Great John Oliver piece on The Verge
February 5, 2015 8:28 AM Subscribe
John Oliver left The Daily Show for HBO last year. His show is fantastic reporting AND funny In addition to the best piece anyone has done on net neutrality, he and his writers covered Ferguson, The Death Penalty, and created a multi-network, multi-celebrity crossover joke, The Salmon Cannon
Still amazed (yet pleased) at this guy's success. He was an almost unknown comic here, who made occasional appearances as a Mock The Week panellist. Still, he seems to be nailing it so more power to him.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 8:33 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by GallonOfAlan at 8:33 AM on February 5, 2015
He's also responsible for the US Justice Department ending its Civil Forfeiture program (which ended a few months after he featured it on his show). You can watch the segment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEpZWGgJks
posted by enamon at 8:40 AM on February 5, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by enamon at 8:40 AM on February 5, 2015 [8 favorites]
I am very much enjoying his improbable rise.
posted by Artw at 8:45 AM on February 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:45 AM on February 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
I had imagined Rachael Ray being pelted by fish.
They called me a fool to dream.
posted by delfin at 8:47 AM on February 5, 2015 [10 favorites]
They called me a fool to dream.
posted by delfin at 8:47 AM on February 5, 2015 [10 favorites]
He's also responsible for the US Justice Department ending its Civil Forfeiture program
Wait, what, really? I saw the segment, but just like that it's being ended?
posted by psoas at 9:00 AM on February 5, 2015
Wait, what, really? I saw the segment, but just like that it's being ended?
posted by psoas at 9:00 AM on February 5, 2015
Wait, what, really? I saw the segment, but just like that it's being ended?
I hadn't heard it either - Washington Post, Jan 16: Holder limits seized-asset sharing process that split billions with local, state police
posted by mustardayonnaise at 9:04 AM on February 5, 2015
I hadn't heard it either - Washington Post, Jan 16: Holder limits seized-asset sharing process that split billions with local, state police
posted by mustardayonnaise at 9:04 AM on February 5, 2015
He's also responsible for the US Justice Department ending its Civil Forfeiture program
I was about to be skeptical on this claim (I've seen the clip, it was great), but Time Magazine has an article titled How the ‘John Oliver Effect’ Is Having a Real-Life Impact with the tagline "His show has crashed websites, boosted donations and inspired legislation." The first two claims are backed up, the third is a mixed bag, especially on the civil forfeiture program. The article notes that The Washington Post covered it first, and mentions Eric Holder significant reduction in the Federal asset forfeiture program, but the link back to Last Week Tonight isn't concrete. The Hill lists the segment alongside the WaPo article and the 2013 article in the New Yorker, but still doesn't tie any of the three to Holder's announcement.
In short, I think the Oliver piece was another straw on the camel's back, and maybe the final one, but not the only one.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:08 AM on February 5, 2015 [12 favorites]
I was about to be skeptical on this claim (I've seen the clip, it was great), but Time Magazine has an article titled How the ‘John Oliver Effect’ Is Having a Real-Life Impact with the tagline "His show has crashed websites, boosted donations and inspired legislation." The first two claims are backed up, the third is a mixed bag, especially on the civil forfeiture program. The article notes that The Washington Post covered it first, and mentions Eric Holder significant reduction in the Federal asset forfeiture program, but the link back to Last Week Tonight isn't concrete. The Hill lists the segment alongside the WaPo article and the 2013 article in the New Yorker, but still doesn't tie any of the three to Holder's announcement.
In short, I think the Oliver piece was another straw on the camel's back, and maybe the final one, but not the only one.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:08 AM on February 5, 2015 [12 favorites]
I gotta say, YouTube has revolutionized the format and the reach of late-night talk shows.
posted by GuyZero at 9:15 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 9:15 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
In short, I think the Oliver piece was another straw on the camel's back, and maybe the final one, but not the only one.
That's still very encouraging. As I've said on other MeFi threads on Oliver, I've quickly come to prefer Oliver of Jon Stewart, simply because Stewart, whom I still adore, comes off as being paralyzed at the sheer FUBAR-ness of American political culture right now. Whereas Oliver takes one issue, helps you digest it in a manageable way, and generally also shows that there are solutions.
So glad he's back.
posted by dry white toast at 9:16 AM on February 5, 2015 [19 favorites]
That's still very encouraging. As I've said on other MeFi threads on Oliver, I've quickly come to prefer Oliver of Jon Stewart, simply because Stewart, whom I still adore, comes off as being paralyzed at the sheer FUBAR-ness of American political culture right now. Whereas Oliver takes one issue, helps you digest it in a manageable way, and generally also shows that there are solutions.
So glad he's back.
posted by dry white toast at 9:16 AM on February 5, 2015 [19 favorites]
Yeah, i think attributing the ending of federal civil forfeiture solely to Oliver is a bit much. He most likely contributed to it, and even though I am one of those dog awful no tv people I love almost everything I've seen by Oliver.
