S06.E29: Bob Murray and SLAPP

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Bob Murray and Strategic lawsuit against public participation; Other segments: Roger Stone

Original air date 2019.11.10

[formerlyfreedom]

That musical number was extremely cathartic.

[Chippings]

Quick, oh please, who was the Broadway performer who sang ?  I think he was the lead in 'Something Rotten ?  Know his name as well as anything.  Thank you !

(Incredible number, absolutely amazing.  They're sure they ran it all by their lawyers, right?)

[Annber03]

OMFG, that ending :D. That's beautiful. This is why I love this show. 

And boy, was that a welcome ending, because I did not want the show to end with that insane stuff about the kidney stone. I didn't think things would get weirder than the stuff with Roger Stone ("We've all hit literal rock bottom." Ain't that the truth), but leave it to Murray to prove me wrong. What. The ever-loving. Fuck? 

Even before Oliver got into the details of the current lawsuits, though, I had a feeling at least one of them was going to involve accusations of sexual harassment. Not at all surprised that both of them did. And given Murray's general obnoxious attitude and connections and other criminal history thus far, I have zero problem believing there's truth to those allegations. 

But yeah, there definitely needs to be more restriction on that kind of nonsense. Make the punishment severe enough to where the effort to try and file these kinds of stupid lawsuits isn't worth it. Good to get an official update on everything that the show went through as well-the whole thing with the judges overseeing that case getting in their own trouble is both hilarious and sad and says so much about how crazy things have been these last few years. 

(It's also really interesting to hear Trump advocating for making it easier to file those kinds of lawsuits, All I can say to that is, "Be careful what you wish for, Trump.")

I would watch "Throne Babies". 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Annber03

[Not4Me]

I think the musical number missed a wonderful opportunity to showcase some dancing kidney stones. 😛

[Annber03]

Right? I was seriously expecting something like that to pop up at some point, too :p. 

[ahisma]

Doomus Bloomus, indeed! 

Roger Stone and Bob Murray—two assholes in Trump’s orbit who, like their patron, don’t fare well in court but persist in going all in on legal measures as an intimidation tactic. May they all go down in flames.

Eat shit, Bob. You other two, too.

[Annber03]

When Oliver was talking about Stone's Nixon tattoo, I just kept thinking about the poor tattoo artist who had to put that on him. I wonder what he must've been thinking. "You want me to give you a tattoo of who now?"

[peeayebee]

If anyone would like to post the lyrics to the song, I would be indebted. 🙂

Although I couldn't understand all the words, it was fantastic. What a production. Will Murray respond?

Anti-SLAPP laws definitely need to be federal. What a waste of time and money, not to mention the intimidation purpose of the whole thing. As John said, it's something that Trump has done and continues to do. I believe he learned that from Roy Cohn.

I loved John calling Trump's "press conferences" daily helicopter yell time. It's not even a press conference. The best term for it is daily helicopter yell time.

I also got a huge laugh out of hospital gift shops selling Prepare to Die balloons.

[angora]

46 minutes ago, Chippings said:

Quick, oh please, who was the Broadway performer who sang ?  I think he was the lead in 'Something Rotten ?  Know his name as well as anything.  Thank you !

(Incredible number, absolutely amazing.  They're sure they ran it all by their lawyers, right?)

Brian d'Arcy James! You're right about Something Rotten, and he also starred in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and the musical adaptation of Shrek. Plus, fun fact, he was the original King George in Hamilton when it was playing Off-Broadway (just 'cause, here's him with two other King Georges lip-syncing to "The Schuyler Sisters.")

[Chippings]

Thank you, Angora, thank you !  Our two brains here only came up with Brian Doyle Murray, which was sort of close but not really.  Good recollection on his bio, too - I had not remembered he was Geo III off-Broadway!

I'll play the lip-sync in a second, wanted to thank you first.  

Sometimes mid-show I wonder if there's going to be a super-whammo ending to it, and sometimes there is not, which is fine.  But this time they went entirely beyond what we've ever seen before.  Good grief -    And yes, let's see the lyrics to that song!   

