices too. So part of a system.

[@chadoftoons]

Everythings worth what its buyer is willing to pay for it

[@sebastianfranklinshaw9718]

Now that cheap self publishing exists and people can price an ebook on Amazon for 99cents they attack authors who have publishers and can't set prices for having ebooks that cost $5.50 cause they don't understand authors with publishers can't set prices.

[@MordredMS]

It seems weird to me that John & co found it necessary to explain to people why the agency that collects taxes is important and needs to be well-funded and well-equipped. I mean... shouldn't it be obvious?

[@__-dr5vm]

MordredMS it really should be

[@CollinMcLean]

Because the "Taxation is theft!" stigma, that's why...

[@erebusvonmori8050]

Pretty sure you pay your taxes to have representation. I mean if 'No taxation without representation' then surely the reverse applies.

[@onkelpappkov2666]

If you see it as an institution designed to fund the country, then yes. But that's a step you'll have to take first. For the common guy having trouble seeing how the tax money is supposedly being used for his or the common good, the IRS is the government part that takes the money away. Funding people who take money away while the people being taxed are poor as shit? That sounds ludicrous. It is a matter of perspective. Humans don't see the purpose of a larger society if it doesn't cover their needs. Poverty is rampant and taxation is another of those concepts that are fundamentally good but lacking in execution. Like law, police, government, jail and economy. People often don't see how a thing fails because it lacks funding, so putting funds into a sinking ship sounds like a stupid idea. Teach them how funding is the basis of it all and they'll understand.

[@thepurpleflute9740]

Erebus Von Mori I really appreciate your comment yo, screenshoted it for future reference

[@bazingaburg8264]

Finally, a bloody answer! This song's been stuck in my head since the late 2000's and, without any recollection of where i had heard it, i had no bread crumbs to follow . Thank you so much, John ^^

[@backslash68]

I have a lot more respect for Michael Bolton after watching this

[@ladyvincenza]

I can't believe I'm enjoying a Michael Bolton performance.

[@acetate909]

backslash68 That comment implies you already had some respect for Bolton before this.

[@warrenharding103]

The tax system in New Zealand is great. If you have a regular salary you don't have to file a tax return it's just taken off your wages each month. If you make additional income on the side you have to declare it of course. If you think you're eligible for a rebate you _can_ file a return but it's optional. I haven't filed a return for decades. Also New Zealand invented GST (now adopted by Australia and Canada). This tax is on _everything_ and cannot be dodged by the rich. It's also embedded in the price tag so what you see is what you pay. When they brought in GST they lowered the income tax rate to compensate. I don't think they did that in Australia and Canada though. But at least the rich are paying their share now.

[@TheHadesShade]

+Warren Harding What is GST?

[@warrenharding103]

TheHadesShade It's "Goods and Services Tax". It's 15% of the price of everything and it's built into the price tag. Un-dodgeable.

[@bbruinenberg]

+Warren Harding Sadly, it is a flat tax. This means that the poor will be disproportionally affected by it. In reality, sales tax should be removed and scale based income tax should be the main way of collecting tax money from every person and company that makes money in that country (including companies that operate internationally). That way the people who live in poverty don't have to pay tax while the rich get taxes for roughly 50% of their income. That method would also get rid of the loophole that companies use in which they put their headquarters in a different country. They would still have to pay scale based income tax over any earnings made in any country that would use this system.

[@warrenharding103]

***** Ideally sure. But it doesn't work that way in reality because the rich control the government and have accountants that can exploit loopholes. GST gets around that problem. And the poor spend less money so they pay less tax too.

[@RainbowYak]

+Warren Harding But how do you pay tax for everything other than your income? I come from Switzerland and the most annoying part about paying taxes here is not even so much that you have to give away your money but that the tax revenue institution steals at least one day of your year every year. I'm a university student and don't really own much, so paying taxes is relatively easy for me (and it's already complicated). But when I look at my dad... it's crazy. He has to keep all the receipts and other important official letters he gets throughout the year because he needs to scan all of them at the end of the year and send them via mail (not electronically) as proof for what numbers he wrote on the tax sheets. Also, there are separate forms for owning a house, separate forms for owning a car, separate forms if you're married or have children etc. Filling out this stuff takes you hours and that's really the annoying part about it. I'd rather just pay someone to do it for me. Unfortunately, I'm not that rich.

