Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: The vaccine segment

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver this week started with the host admitting that there is a lawsuit underway over the coal segment. Moving beyond that, though, the main event of the show was a lengthy segment all about vaccines.

Vaccines were a hot topic of conversation long before Oliver’s show and this segment aired. This was just a further way in which the show could explore it. After all, measles are on the rise in some states, and this was obviously a big enough issue in America now that Oliver was fine to take it on and explore it a little further.

When it comes to content, obviously this wouldn’t be the most appealing segment out there for everyone. After all, there are plenty of people out there who are vaccinated, and because of that, they don’t really think much about the debate. Yet, there is a small contingent of people who could really benefit from watching something like this.

There were many theories that Oliver debunked in here, including the claims that vaccines can lead to autism, and also the conversation about whether or not children are receiving too many vaccines now. He addressed as many theories as he possibly could over the course of the segment, but he was the first person to admit that there were too many to possibly take on in this episode.

The comedy of the piece

Was the measles segment funny? That is the question that we often come back to with Last Week Tonight, and we’d say that this one was amusing. Yet, this was probably a little ho-hum compared to coal last week, which was so epic and did create so many headlines all around the show.

The other issue with this segment? It was relevant more to parents right now than everyone else who’s already had the vaccines. What we’d say is that most potential parents right now consider watching this down the road when they are having that debate — if they are having that debate at all.

Here is what made the ending great: A photo of Oliver with the baby at the end. Aw.

What did you think about the vaccine segment on Last Week Tonight this week? Share in the comments!

Meanwhile, head over to the link here in the event you want to get some other news when it comes to the show, and the update of that coal segment from earlier. (Photo: HBO.)