Last Week Tonight & John Oliver in the Media

[Totale]

And I just had my pausing finger all tuned up to catch it (there's the oil well, now now NOW).

[OneWhoLurks]

One thing's for sure during the drawn-out process: Oliver will not be inviting GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump to his show.

 

"I haven't really got anything to say to him. There's nothing -- he said everything he wants to say. He has no internal monologue, that man," Oliver said. "So it's not like you're going to find the secret nugget he's been holding back. He's an open book, and that book doesn't have many interesting words in it."

 

In its second season, "Last Week Tonight" is still evolving.

 

"I feel we're getting a little more stable in how we do things. We're changing our process a bit. We're trying to do things a little more long form occasionally. We set up a church this year. That involved a back-and-forth relationship for about seven months," Oliver said.

 

The show has been renewed for its third and fourth seasons, and Oliver said he plans to pursue more long-term research projects like the show's church, "Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption."

 

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/last-week-tonight-john-oliver-effect-american-politics-donald-trump/

[OneWhoLurks]

“John Oliver had his people call to ask me to be on his very boring and low rated show. I said ‘NO THANKS,’” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Waste of time & energy!”

 

According to the Last Week Tonight Twitter account, however, Trump was never asked to be a guest on the HBO show.

 

“At no point did we invite Donald Trump to appear on it,” the account posted on Sunday. Oliver retweeted the debunk from his own handle.

 

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/01/donald-trump-john-oliver-fires-back#

[dusang]

Hmmm - John has said publicly and repeatedly that he does not care about Donald Trump and will not cover the election until, at least, the year of the actual fucking election.  (Did he do something on any of the debates?  Or just to introduce the LGBT Discrimination piece?)  I wonder if he will address this on air.  I hope not -- Trump doesn't deserve the airtime.

[Kromm]

[OneWhoLurks]

Only tangentially related, but I needed to celebrate somewhere:

 

We all knew this day would come: Jon Stewart, beloved ex-host of The Daily Show, is set to start work on a new project. HBO announced today that Stewart has signed a four-year contract with the network to produce “timely short-form digital content” that will be “refreshed on HBO NOW multiple times throughout the day.” In other words, it sounds like Stewart is going to make short, topical videos that fans can stream via HBO’s apps—kind of like the ones made by his old Daily Show padawan John Oliver.

 

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/11/03/jon_stewart_signed_a_four_year_contract_with_hbo.html

 

Also, Trump doubles down:

 

“I checked with my people and he asked me to be on the show four or five times,” Trump said Monday.

 

“Now all of the sudden he says, ‘We would never have Trump on the show,’” Trump added. "And I say, ‘Isn’t that the guy who really wanted me badly on the show?’

 

“That’s just a lie,” the billionaire added. “A lot of people wouldn’t say that and would just let things die. I don’t like to let things die.”

 

 

http://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/258872-trump-on-john-oliver-i-hardly-even-know-who-he-is

[Dandesun]

This is so stupid. John Oliver doesn't "have" people on the show! The most is getting people to do some of the bits like the Kenny G playing the sax, or the CSI bit about prosecuting items the police have seized... he doesn't have guests. Snowden was a completely different situation... John Oliver went to HIM! So, no, I don't believe a word Trump or his 'people' are saying.

 

Maybe he's confusing John Oliver with someone else?

[Delwyn]

Also, Trump doubles down: "I don't like to let things die."

 

Is that a dare, Mr. Trump? I'm guessing Jack Warner wishes he hadn't engaged LWT in a battle of media wits. Of course denying interest in his verbal spew enraged persona non grata. Try #screamintothevoid next time and get off my internets.

[dusang]

So, no, I don't believe a word Trump or his 'people' are saying.

 

For me, there  was never even a moment where I thought Trump wasn't full of shit.  Which kind of makes me wonder, are there people out there who would believe Trump over Oliver/LWT?  (The sad answer is, "Yes, obviously -- all the asshats who are keeping Trump at the top of the polls."  Le sigh.)

