‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’ takes on ‘alternative facts,’ reality, and more in premiere
The first episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” of the year aired on HBO on Sunday night, and much as you would have expected, the host and the entire research team did not disappoint when it comes to taking on subjects with humor, and a lot of information that was packaged together perfectly.
While it would be easy to claim that the first show was almost entirely about President Trump, it feels almost wrong to simplify it into such a form. Instead, this was more about reality, “alternative facts,” or the whole debate of truths, half-truths, and the way in which people today no longer have any grasp on such concepts.
“What does he mean when he says words?” Consider this many of Oliver’s great lines on the first night, as he really started to get into the subject of figuring out how we as a society get by with information that is being so clearly spun. Of course Oliver took on Trump and some of the other people within his administration, but at the same time he also touched on some other things as the media, the websites and sources Trump likes to cite, and also of course the nature in which people want to believe things, and therefore accept them as fact.
There’s no doubt to us that Trump is a brilliant comedian, and he delivers his content and his packages with great jokes and a feel that makes tough information at times easily digestible. One part of the show that is perhaps still undervalued is the editorial freedom HBO gives Oliver and his team to take on a single subject for almost a whole episode, and not be afraid to stick with it.
Ultimately, “Last Week Tonight” remains a treat — we don’t want to spoil too much of the segment in this article, but it remains as funny, and important, a series as ever for those who want comedy with a little perspective thrown in there.
What’s your take on the “Last Week Tonight” premiere? Be sure to share in the comments, and you can head over here in the event you want to get some more news when it comes to the show. (Photo: HBO.)