The whole Stewart/Cobert(rip)/Oliver phenom is kinda staggering. I like(ed) each in it's own special way.
posted by edgeways at 9:18 AM on February 5, 2015
The whole Stewart/Cobert(rip)/Oliver phenom is kinda staggering. I like(ed) each in it's own special way.
posted by edgeways at 9:18 AM on February 5, 2015
filthy light thief: The article notes that The Washington Post covered it first, and mentions Eric Holder significant reduction in the Federal asset forfeiture program, but the link back to Last Week Tonight isn't concrete.Well, it's not like we're going to get Eric Holder announcing, "Based on feedback from John Oliver's TV show, the White House has decided to..."
posted by IAmBroom at 9:19 AM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
I've quickly come to prefer Oliver of Jon Stewart
Same here, with a speed that really surprised me, he is a scalpel to Stewart's seemingly random thrusts of a butter knife.
posted by Cosine at 9:20 AM on February 5, 2015 [6 favorites]
Same here, with a speed that really surprised me, he is a scalpel to Stewart's seemingly random thrusts of a butter knife.
posted by Cosine at 9:20 AM on February 5, 2015 [6 favorites]
the third is a mixed bag, especially on the [ending of the] civil forfeiture program
Seems like a bit of a stretch to call it the most important fctor in that decision. I think Obama was primarily looking for an effective response to social and policing problems raised in Ferguson, for example. Not that Oiliver was wrong or not able to crystalize the issues there, but, I suspect the idea was in the air already.
posted by bonehead at 9:42 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Seems like a bit of a stretch to call it the most important fctor in that decision. I think Obama was primarily looking for an effective response to social and policing problems raised in Ferguson, for example. Not that Oiliver was wrong or not able to crystalize the issues there, but, I suspect the idea was in the air already.
posted by bonehead at 9:42 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I had heard people talking about him but not watched any, so thanks for posting this!
posted by xarnop at 11:40 AM on February 5, 2015
posted by xarnop at 11:40 AM on February 5, 2015
I don't expect that John Oliver's show (or any article) changed Eric Holder's mind about civil asset forfeiture; I suspect, however, that it did help greatly by clearing some social space--informing people, inciting some public opinion backlash--so that the AG could issue his directive.
Imagine that, when the populace is actually clearly and accurately informed about a significant problem and its sources, political officials are empowered to do the right thing. Oliver is doing important work, and being really funny at the same time.
posted by LooseFilter at 11:44 AM on February 5, 2015 [7 favorites]
Imagine that, when the populace is actually clearly and accurately informed about a significant problem and its sources, political officials are empowered to do the right thing. Oliver is doing important work, and being really funny at the same time.
posted by LooseFilter at 11:44 AM on February 5, 2015 [7 favorites]
IAmBroom: Well, it's not like we're going to get Eric Holder announcing, "Based on feedback from John Oliver's TV show, the White House has decided to..."
I was thinking more about the general timing. If Holder's statement came shortly after the episode aired, it would seem like a decent connection. Instead, there was a few months between that episode (early October 2014) and the statement (mid January 2015).
LooseFilter: Imagine that, when the populace is actually clearly and accurately informed about a significant problem and its sources, political officials are empowered to do the right thing. Oliver is doing important work, and being really funny at the same time.
Yes, well said.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:48 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was thinking more about the general timing. If Holder's statement came shortly after the episode aired, it would seem like a decent connection. Instead, there was a few months between that episode (early October 2014) and the statement (mid January 2015).
LooseFilter: Imagine that, when the populace is actually clearly and accurately informed about a significant problem and its sources, political officials are empowered to do the right thing. Oliver is doing important work, and being really funny at the same time.
Yes, well said.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:48 AM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I just recently got an HBO subscription, and watching two John Oliver shows back to back just about completely devestated me (I think it was the one about drones and the one about visas for translators). Since then, I've just been watching them one by one as the issues seem like they're getting closer to being resolved: the Cuba thing, civil forfeiture, and now the Net Neutrality thing.
posted by redsparkler at 12:23 PM on February 5, 2015
posted by redsparkler at 12:23 PM on February 5, 2015
I wish HBO would put entire episodes online as CC does/did with Stewart, Colbert and Wilmore shows. I'd be happy to sit thru ads to watch Oliver, even the same ad 5 times in a row, the way it often occurs on CC. Wonder if I missed a lot of gems by not watching the full episodes in the first season. (I know, I should go check out the FanFare recaps, I saw one ages ago and it seemed super-comprehensive.)
posted by shortfuse at 12:43 PM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by shortfuse at 12:43 PM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think it reflects well on John Oliver and his staff that, after I finished laughing, my first thought was: "But, wait, that opening news segment was a puff piece. Does the salmon cannon actually help the fish?" He's raised the bar so that it's no longer satisfying to watch four minutes of celebrities being hit with fish, unless it's also accompanied by fearless investigative reporting.