[Hanahope]

I'd wager that Trump may have been contacted by the Daily Show and mixed up John Oliver with Jon Stewart, and of course, doesn't realize that Stewart is no longer doing TDS.

[dusang]

I'd wager that Trump may have been contacted by the Daily Show and mixed up John Oliver with Jon Stewart, and of course, doesn't realize that Stewart is no longer doing TDS.

 

Honestly, I would imagine the reverse more likely -- why would he know LWT over TDS?

[OneWhoLurks]

"She's bolstered how impressed I am by [veterans]. They can do anything. They are some of the funniest, smartest, bravest, craziest people I've ever met. I'm very proud of her and everyone she served with," Oliver tells PEOPLE Tuesday night before performing at Stand Up for Heroes, a show presented by New York Comedy Festival and The Bob Woodruff Foundation that benefits injured service members.

 

[...]

 

Now the host desperately wants to see a more effective system of veteran assistance put in place.

 

"I think that they are a pretty selfless bunch. They just want to serve both in the military and while out, and that's why it's important to give them opportunities to keep serving afterwards," he tells PEOPLE.

 

"Because they don't want charity. They aren't a group of people prone to complain – they just want a chance to keep helping."

 

 

http://www.people.com/article/john-oliver-call-veterans-affairs-department-catastrophe

[Kromm]

{never mind}

Edited November 11, 2015 by Kromm

[OneWhoLurks]

Speaking of combat, how’s his late night talk show going?

 

“It’s total panic. The feeling never stops. I arrive daily around 8-8:30 a.m. From then on I’m drowning. Or thinking of throwing up. I don’t, however, because I’m British. We’re steady. Relentless. We don’t throw up. We just panic.”

 

In remote moments of calm does he watch his own reruns? To maybe learn?

 

“No. I tune into sports programs or ‘Project Runway.’ I never watch myself. I’m not a huge fan of my own work. And I’m doing stand-up tonight, but I don’t yet know what I’ll say.”

 

 

http://pagesix.com/2015/11/11/john-oliver-pays-tribute-to-veterans-including-his-wife/

 

ETA:

 

“I think there is a weird separation in America between people who have a connection to the military and others that have no skin in the game, and that’s part of the problem,” he said. “It exacerbates the problem when people feel so dislocated from them, literally. This is a country still with people on the ground in a war zone, and it doesn’t act like it.”

 

With both “The Daily Show” and “Last Week Tonight,” Oliver has reported on the plights of returning soldiers, particular their lack of access to mental healthcare and the shameful state of our veteran’s hospitals.  After a national outcry, last year President Obama appointed former CEO of Procter & Gamble Robert A. McDonald as the secretary of Veterans Affairs; Oliver is cautiously hopeful.

 

“The VA has been a catastrophe. They say they’ve put a lot of money into it, so now I guess we will have to wait and see if things change,” he said. “This is the grace period, but if two years in nothing has changed, then it will be an absolute disgrace.”

 

 

http://variety.com/2015/scene/vpage/bruce-springsteen-veterans-day-jon-stewart-stand-up-for-heroes-1201638662/

 

ETA2:

 

Just when it seemed the night was coming to a conclusion, Stewart, Romano, Meyers and Oliver returned to the stage with another surprise: a new-model Harley Davidson motorcycle, driven by the Boss.

 

“It’s still warm,” Stewart said of the motorcycle seat.

 

When bidding stalled at $60,000, the entertainers started offering other prizes: Meyer’s tie, Romano kicked in a small bottle of Purell, and Springsteen tossed in a leather jacket. When that didn’t move the needle, Meyers, who abused Stewart that he still had a television show, offered four tickets and drinks in his dressing room at Late Night, Romano offered round trip airfare, tickets and a meet and greet to his show in Las Vegas, Oliver said he would “steal something” for the highest bidder and Stewart said the winner can come sit on his lawn in Jersey and “wave to people.” As a surprise, Sopranos star Lorraine Bracco offered from the audience to donate a pair of shoes worn in the film, Goodfellas. That did the trick, and the whole package went for $100,000.

