After a break filled with some web exclusives, Last Week Tonight returned yesterday to tackle the news they’ve missed around the presidential election (which the show lovingly refers to as “3-D IMAX Shit-Fit Dumpster Fire 2016”), Boris Johnson, and the pandemonium that was the Republican National Convention so we can “try and figure out what the f*** just happened.”
Besides recapping generous amounts of “bile and race-baiting,” Oliver summarizes a theme that weaves its way through most of the speeches: that “the implication that believing something to be true is the same thing as it being true.” From Trump to Antonio Sabato Jr. to Newt Gingrich, the host goes through a troubling variety of examples where feelings seem to overpower facts, even in the face of numbers and statistics.
Oliver also took some time to address the long history of politicians using music without the permission of artists, especially Trump’s use of Queen’s “We Are the Champions,” the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” matched with sarcastic balloons, and then R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It.” For real though, maybe make sure the artist you’re using doesn’t hate your guts before you take their music?
The segment ends with Nancy and Ann Wilson, Michael Bolton, Usher, Dan Reynolds, Cyndi Lauper, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, and John Mellencamp coming together in a music video called “Don’t Use Our Song.” It’s good to have you back, Last Week Tonight.
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