[@saltyqt2835]

“slapping your checkout clerk because the price of eggs has gone up” hits different in january 2023

[@AMapWithNoOcean]

Ahhhh the good old times. When long lines in front of the IRS weren't deadly.

[@Cati.Colours]

I love how serious Michael Bolton is singing the song and he just cracks up at the end XD

[@Sevenfold120]

Regis is so funny. He works for the IRS. -few boos. He works in Collections. -Everyone boos.

[@VanHalenIsolated]

😂😂 Michael Bolton piece, one of the best John Oliver moments ever. “TELL THEM MICHAEL! TELL THEM!”

[@Estevarium]

"There is a weird kind of heroism in doing jobs that are that boring," is almost a line straight out of David Foster Wallace's 'The Pale King,' a book mostly about the IRS (5:35)

[@smol_chilli_pepper]

How did I know that it was Michael Bolton who would come out? I swear he's everywhere

[@TheKYLEdavid]

+1210Nique Maybe you subconsciously noticed his name in the description before you switched to full screen

[@Mirsab]

+TheKyleDavid great point

[@S0RGEx]

Michael Bolton is the fucking best.

[@adampalmer7387]

Ryan Sorge when a man loves ugly glasses

[@adampalmer7387]

Ryan Sorge when a man loves a woman

[@lukeanimal]

That dude on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" actually won, and in one of the most savage ways ever.

[@awesomecat42]

Holy shit, someone could fuck up our entire tax system with one neodymium magnet.

[@sexybunnyxox]

tbh I DO feel really bad for irs workers. Its like working in retail, all the customers bitch about coupons and sales like the cashier has any control over why your 20% off doesnt work on purse or whatever

[@SeeWorldKevin]

damn. Bolton still belts em out

[@phero2]

+Nicholas Wilson He's cool as hell, also did some great stuff with "The Lonely Island".

[@petrona3049]

Mr. Bolton still got it...wow. should I be tearing up right now!?

[@fyrgebrc4666]

I'm from Britain, we barely think about taxes - if you're not unemployed they're usually done for you.

[@quickattackfilms7923]

The IRS isn't the hero America deserves, they're the hero America needs.

[@Sutherlinite]

Or are they.

[@adamx9793]

Quick Attack Films, they take people’s money without consent. It’s rape.

[@ChakkyCharizard]

OH MY GOD. IRS. You made Star Trek uninteresting, how the fuck is that possible?!

[@MrConstantine02]

+ChakkyCharizard｜Chakky-P Watch 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'. The original cast did it pretty easily.

[@harrymorris2361]

Have you heard of deep space 9?

[@akadua1045]

+Harry Morris here we go with the Trekkie in-fighting. fine. DS9 is one of the best Star Trek series. i'd say it's third best despite featuring my favorite Trek character Weyoun. of course Voyager and Next Gen compete for best series in Trek and TOS is 4th, sorry, but the only series that doesn't beat TOS is Enterprise, even Scott Bakula can't save that mess.

[@1Selgin]

+ChakkyCharizard｜Chakky-P The IRS can ruin everything clearly.

[@angrybrony]

+ChakkyCharizard｜Chakky-P still better then the fist season of tng

[@gametime8610]

Just wipe the mustard off and send it straight too the bank. I love John Oliver only he can give us such great little gifts like that.🤣🤣😂

[@jasr7096]

I recently worked a tax season at the IRS opening letters. The people there are super friendly and high energy, especially for that type of job. Letters are opened and then scanned and then destroyed. So if you send in dirty mail in anger, you're only inconveniencing regular people who can't find a better job.

[@girafmad]

Is it me or can Mr. Bolton sing anything?

[@InorganicVegan]

The man can make me moist by singing about turds.

[@DavidAndrewsPEC]

Diana Peña Best comment I've ever seen!!!! Well, one of the best I've ever seen!!!