 

 

http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6760731/bruce-springsteen-jon-stewart-ray-romano-stand-up-for-heroes

Edited November 12, 2015 by OneWhoLurks

[ALenore]

John Oliver is a new dad! http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2015/11/12/John-Oliver-wife-Kate-Norley-welcome-baby-boy/9091447354230/

[dcalley]

I've always enjoyed his jokes about how children are awful, so I'm selfishly kind of conflicted about this. But congratulations to them anyway!

[dusang]

John Oliver is a new dad! http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2015/11/12/John-Oliver-wife-Kate-Norley-welcome-baby-boy/9091447354230/

 

I don't know why I'm so surprised we didn't hear anything about the pregnancy but I am.  Congrats to John and Kate!*

 

(I just wish The Bugle was active so we could hear about this!!!  Although even there John is always more circumspect about his private life than Andy.)

 

*That's the first time I've ever heard or thought their names as just first names and it's weird.

Edited November 12, 2015 by dusang

[OneWhoLurks]

“It's awesome Jon is going to be working with HBO,” Oliver says. “But honestly, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop. They are amazing! I'm still waiting to walk into a room and there will be plastic sheeting on the floor and I'm about to get shot in the head. I think he's going to love working there.”

 

The “Last Week Tonight” host explains the network doesn’t give too many notes, and is open to being experimental. Stewart recently signed a four year contract for short form digital content with the network.

 

“They don't say anything. They let you do anything. The biggest perk is they are completely, relentlessly supportive. So he's going to have a great time,” he says.

 

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/jon-stewart-make-up-bernie-sanders-article-1.2434431

[OneWhoLurks]

As he enters the restaurant, which is on the ground floor of a hotel, Oliver is ambushed by two guests. It turns out they are pharmaceutical reps who caught a scathing segment he did on his show in February about the lengths to which the prescription drug industry goes to market its wares to doctors. But rather than yell at him or threaten to beat him up, all they want is a selfie.

 

 . . . 

 

There have been other changes on the late-night scene. Stephen Colbert, another ex-Daily Show correspondent, quit his own Comedy Central series and succeeded David Letterman as the host of The Late Show on CBS. Yet, amid the changes, there remains a lack of women in late-night hosting roles.

 

“It’s ridiculous, indefensible and absurd,” Oliver says flatly. “You can’t defend it.” What explains it? “Who the fuck knows? It makes no sense. There are plenty of women who would be more than capable of doing these jobs. Not just now but over the previous 30 years.”

 

He is enjoying the experience of working for HBO, whose executives apparently leave him alone to create the show he wishes. “They don’t say anything,” he says, disbelievingly. “It’s the dream in terms of TV, in many ways. They give you rope and more rope and more rope . . . and then you either hang yourself . . .  or you have a big pile of rope. So at the moment I’ve got a lot of rope.”

 

It is a clear contrast with his experience in the UK. “Working at the BBC was a nightmare because they were so concerned about the licence fee and there’s a kind of editorial cowardice around the place.”

 

He would receive comments from managers concerned about jokes causing offence. “You can say that joke is actionable, it’s libellous, then you understand and you take it away but to say, ‘We think that’s offensive,’ that’s just subjective. There was a general feeling that they didn’t want to rock the boat.”

 

 

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/8eeb6ff4-8ea6-11e5-a549-b89a1dfede9b.html

[dusang]

 

What explains it? “Who the fuck knows? [...]"

 

What explains it?  Sexism.  Sexism explains it.

[OneWhoLurks]

John Oliver is one of Vogue's 10 Unconventional Alternatives to the Sexiest Man Alive:
 

 

Smart, ready with a choice word, and politically aware = sexy.