posted by Banknote of the year at 12:46 PM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Banknote of the year at 12:46 PM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
And the icing on the cake is that the Bugle is still alive!
posted by [expletive deleted] at 12:58 PM on February 5, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by [expletive deleted] at 12:58 PM on February 5, 2015 [12 favorites]
TWT explicitly included a lot of the WaPo reporting on the civil forfeiture stuff. Which is how it should work in journalism, but it can be hard for one news outlet to develop a story broken by another. I don't think it's particularly useful to try and measure out the causality praise, because TWT is a complementary part of the process. That's what makes it so exciting, especially if you're jaded about the ability of the media to effect change where it's necessary: there's a new dimension that actually seems to be working.
Nothing's more dispiriting -- poisonous, even -- than the sort of injustice where everyone knows it's true but nothing ever gets done about it. Which is where Oliver scores because the opposite is also true. Once people start to believe that they can have a reasonable expectation that they'll be heard, the wind changes.
And it's being done with sight gags, bad puns and mild surrealism. Pythonic reform. That we should live to see this day...
posted by Devonian at 1:25 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nothing's more dispiriting -- poisonous, even -- than the sort of injustice where everyone knows it's true but nothing ever gets done about it. Which is where Oliver scores because the opposite is also true. Once people start to believe that they can have a reasonable expectation that they'll be heard, the wind changes.
And it's being done with sight gags, bad puns and mild surrealism. Pythonic reform. That we should live to see this day...
posted by Devonian at 1:25 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
He was an almost unknown comic here
it's endlessly fascinating for me to watch this sort of thing from stateside - which comics come over here, which go over there, how hard it seems to be to do both until you're a straight up superstar. like, why aren't rich hall, reginald d. hunter, and katherine ryan (ok, she's canadian, but that's close) comedy forces in the united states? it's interesting how some people just seem to shine when they're a fish out of water.
posted by nadawi at 1:41 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
it's endlessly fascinating for me to watch this sort of thing from stateside - which comics come over here, which go over there, how hard it seems to be to do both until you're a straight up superstar. like, why aren't rich hall, reginald d. hunter, and katherine ryan (ok, she's canadian, but that's close) comedy forces in the united states? it's interesting how some people just seem to shine when they're a fish out of water.
posted by nadawi at 1:41 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I really hope Andy gets to show up on Last Week Tonight some time this season.
Also I never did get to buy a Bugle jumper for Christmas and that is sad.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 1:52 PM on February 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
Also I never did get to buy a Bugle jumper for Christmas and that is sad.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 1:52 PM on February 5, 2015 [4 favorites]
Also the LWT John Oliver piece on network neutrality made it very accessible and intelligible and I think made a significant difference in FCC Chair Tom Wheeler's recent decision on Title 2.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Tom Wheeler Is Not A Dingo (HBO)
posted by gen at 4:08 PM on February 5, 2015
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Tom Wheeler Is Not A Dingo (HBO)
posted by gen at 4:08 PM on February 5, 2015
Stewart, whom I still adore, comes off as being paralyzed at the sheer FUBAR-ness of American political culture right now. Whereas Oliver takes one issue, helps you digest it in a manageable way, and generally also shows that there are solutions.
Maybe it's a cultural difference? Are Americans, faced with corruption and incompetence in government, more likely to just give up on government instead of believing they can fix it?
posted by straight at 4:10 PM on February 5, 2015
Maybe it's a cultural difference? Are Americans, faced with corruption and incompetence in government, more likely to just give up on government instead of believing they can fix it?
posted by straight at 4:10 PM on February 5, 2015
You must not be familiar with the current state of British politics.
posted by Artw at 4:12 PM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Artw at 4:12 PM on February 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Quite possibly the most important advancement in seafood based weapons systems in our lifetime.
posted by evilDoug at 7:29 PM on February 5, 2015
posted by evilDoug at 7:29 PM on February 5, 2015
To try to put the Stewart-Oliver thing to bed, I think it's largely that TDS has let itself get dragged into the partisan divide, whereas several of the things Oliver has covered are almost too small-bore to fit into that. But then TDS is (almost) daily and LWT only airs once a week, so it's also a natural weather/climate sort of division.
posted by dhartung at 10:40 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by dhartung at 10:40 PM on February 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Didn't think he wanted Jon Stewart's spot, but now it's official. He doesn't.
HBO Renews ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ for 2 More Seasons
posted by Mothlight at 12:18 PM on February 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
HBO Renews ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ for 2 More Seasons
posted by Mothlight at 12:18 PM on February 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Niiiiiice.
He will be here for the next Presidential election. Which will be fantastic.
posted by Justinian at 8:48 PM on February 17, 2015
He will be here for the next Presidential election. Which will be fantastic.
posted by Justinian at 8:48 PM on February 17, 2015
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