Edited November 11, 2019 by Chippings
Coherence

[Annber03]

2 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

In other news, I'm happy the HBO legal department hasn't tried to murder John yet.

Bless those poor lawyers, seriously. Much thanks to them and HBO for standing by and fighting on behalf of Oliver and the show as they have. 

[MrWhyt]

yes, eat shit Bob

[scarynikki12]

51 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

I'm happy the HBO legal department hasn't tried to murder John yet

Job security! 

[movingtargetgal]

1 hour ago, Lantern7 said:

In other news, I'm happy the HBO legal department hasn't tried to murder John yet.

I can imagine John and the writers had the legal department working/stressing right up until showtime.  I bet there was more than one attorney walking around with a bottle of Maalox sticking out of their back pockets.   

[nickp1991]

John Oliver’s musical number about Bob Murray is amazing

[purist]

Oh, show, you've outdone yourself! That ending was magnificent, and all the stuff that went before it was A+ as well. The Roger Stone merch! The 'Prepare to Die' gift balloon! The Winston Churchill liberal-conservative quote! The recap of the Bob Murray lawsuit against LWT and where it all ended up! The ridiculously horrible details of the current Murray lawsuits!

I love John Oliver and his writers. I love the HBO legal department. What a time to be alive.

Edited November 11, 2019 by purist

[DEL901]

I can’t wait for Bob Murray to sue them again and I want the case to go to court so they can play “Eat Shit Bob - The Musical” in court.  

[ahisma]

8 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I loved John calling Trump's "press conferences" daily helicopter yell time. It's not even a press conference. The best term for it is daily helicopter yell time.

Politico called it “chopper talk,” but my favorite is “yellicopter conference” (used by various people; I first heard it on “Mueller She Wrote”).

[cuppasun]

8 hours ago, Annber03 said:

When Oliver was talking about Stone's Nixon tattoo, I just kept thinking about the poor tattoo artist who had to put that on him. I wonder what he must've been thinking. "You want me to give you a tattoo of who now?"

oh, hell, YES... and I think this on behalf of my son-in-law who is, indeed, a tattoo artist. I mean, there are things he won't do, but I kind of imagine him here asking "this is for a satanic ritual, right? Please tell me this is for a satanic ritual..."

Every time I lose perspective, snickering at some fictional bwah-ha-ha super-villain (too over the top to ever compare to real life, of course), John and others like him pop back into frame to remind me that truth is so much more fucking disturbing than fiction... 

I do have to say--just watched the West End revival of 42nd Street on Great Performances a couple days ago, and John & Co just nailed it!!

[swanpride]

This tattoo….I wish I could unsee it. And I am still puzzled about that. I mean, how many Nixon fans are also into tattoos? That is such a weird combination.

[DEL901]

Eat Shit Bob...the lyrics....I didn’t realize they were featuring the “suck my balls Bob” dancers  

https://genius.com/John-oliver-eat-shit-bob-lyrics

Edited November 11, 2019 by DEL901

[peeayebee]

Thank you DEL901 for the lyrics!

Thank you angora for that Hamilton clip!

Edited November 11, 2019 by peeayebee

[xaxat]

This was a great episode. 

It makes me so happy that, today, Bob Murray is probably yelling at his lawyers. "He says I dipped my balls in his hot dog water!"

[rwlevin]

11 hours ago, angora said:

Brian d'Arcy James! You're right about Something Rotten, and he also starred in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and the musical adaptation of Shrek. Plus, fun fact, he was the original King George in Hamilton when it was playing Off-Broadway (just 'cause, here's him with two other King Georges lip-syncing to "The Schuyler Sisters.")

Also, the hot dog vendor was played fellow broadway alum Jordan Gelber, most notable role playing  Brian from the original cast of Avenue Q. How I love playing spot the broadway actor.