 

 

http://www.vogue.com/13372492/sexiest-man-alive-unconventionally-sexy-men/

[dusang]

John Oliver is one of Vogue's 10 Unconventional Alternatives to the Sexiest Man Alive:

 

http://www.vogue.com/13372492/sexiest-man-alive-unconventionally-sexy-men/

I question the use of "unconventional" - Several of those men are rather "conventionally" attractive. "Unconventional" seems really coded.

 

ETA: for example, several of those men made it to Elle's list of "Sexy Male Celebrities Who AREN'T White" and calling Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom HIddleston sexy is hardly subversive.

Edited November 24, 2015 by dusang

[OneWhoLurks]

The HBO store is selling John Oliver figurines: http://store.hbo.com/detail.php?p=926521&ecid=PRF-HBO-803500&pa=PRF-HBO-803500

[Kromm]

The HBO store is selling John Oliver figurines: http://store.hbo.com/detail.php?p=926521&ecid=PRF-HBO-803500&pa=PRF-HBO-803500

I applaud the humor of this, but man... that doesn't even look a LITTLE like him.

 

 

Then again... go look at their Game of Throne figurines. They're even worse matches.

[dusang]

I applaud the humor of this, but man... that doesn't even look a LITTLE like him.

 

 

Then again... go look at their Game of Throne figurines. They're even worse matches.

 

He has black hair, doesn't he?  Is that really so hard to match?

[peeayebee]

I think his hair is dark brown. Those POP figures aren't supposed to look exactly like the person or character. The figures look more like each other with minor changes in hair and clothes that bring the person/character to mind. In this case, I think the stance is supposed to be John Oliver-like.

[dusang]

I think his hair is dark brown. Those POP figures aren't supposed to look exactly like the person or character. The figures look more like each other with minor changes in hair and clothes that bring the person/character to mind. In this case, I think the stance is supposed to be John Oliver-like.

 

I'm not expecting verisimilitude from Pop! figurines but that doll is as reminiscent of John Oliver as it is of Anderson Cooper.  It looks nothing like him, is what I'm saying.

[Kromm]

I'm not expecting verisimilitude from Pop! figurines but that doll is as reminiscent of John Oliver as it is of Anderson Cooper.  It looks nothing like him, is what I'm saying.

Honestly, it looks more like Clark Kent than John Oliver. Although wait. Clark has black hair too. 

[Sharpie66]

He usually wears checked shirts under that jacket, darn it!

 

And as the Flick Filosopher said about this figure, "But does it do the Carlos Danger dance? Not interested if it doesn't."

[possibilities]

I agree the bobblehead looks nothing like Oliver. If I hadn't been told, I would have no idea who it is supposed to be. I compare this to the Dwight Schrute bobblehead, which looks like the character and I recognized immediately without being told.... Yes, bobbleheads are supposed to be a little off, but you're usually able to recognize who they approximate.

[Victor the Crab]

Looks more like Elvis Costello than Ollie.

[peeayebee]

It's not a bobblehead. Anyway, I agree it doesn't look much like Oliver, but the faces of these figurines aren't changed all that much, so it's no surprise that he looks like any other caucasian guy wearing glasses and a suit.

[Kromm]

Sharpie has a point about the shirt. Nobody is 100% consistent in warddrobe of course, but Oliver does quite often wear checked/plaid patterns under his jackets. NOT having that misses a big signifier of him. 

[scrb]

Any word on when LWT returns?
 

It's not even listed in this schedule:

 

http://www.metacritic.com/feature/tv-premiere-dates

 

In fact if that's to be believed, no new seasons of any HBO show until February.

[peeayebee]

I don't want to believe that.

[Irlandesa]

At the end of the last episode of 2015, they said it'd be back on Feb. 14th.

[Kromm]

At the end of the last episode of 2015, they said it'd be back on Feb. 14th.

Makes sense. Even HBO isn't immune from programming towards Sweeps.

[Luckylyn]

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to share this but someone made a song about

[attica]

That is actually tuneful and delightful. Hee!