[@captainlovely5213]

girafmad He's also insanley good in cutting down Starks

[@roykliffen9674]

Diana Peña Well ... he *was* singing about the IRS

[@KafshakTashtak]

girafmad His jack sparrow was another proof.

[@kriso.6690]

The worst thing about that Star Trek parody was the fact that they had TOS and TNG uniforms in the same video.

[@EndlessSummer888]

That guy on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" with Regis actually succeeded in getting to the million dollar question... and WON.

[@HappyDaddy247]

Michael Bolton giving props to the IRS! Sweet!

[@JoeShitTheRagMan_GravelGurdy]

Doing taxes in America seems like such a shit fest. All I have to do is: (1) Look at numbers on one paper (2) See if the numbers are the same on another paper (3) Send a text message (4) Grab a beer

[@solisprime2669]

Joe Shit the Rag Man Were are you from

[@omarortiz7211]

It IS a shit fest. Thats why we usually have to pay someone else to do them for us.

[@JoeShitTheRagMan_GravelGurdy]

Ray Ridenour Ooops, I forgot to mention that :D I live in Sweden

[@Wilford870]

Joe Shit the Rag Man It may just be me but it seems like Swedish government really has their shit together.

[@pecanarchy]

Joe Shit the Rag Man Wow, mandatory beer drinking? Sweden is more intense than I thought.

[@oggyreidmore]

I don't think the tax code should be simplified to a flat tax, but it could be simplified to an exponential function. That way poor people pay less and rich people pay more, but we all use the same formula. That simplified progressive taxation formula would drive most people into the middle class, the strongest driving force in the economy. The simplification would also mean that the IRS could spend it's efforts on collection rather than assisting people with paperwork and ultimately it would cost less to fund the IRS.

[@timothyrichard8241]

***** Canada. Or most other civilized nations.

[@oggyreidmore]

***** I'm not sure if it's a bonafide "idea" so much as a simple mathematical concept. Exponential functions are something dealt with in high school algebra, so it's not that complicated. As far as what the actual function would be, we'd have to decide that in the law. You'd probably need to get a team of economists to figure out the best rate of increase, and it's possible that congress would decide on an annual exponential function as part of the annual budget proceedings. I think it would be interesting to have different functions during wartime than in peacetime, to create the extra revenue needed to fight a war without creating large national debt or a significant budget deficit. Incidentally, that idea would mean that the rich and upper middle class would get clobbered on taxes if we ever went to war, which would mean that they would be lobbying the strongest to avoid war - and in this political climate lobbyists control just about everything. Nothing against the military, but I think that a system with a built in anti-war function would be a good thing. It would mean that military action would be a very last resort, and not something to go into without it being absolutely necessary.

[@InorganicVegan]

Mark, you might try Sweden.

[@oggyreidmore]

***** So basically what you are advocating is a non representative rule by a moneyed elite. Funny...I thought we fought a revolution to get out of that type of system. The problem is not democracy, it's corrupted democracy.

[@gringozolano301]

It works pretty well in China.I get along just fine with their income tax formula which accounts for a percentage plus my income.

[@McCarthyJohn100]

John Oliver has the best analogies, every episode and he never fails

[@semiliterati]

