Top 10 Times John Oliver Said What We Were All Thinking
#10: "Guilty Until Proven Rich or Lucky"
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While the American legal system prides itself on being fair and impartial, we know that’s sadly not the case.During a segment about wrongful convictions, Oliver broke down how achieving exoneration is anything but easy, even when innocence is provable. He also highlights how this is literally a life-or-death matter, due to people on death row fighting wrongful convictions. Towards the end, he summarizes how blatantly unfair the legal process is for the underprivileged and how badly there needs to be reform. Our verdict? Oliver is guilty of speaking absolute truth about this under-discussed topic.
#9: “Every 22-Year-Old is Some Version of an Idiot"
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Gaining wisdom requires time and patience, as well as the ability to learn from mistakes. In a segment about public shaming, Oliver showed how people can have their reputations ruined by sensationalistic coverage. He also featured an interview with someone who knows just how devastating this experience can be: Monica Lewinsky. Though Lewinsky acknowledges that she made mistakes in her youth, Oliver comes to her defense by asserting how those in their early 20s tend to not make the best decisions. And just in case you’re somehow a flawless 22-year-old, Oliver has deemed you the exception to this rule.
#8: “The Circle of Debt”
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In one especially enraging segment, Oliver discussed how the payday loan industry traps people in cycles of financial hardship, due to absurdly high interest rates. Pretty soon, a fairly small debt can become a massive one. This is no accident, as Oliver shows a diagram from one lender that anticipates borrowers defaulting on loans and subsequently taking out another. He pointedly calls this "a recycling symbol for human misery" before breaking out into a new version of a certain classic song from "The Lion King." A few years later, Oliver made his way into "The Lion King” universe when he voiced Zazu in Disney’s photorealistic remake. Sadly, he didn’t get to perform this song.
#7: Tax Grievances
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Filing and paying taxes can feel like having a tooth pulled without any anesthesia. But leave it to John Oliver to sum up exactly why it’s such a pain. Early in a segment about the IRS, Oliver brings up how the agency brings together two things that people tend to not enjoy. However, this isn’t Oliver calling for an end to the IRS or taxes. The segment is mostly sympathetic to the IRS, pointing out how adversely affected they’ve been by cuts and ending with a performance from Michael Bolton himself. But it’s still nice to know that Oliver understands precisely why tax season stresses so many people out.
#6: “Human Boat Shoe”
John Oliver isn’t shy about voicing his frustration when someone rubs him the wrong way. And few people attract Oliver’s rage quite like Tucker Carlson. Oliver has gone after the Fox News host numerous times for bad-faith arguments and misleading statements. And he tends to do it with a mix of both exasperation and creativity. Oh, and a dash of profanity. In one segment Oliver deconstructed Carlson’s inaccurate claims about voting by mail. He pretends to consider the possibility that Carlson wants to have an actual discussion. However, he ends things by suggesting that’s not the case and that Carlson is a living embodiment of a certain kind of footwear. Yeah, we wouldn’t want to get on John Oliver’s bad side.
#5: "Things Are Gonna Be Weird for a While"
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The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were scary for many reasons. One of the biggest was just how much uncertainty there was. In his first of many shows outside his usual studio, Oliver expressed our shared fear about this new reality. He also accurately stated that things would be challenging and strange for some time. Oliver’s suggestion that this would be, at worst, a months-long issue, might seem a little naive in hindsight. But he was totally correct about the pending challenges and the importance of reaching out and helping those in need. 2020 was a scary time for all of us, but Oliver helped us to feel like we weren’t alone.
#4: “What Conduct Looks Like”
Another Top 10 John Oliver Moments on Last Week Tonight
Police accountability and reform are topics Oliver has routinely addressed on his show. And he tends to give a pretty unflattering view of law enforcement. In a show aired amidst widespread protests in 2020, Oliver explained exactly why there's so much anger about modern policing and how far back these grievances go. Among the many topics covered in this episode are misconduct cases, which can be settled at incredibly high rates. Oliver rightfully points out that spending so much money on these settlements should inspire some careful consideration about police practices. Now that’s a billion-dollar idea.
#3: “Learning Nothing Would Have Been Better Than Learning That”
“Last Week Tonight” episodes are full of clips of people speaking about unimaginably awful experiences to help emphasize crucial points. In one show, about modern sex education, Oliver showed a clip of activist Elizabeth Smart speaking about how a teacher used a stick of gum for an unflattering metaphor. Oliver is blunt about how appalling this analogy is. Schools are supposed to be a place for learning. But it doesn’t do anyone any good if the things being taught are completely misleading and insulting. Thankfully, the segments end with some actual guidance, courtesy of some famous folks.
#2: "Ignoring the History That You Don't Like is Not a Victimless Act”
History is a core part of modern education. But not all history lessons are created equal. In a segment about how poorly American students are taught about history, he shows just how much misinformation is spread and how vital it is for there to be accuracy, no matter how unflattering it might seem. While some might argue there’s no real harm in trying to paint a rosier portrait of the past, Oliver explains why that’s not the case. By pointing out the long-term consequences of poor historical education, he makes the need for proper education all the more apparent.
#1: “You Don't Need People’s Opinion on a Fact”
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One of John Oliver’s key skills is using a small number of words to make a massive point. When speaking about climate change, Oliver cuts through the idea that opinions should always influence action. In true Oliver fashion, he makes his point through some humorous metaphors to show how some debates really aren’t debates. Rather, they’re people sticking to an inaccurate viewpoint, despite all evidence to the contrary, which is especially dangerous with an issue as important as this one. Perhaps no statement better summarizes the mission statement of Oliver and his show. And, in our opinion, that’s a fact.