Edited November 11, 2019 by rwlevin
A rotor is not a role

[DEL901]

Apparently HBO had to spend $200,000 to defend the case.  
 

https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/11/last-week-tonight-john-oliver-robert-murray-musical/

[Sharpie66]

12 hours ago, angora said:

Brian d'Arcy James! You're right about Something Rotten, and he also starred in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and the musical adaptation of Shrek. Plus, fun fact, he was the original King George in Hamilton when it was playing Off-Broadway (just 'cause, here's him with two other King Georges lip-syncing to "The Schuyler Sisters.")

He was also the mustachioed researcher/reporter on the Spotlight team in the movie of the same name. When he showed up last night, I was desperate to see the credits because I couldn’t quite ID him. 

[meowmommy]

12 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Much thanks to them and HBO for standing by and fighting on behalf of Oliver and the show as they have. 

Well, hey, John Oliver is just a multi-Emmy-winner, while Bob Murray is, well, someone who fishes around in the toilet for kidney stones.

3 hours ago, DEL901 said:

Eat Shit Bob...the lyrics....I didn’t realize they were featuring the “suck my balls Bob” dancers  

https://genius.com/John-oliver-eat-shit-bob-lyrics

Thanks for that.  LWT is one of the very few programs, and absolutely the only program led by a Brit, where I don't use closed captioning.  I'll probably go back and watch with the CC on.

Floved the end credits.  Kinda wish they'd done the entire production number as a 30s-era Hollywood musical.

[Kindred Spirit]

This was absolutely my favorite episode of this show, ever! And I watch every week it's on. Some weeks, I feel like it's all that keeps me on this side of the Sanity line. (Mostly.)

I am a serious musical theatre nerd. This installment, and the final number, are my new touchstone. It will be staying on my DVR, forever! I plan to watch "Eat Shit Bob" at least once a day for the foreseeable future. I recognized Brian D'Arcy James, immediately. Thanks for the tip that the hot dog vendor is also a Broadway alum. I'm pretty sure the choreographers (and John) are big fans of Susan Stroman and The Producers, since that production number was very much in homage to that show, both the Broadway and movie versions. I'm so in love!! heehee

Thank you, Show! Thank you, so much!! I hope HBO and its lawyers feel heroic, today. I honor them, solely for that number, but also for truly fighting the good fight–by spending $200K to oppose that asshole, Bob Murray, and his scurrilous suit–and for standing behind John and Last Week Tonight every step of the way. My subscription dollars feel well-spent, today! 😘

[peeayebee]

2 hours ago, Sharpie66 said:

He was also the mustachioed researcher/reporter on the Spotlight team in the movie of the same name. When he showed up last night, I was desperate to see the credits because I couldn’t quite ID him. 

Oh, thank you! I glanced at his IMDB page but missed this. 

[BuyMoreAndSave]

OMFG, that was amazing!! The entire episode was a wild rollercoaster ride from start to finish too.

On 11/10/2019 at 11:48 PM, Annber03 said:

And boy, was that a welcome ending, because I did not want the show to end with that insane stuff about the kidney stone. I didn't think things would get weirder than the stuff with Roger Stone ("We've all hit literal rock bottom." Ain't that the truth), but leave it to Murray to prove me wrong. What. The ever-loving. Fuck? 

I was watching the episode alone and I literally yelled "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" out loud when that part came up.

On 11/11/2019 at 12:11 AM, peeayebee said:

Anti-SLAPP laws definitely need to be federal. What a waste of time and money, not to mention the intimidation purpose of the whole thing.

I'm concerned that my state (New Jersey) doesn't have anti-SLAPP laws. Possibly as a result of Trump having so many dealings there in the past?!

16 hours ago, DEL901 said:

I can’t wait for Bob Murray to sue them again and I want the case to go to court so they can play “Eat Shit Bob - The Musical” in court.  

YES!!

[Annber03]

3 minutes ago, BuyMoreAndSave said:

I was watching the episode alone and I literally yelled "WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!" out loud when that part came up.