If you work for the IRS, and found this video in my history during the course of your investigation of me, I want to be on record that there is only one thing I took away from this video, it's that Michael Bolton is an objectively talented singer, because his music doesn't resonate with everyone, there's a lot of people who might not have ever appreciated that. Through his music he's earned millions of fans, and has been indisputably crushing the game of life, which has inspired dozens of parodies, over 3+ decades. Being mocked can kind of suck, but instead of retreating with hurt feelings, or lashing back from insult, Michael Bolton leans in on the joke. He uses it to illustrate resilient character, a wicked sense of humor, general affability, and an appreciation of the absurd. Michael Bolton isn't afraid of adversity. He's been tested, he's never been defeated. He gets in there, brilliantly increases his fan base, elevates his status in the modern zeitgeist, adding years to his tenure, all of which is transcendent of his music. Of course, his initial credibility, and fame, stems from music, but he's successfully severed the tether between music, and his celebrity. His credibility isn't pigeonholed to a song, or album. Now, just being Michael Bolton is what makes him famous. By embracing his parody, his success as musician is just a backdrop to his credibility. I don't know anyone who works at the IRS. I don't how you people think, but some of you are probably saying I'm devaluing his work as a musician, but hear my words, what he's accomplished in record sales is a remarkable feat, very few people will ever achieve. My argument, based on my takeaway from this Last Week Tonight with John Oliver video about IRS funding, pontificates Michael Bolton has achieved something beyond selling records. I guess you're all number people over there, so I'll try to express the magnitude of increased unlikelihood his footsteps can successfully be followed, mathematically; A:B=B:C A = people who have not sold millions of records B = people who have sold millions of records C = people who have sold millions of records, and by simply appearing in an unexpected cameo, bring joy to other people incapable of positively identifying which songs are theirs, out of the songs their moms embarrassingly sing at them in the car. That's all I got. I don't know a lot of Michael Bolton songs. I don't know why I'm being investigated. There's a lot of things I don't know. My only opinion regarding this video is it's time we, as Americans, stop and really consider Michael Bolton, and what he's done. Can't we come together, and each one of us, celebrate the guys entire catalogue.

[@Supernatural_Choices]

Michael Bolton looks really good. I hope I age as well.

[@PogausorusRex]

Holy shit I know.

[@simongosimon]

+Left Shark holy shit xD

[@TheHeroOfTomorrow]

Okay, I love the phrase "furious mustard enthusiasts."

[@ilyadyachuk7716]

4:35 Just saying: In 2018 Russian rapper Loquimean rapped out “[I] see Gestapo in [the] police” addressed to Russian police, and basically got no reaction.... The video got more than 10mln views by the way. And yes, I’m a concerned Russian😂

[@viv30406]

After so many decades, Michael Bolton still sounds great! Lovely voice :)

[@erttheking]

Life. There's shit you don't WANT to do, but you HAVE to do.

[@FreorgeWeasley]

I may be a 19 year old lesbian but dayum Michael Bolton still got it

[@CollinMcLean]

I'm 19 and straight and frequently say the same thing about Hugh Jackman... Michael Bolton, Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr... Men who've gotten better with age.

[@bradhaines3142]

i like boobs

[@junnecita3121]

I feel ya 🙌

[@thesmasher138]

Ehehe... not wrong, I guess

[@HotShotR92J]

In love with this comment

[@edamariko]

Michael Bolton’s stellar performance at the end really soothes the stress everyone experiences due to the topic of this episode 😂. We all need it!!

[@AverageAwesomeDude]

That man has the voice of an angel

[@nahasch0]

I like paying taxes, I mean, I enjoy the nice roads, free schools, government services...

[@flyghtmyleage6041]

do you also like eminent domain, new pointless government buildings, and underpaid employees?

[@sebastianfranklinshaw9718]

I like that I just don't like phone calls saying my business can't possibly earn that little and tell them more. Uh no my accountant told you everything already. But I'm not in the USA so not talking about US tax system although I'm sure they're similar. Taxes in my country pay for a lot more too since my country has heavily subsidized health care and stuff.

[@agasthyashankar]

you obviously dont live in america

[@paulochikuta330]

+Sebbie Shaw where are you?

[@Asounation]

If only you realised that the personal income tax you pay actually fund none of that, and just mostly go to paying interest rates on national debt. Gas tax, amongst other local taxes pay for the rest.

[@m_couto]

"Boo him boo him... now let's lock the doors and turn off the cameras and burn him... BURN HIM" :D hilarious And the man in "Who wants to be a millionaire" actually went up to winning that contest :)

[@mythellaneous2082]

BURN THE MONEY WITCH

[@reillymcwriting]

Not only that, he was the FIRST to win.

[@enomfonsammy5646]

Last week Tonight is the greatest 😂😂😂😂

[@sitizenkanemusic]

"Hmm… well why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael?" "No way. Why should I change? He's the one who sucks."