John Oliver did a magnificent job last summer when he had to take over hosting duties of The Daily Show while Jon Stewart was off making a movie in the Middle East. HBO took notice and gave Oliver his own weekly news show. Five episodes in, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is proving to be an essential show, satirically summarizing the week's news with a gloriously global perspective.
Before I get too serious about the news reporting on this show, let me acknowledge that this is first and foremost a comedy program. It is ridiculous and silly, and due to being on HBO, prone to strong language and startling bursts of nudity. It's the Daily Show on crack and it's wonderful. But because John Oliver is English, he is also approaching the news from the BBC perspective. That means equal emphasis on news from around the world, not just America.
This was most obvious in the premiere when he devoted a segment to the Indian elections. Not only did he provide a hilarious yet informative recap of the parties vying for power, he also called out the pitiful coverage of this topic in the American news. He was unable to find a single substantive discussion of the Indian election on any 24-hour news channel; apparently the 2016 race to the US Presidency was a far more engaging topic on cable news than the fact that one-sixth of the world's population was about to elect a new leader.
Last Week Tonight also refuses to shy away from difficult topics. Oliver tackled the complexities of the death penalty with a great deal of intelligence and thoughtfulness, ending with a video of tiny hamsters eating burritos, because why not? Last night, he worked through the net neutrality debate, a topic I had vaguely followed on Twitter without much insight. In ten minutes, I was primed and informed, aware of the debate, reasons for and against, and told where to voice my concerns. It was information I had sporadically received from multiple sources but was now presented in an accessible and convenient format that made instant sense.
In our increasingly fragmented news landscape, there's always a great need for a source that provides insightful reports about key topics affecting America but also goes out of its way to introduce viewers to world news. Last Week Tonight does a fantastic "Other Countries' Presidents of the USA" segment that mocks the leaders of major nations across the globe and provides much-needed context of how other countries have their own incompetent politicians. After last night's introduction to Australia's PM, Tony Abbott, I feel like the Republican Party has found a kindred spirit from across the Pacific.
There are many great satirical news shows but Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is an indispensable addition. Tailored for our media-saturated age, each episode is a witty, thoughtfully-crafted half hour that will broaden your horizons every week.
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