All articles tagged with #last week tonight
John Oliver kicks off Season 13 of Last Week Tonight with rapid-fire satire on the Netflix-WBD deal, while also riffing on the Riyadh Comedy Festival controversy and broader media-politics dynamics.
John Oliver's 'Last Week Tonight' won its third consecutive Emmy for best scripted variety series in 2025, with Oliver humorously racing through his acceptance speech and making a few jokes, continuing its dominance in the category since its creation.
John Oliver discusses the challenges and dynamics of producing 'Last Week Tonight,' including legal battles, the impact of corporate ownership, the future of late night TV, and his approach to comedy and social issues, emphasizing the importance of awards and independence in maintaining the show's integrity.
"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" has been withdrawn from Critics Choice Awards consideration after the Critics Choice Association reclassified it as a comedy series rather than a talk show. This decision follows a change in eligibility criteria that aligns with Emmy categories but lacks a new category for shows like "Last Week Tonight." The show's team opted out of competing in the comedy series category, which includes scripted shows, due to the lack of prior communication about the changes.
John Oliver expressed his hopes for the upcoming US election results on his show 'Last Week Tonight,' revealing his support for Kamala Harris and his desire for a future without Donald Trump as a political threat. Oliver, who became a US citizen in 2019, emphasized the importance of elections for change and shared his emotional connection to America as an immigrant. He argued that a Trump loss would mark the end of his political influence, despite the ongoing issues he represents.
John Oliver criticizes Donald Trump's various money-making schemes, including selling products like mugshot T-shirts and branded cologne, and soliciting donations from supporters to cover his legal bills. Oliver also takes aim at Trump's new social media platform, Truth Social, which he describes as a "ripoff" of Twitter and notes its inflated stock value despite underlying business issues. He compares the stock to meme stocks like GameStop, criticizing the movement as funneling money to Trump.
HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver will now delay the release of its main story segment on YouTube until Thursday, a departure from its previous tradition of posting it on Mondays. The change is aimed at boosting viewership for the show on HBO Max. John Oliver expressed hope for a reconsideration of this decision, as he informed fans about the policy change and encouraged them to watch the show on HBO or HBO Max in the meantime.
HBO is delaying the posting of Last Week Tonight segments on YouTube, now holding them back for a few days after episodes premiere in an effort to drive more viewers to its streaming platform, Max. John Oliver expressed displeasure with the change, stating that segments will now be posted on YouTube on Thursdays instead of the morning after the episode airs. This marks a departure from past practice, where the show's main story was available on YouTube the day after airing.
"Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" returns for season 11 on Sunday, Feb. 18, airing new episodes every Sunday at 11 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and available for streaming on HBO Max. Cable-cutters can access the show through live TV streamers like DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV, with DirecTV Stream offering a two-month free trial for HBO channels. HBO Max offers ad-supported and ad-free plans, with the show renewed for three more seasons through 2026.
John Oliver is generating excitement for the 2024 premiere of Last Week Tonight by featuring the public domain version of Mickey Mouse, Steamboat Willie, in promotional material, taunting Disney with the character. Despite testing the limits with Disney, Oliver has not faced legal action for using the character, and he continues to push boundaries by incorporating Mickey into his show. The public domain status of Steamboat Willie has also led to the release of horror pictures featuring the character.
John Oliver teases the return of Last Week Tonight by posing next to a Mickey Mouse knock-off in a promo, poking fun at Disney as the original Mickey Mouse from 1928's Steamboat Willie entered the public domain. HBO has renewed the show for three more seasons, and new episodes air Sunday nights on HBO and are available to stream on Max. Oliver has also teamed up with Seth Meyers for a monthly residency at the Beacon Theater in New York City running through June.
John Oliver teased the return of "Last Week Tonight" with a promo featuring a Steamboat Willie lookalike, poking fun at Disney after the character entered the public domain. It's unclear if Disney will be a target this season, but Oliver has a history of challenging the company's copyright practices. Disney has been known for protecting its intellectual property, and after Steamboat Willie's entry into the public domain, an indie filmmaker announced plans for a horror-comedy based on the character.
John Oliver won an Emmy for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series but learned backstage that Donald Trump had won the Iowa caucuses, leading to a sarcastic response and a literal mic-drop moment during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Elon Musk has been in the news frequently for his controversial behavior, including racist, anti-Semitic, and transphobic views expressed on Twitter. In a recent episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver dedicated over 30 minutes to discussing the problems with Musk and the dangers of his power and influence. The episode highlights some of Musk's shortcomings, but fails to cover issues such as racism in Tesla's factories and Musk's opposition to unions.
Comedian John Oliver roasted Elon Musk on the latest episode of Last Week Tonight, jokingly comparing him to various movie villains and even Chip from Rescue Rangers. Oliver highlighted Musk's involvement in controversies over the past year, including the Tesla recall and backlash over antisemitic posts. He also pointed out that Musk's public image has changed, from being compared to Iron Man and Henry Ford to now being associated with controversies and questionable behavior.