I made some sort of noise along the lines of, "EUGH!" and was loud enough that I startled my cat, who'd been napping :p.

Quote

I'm concerned that my state (New Jersey) doesn't have anti-SLAPP laws. 

I'm sad that Iowa doesn't have them, either. Best case scenario...maybe some of the states that don't have them just haven't had a lot of those kinds of lawsuits, therefore it's not as big or as immediate an issue for them to where they'd need those kinds of laws as a result? Probably not the reason, but I can hope :p!

[andromeda331]

I was relieved that my state has anti-SLAPP law until John said all they have do is file in a state that does which was what Bob did. Good for HBO for backing John Oliver. Loved the episode. I loved him pointing out why people file SLAPP lawsuits I've heard so many people wondering why when its clear they can't possibly win. 

I loved him pointing out they were probably going to have to through all of that again. 

I can't say I'm surprised he's got lawsuits for sexual harassment. Considering everything John Oliver reported on last time and now this time its not all surprising he harasses women. 

Loved the musical. That was so awesome! 

So is imagining how mad Bob's got to be over the episode makes it even better.

Edited November 12, 2019 by andromeda331

[ElectricBoogaloo]

http://www.stillontheinternetbigtime.com

Edited November 12, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[DEL901]

Can’t you just see John and his team starting on this when the original lawsuit was filed and waiting and waiting and waiting two whole years until the suit was finally dismissed and they could do the number...all the while the production number got longer and more involved!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Because I know fellow theater nerds will care, credits for Eat Shit, Bob:

Music by David Dabbon
Lyrics by Joanna Rothkopf, Jill Twiss, Seena Vali
Music director - Andy Einhorn
Choreographer - John Carrafa
Assistant choreographer - Nancy Renee Braun

Lawyer - Brian D'arcy James
Hot dog vendor - Jordan Gelber
Nutter Butter quartet - David Fino, Noel MacNeal, James Wojtal, Jr.
Construction worker - Jose Rosario
Mom - Sarah Goeke
Yoga student - Anita Welch
Voiceover - Ryan Barger, David Kaye

Bonus: fun pictures of some of the actors:

The pictures of the baby made me laugh!

Edited November 12, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[RedbirdNelly]

that was wonderful. I was expecting some close out bit involving squirrels but that went above and beyond my expectations.

I started taping and watching this show every week (as opposed to thinking it was hilarious but just catching bits here and there) after November 2016. It has helped me keep my sanity. Thanks, John and everyone else on this show.

[ChicksDigScars]

Jesus that was amazing. That episode may stay on my DVR forever.  Or until DirecTV sends me new equipment. 

"...he's just a vindictive, bad man. He's the kind of guy that thinks the movie Sophie's Choice is about a woman who GOT to give up one of her children."  I may have snorted when he said this. There was also a line about knowing DJT is lying if he says that he "loves his daughters equally." 

[Enigma X]

I hate musicals but this episode may have changed that.

[BabyVegas]

On 11/10/2019 at 10:19 PM, Lantern7 said:

In other news, I'm happy the HBO legal department hasn't tried to murder John yet.

I mean at least he keeps their workdays interesting? 

I feel like the hidden news of this episode is that Ollie's got some decent pipes on him! I usually don't enjoy musical comedy pieces but this one was fucking amazing. Kudos to HBO for standing behind LWT. I hope HBO's actual non-professionally dancing/singing lawyers found it satisfying too.

[Annber03]

54 minutes ago, ChicksDigScars said:

"...he's just a vindictive, bad man. He's the kind of guy that thinks the movie Sophie's Choice is about a woman who GOT to give up one of her children."  I may have snorted when he said this. There was also a line about knowing DJT is lying if he says that he "loves his daughters equally." 

I loved those lines, too :D. 

I'm not super well-versed in theater, so I appreciate the info here from those of you who follow these people. Kudos to them for joining in on the fun like this-I can imagine that whole number must've been a blast to do and film. 

22 minutes ago, BabyVegas said:

I mean at least he keeps their workdays interesting? 

I definitely think that's one of many reasons he likes to do weird, fun skits like this. The poor staff no doubt is getting so exhausted with the long workdays and having to read up on and report such disheartening, awful news each week and whatnot, so moments like this are like a nice little reward and "thank you" to them for all their hard work. 

Quote

I feel like the hidden news of this episode is that Ollie's got some decent pipes on him! 

Right? I was thinking the same thing.

I also liked seeing him in the snazzy suit and top hat. Because reasons ;). 

[Machiabelly]

On 11/11/2019 at 1:11 PM, DEL901 said:

Apparently HBO had to spend $200,000 to defend the case.  
 

https://heavy.com/entertainment/2019/11/last-week-tonight-john-oliver-robert-murray-musical/

The lyrics listed here are funny because they can't say fuck or shit, but they can say jizz and balls and anal hole.

Plus, it says he lets you steal magnolias which in some ways is even funnier.

[purist]

I keep thinking about that bit in the musical number when Ollie dances across from right to left in front of the other performers with a goofy expression on his face. I loved it so much and I need a gif!

[purist]

Thank you for the gif, @SnideAsides!

[Danny Franks]

Imagine spending as much money as they must have on this, just to tell Bob Murray to eat shit? Totally worth it.

I love the image of HBO's lawyers sitting down to watch that before it aired, just to make sure there was nothing in in that could actually get them in trouble. I also love imagining Murray's reaction to seeing it, and probably being told by his attorneys that it's not worth the effort, just to lose again. Especially when, once he does lose again, John will probably go to even greater lengths to tell him to fuck himself.

He's the perfect example of why the worst people in the world are often those at the very top of the social stratosphere. This is an enormously wealthy man, who has spent his life exploiting those who work for him (and harassing them, it turns out), who is incapable of accepting any criticism or reproach, and who thinks he can force people to do what he wants, just because he has the money for it.

It was an amusing little note about the reach of this show, that the judge assigned to the case was a guy that John had made fun of, two years previously. I guess that delving into the shitty economics of America will inevitably produce topics that overlap. Coal barons and payday loan grifters, for example, would seem to go hand in hand.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Danny Franks

[swanpride]

Also very telling that the guy got impeached....Guess Oliver is really good in picking the right targets...

[andromeda331]

34 minutes ago, swanpride said:

Also very telling that the guy got impeached....Guess Oliver is really good in picking the right targets...

I laughed so hard when he said that. I really expected it to go the other way when John mentioned he made fun of the judge over seeing his case. He got impeached. The odds of that happening? 

[Sharpie66]

One of my favorite YouTube channels is LegalEagle, a lawyer who discusses various legal topics in some vids, and takes on popular culture’s legal stories in others (did you know that lawyers love how accurate My Cousin Vinny is?). Well, he has posted his take on John’s SLAPP case here: 

[Kdresty]

On 11/10/2019 at 11:42 PM, Chippings said:

Quick, oh please, who was the Broadway performer who sang ?  I think he was the lead in 'Something Rotten ?  Know his name as well as anything.  Thank you !

(Incredible number, absolutely amazing.  They're sure they ran it all by their lawyers, right?)

Brian d'Arcy James. It's on his Wikipedia page!

[marina to]

On 11/11/2019 at 12:31 AM, angora said:

Brian d'Arcy James! You're right about Something Rotten, and he also starred in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party and the musical adaptation of Shrek. Plus, fun fact, he was the original King George in Hamilton when it was playing Off-Broadway (just 'cause, here's him with two other King Georges lip-syncing to "The Schuyler Sisters.")

And thanks to this post I have lost countless hours the last two months watching versions of The Schuyler Sisters (this vid in particular multiple times), versions of other Hamilton songs (including the Hamilton Polka), a bunch of Lin-Manual Miranda vids, reading the book on the making of Hamilton, and the first few chapters of the Ron Chernow Hamilton biography. Equal parts grateful and annoyed.