[Kromm]

I usually hate these Internet fan participation-y add-ons/tributes, but I actually love this one. 

 

The important thing is that someone needs to actually get a link to this to Ollie himself. With 1200 views it's likely lingering too much in obscurity for him to find out about it otherwise.

 

 

Oh, if anyone doesn't remember Janice's whole "arc"?

Janice In Accounting Mega-Compilation:

 

Edited December 28, 2015 by Kromm

[trow125]

I usually hate these Internet fan participation-y add-ons/tributes, but I actually love this one. 

 

The important thing is that someone needs to actually get a link to this to Ollie himself. With 1200 views it's likely lingering too much in obscurity for him to find out about it otherwise.

 

I follow "Janice" (LWT writer Jill Twiss) on Twitter, so I just sent her the link. Hopefully she'll enjoy it.

And I'm delighted that somebody finally made a Janice supercut!

[OneWhoLurks]

His extensive experience poking fun at (and, more recently, digging deeper into) current events — whether absurd or tragic — left him especially prepared to speak to Chicagoans, and he hits hard on our lengthy political history ("Nobody does it like Chicago, Illinois does it!") and up-to-the minute events. Discussing embattled Mayor Rahm Emanuel's most recent news conference on Wednesday, Oliver pointed out that the mayor's call for 30-day desk duty for police officers involved in shootings only served to highlight that the previous amount was only three days ("72 hours — a long weekend").

 

At one point he brought out the familiar factoid that four of the last 10 Illinois governors went to jail. But even this standard tidbit was made his own by juxtaposing not only an original observation but a socially relevant one: "At one point growing up in South Central LA, you had a 1-in-3 chance of ending up in jail." Our state is so corrupt, he concluded, that our governor is more likely to end up behind bars than even the most disenfranchised members of American society.

 

He also delved into Chicago-specific territory while discussing Americana and its quirks that other countries don't understand, asking the audience about the weirdest things in Chicago. The consensus at the early Wednesday show was Malort and The Wiener's Circle. The latter he Googled onstage. "I don't like that you're all laughing about this …" he said while beginning to read about the hot dog stand known for its crudity. "Oh no …," he said, disapprovingly shaking his head. "Shame on you Chicago."

 

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/comedy/ct-john-oliver-chicago-theatre-stand-up-ent-0101-20151231-column.html

[The Luvly Junkie]

Peoples: He's back for Season 3, and putting all the jabs and insults from the last year to good use 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0X-8tSgiuA

[dusang]

Peoples: He's back for Season 3, and putting all the jabs and insults from the last year to good use 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0X-8tSgiuA

Why was Cher so mean?

[Kromm]

Peoples: He's back for Season 3, and putting all the jabs and insults from the last year to good use

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0X-8tSgiuA

That commercial is flat out brilliant. Everything from the quotes to the spinning desk.

Can we lobby to get Previously to put this on it's front page?

Edited January 16, 2016 by Kromm

[OneWhoLurks]

Last Week Tonight just won a Critic's Choice Award.

[peeayebee]

Well-deserved. 

[Traveller519]

Why was Cher so mean?

One of his introductory bits last year was "Social Media, that thing Cher almost knows how to use."

 

That prompted Cher's response, though it was part of a bigger tweet, and she followed it up with a tweet about how she enjoys the show.

[OneWhoLurks]

At the producers awards on Saturday, there were frequent references to the diversity issue. Black-ish star Anthony Anderson presented an award for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and jumped on the opportunity to comment when no one was present to accept the honor.

 

"I will accept this tonight, because I'll probably be the only brother up here tonight, and in February, getting a trophy," said Anderson.

 

Anderson then joked about the fact he was presenting another award directly afterwards: "Talk about diversity, I get to do two awards back-to-back."

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2016/01/24/diversity-discussion-dominates-producers-guild-awards/79260460/

[trow125]

John Oliver is going to be a guest on Wednesday's episode of "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon."