Jon Thoday — Executive Producer
Episoder 63
POM Wonderful v. Coca-Cola
John talks about the Indian election, Pom Wonderful and talks with the former NSA Director General Keith Alexander.
Les merCapital Punishment
John talks about the recent issues of the death penalty, François Hollande and the rising issues happening in Brunei.
Les merClimate Change Denial
John talks about Eurovision, Ukraine and Russia's relations and interviews Bill Nye about Climate Change.
Les merThe Right to Be Forgotten
John talks about the product recall going on at General Motors, the EU Court of Justice "Right to be Forgotten" ruling and updates us on how the Indian election is going with help from Fareed Zakaria.
Les merNet Neutrality
John talks about the rise of the far-right political parties in Europe, the Ukrainian election, Afghanistan, Net Neutrality, Australia's hard-line right-wing Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Les merFIFA and the World Cup
John talks about California Chrome and the Belmont Stakes, FIFA and the 2014 World Cup, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Les merImmigration Reform
John talks about US Immigration and interviews Professor Stephen Hawking.
Les merBurwell v. Hobby Lobby
John Oliver sheds light on recent Supreme Court cases and discusses gay rights in Uganda with activist Pepe Julian Onziema.
Les merIncome and Wealth Inequality
John talks about modern American income inequality, Warren G. Harding's love letters and President Obama's "Day In The Life" tour.
Les merIncarceration in the United States
John talks about the Gaza crisis, the decay of American prisons and the gambling addiction problem in Singapore.
Les merNuclear Weapons and the United States
John talks about human rights violations in the Middle East, nuclear disarmament and Russia's science satellite that lost communication.
Les merNative Advertising
John talks about Uganda's anti-gay laws, the CIA's recent report on their use of torture, the New York Port Authority, Argentina's default on debt and native advertising.
Les merPayday Loans
John talks about the return of US military actions in Iraq, replacing all passwords due to a global security breach and the terrible practices of the Payday Loan industry.
Les merShooting of Michael Brown and Police Militarization
Focuses on the shooting of Michael Brown and police militarization in Ferguson, MO. John also discusses the topic of equal pay for equal work.
Les merStudent Debt
John talks about ISIS and student loan debt. Musical group A Great Big World make a special appearance.
Les merScottish Independence Referendum
John talks about the NFL's decision on Ray Rice's contract, the international response to ISIS, Scotland's separation from the United Kingdom and Twitter hashtags that are being misused by corporations.
Les merUnited States Embargo Against Cuba, Miss America 2015
John covers the results of the Scottish referendum that took place the week before and explains why the policy of United States having embargo against Cuba doesn't make sense .
The main story focuses on the Miss America pageant and their scholarships to women. John explains how outdated and absurd the requirements for the contestants are and to illustrate these problems, stages his own pageant with the help of a guest star - Kathy Griffin.
Les merFood Waste
Producers, sellers, and consumers waste tons of food. John Oliver discusses the shocking amount of food we don’t eat.
Les merMandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws
Mandatory minimums require fixed prison sentences for certain crimes. John Oliver explains why we treat some turkeys better than most low-level offenders.
Les merPrisoner Re-entry
John Oliver discusses problems that prisoners face when re-entering the society after they're released from prison. A quick interview with Bilal Chatman shines a light on one such case. Plus, a law proposed in the United Kingdom advocates for a mass surveillance of citizens' online activities, how Department of Defense is paying huge sums of money to professional sports teams to honor veterans during their events, and Washington Redskins file a lawsuit to defend their poorly chosen trademark name by naming other terrible examples.
Les merDaily Fantasy Sports
John talks about the recent Paris attacks, China's Singles Day, the Koh-i-Noor diamond and Daily Fantasy Sports.
Les merRefugees & Pennies
John reflects on the aftermath of Paris attacks and how it affects refugees worldwide. Plus, he questions the usefulness of the U.S. penny, since minting the coins costs more than they're actually worth.
Les merAbortion Laws
John talks about the South Carolina Republican primary, the Supreme Court vacancy and abortion, which theoretically is legal in the U.S., but some states make it practically inaccessible. Plus, how is Hollywood whitewashing still a thing?
Les merDonald Trump
John talks about the Egyptian president and economic crisis, the Guantanamo Bay shutdown and Donald Trump.
Les merSpecial Districts
Special districts spend more public money than all city governments combined. That's odd considering most of us don't know they exist.
Les merEncryption
Strong encryption poses problems for law enforcement, is weakening it worth the risks it presents? It’s…complicated.
Les merBorder Wall
Donald Drumpf wants to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Is his plan feasible?
Les merCongressional Fundraising
Lawmakers have to raise money to keep their jobs, but a surprising amount of their job now consists of raising money. John Oliver sits down with Congressman Steve Israel to discuss the costs of political spending.
Les merCredit Reports
Credit reports play a surprisingly large role in our lives, but even more surprising is how often they contain critical mistakes. John Oliver helps credit agencies see why this is a problem.
Les merPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico is suffering a massive debt crisis. Lin-Manuel Miranda joins John Oliver to call for relief.
Les merScientific Studies
John Oliver on Sticking to the Facts: Media outlets often report new findings from scientific studies, but how many are true?
Les merPrimaries and Caucuses
Last Week Tonight Tackles U.S. Primaries and Caucuses: The United States selection process for presidential nominees is convoluted — to say the least. Nevertheless, John Oliver reminds Americans that the "middle of the game" is the worst possible time to change the rules.
Les merDebt Buyers
John Oliver Takes On Debt Buyers: Companies that purchase debt on the cheap will aggressively collect on it. 'Last Week Tonight’ took a hands-on approach to addressing this issue.
Les merRetirement Plans
John Oliver Covers Ins and Outs of Retirement Plans: Saving for retirement means navigating a potential minefield of high fees and bad advice - Last Week Tonight is here to help.
Les merJune 12, 2022: Tech Monopolies
John Oliver discusses tech monopolies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook, and how to address the hidden harm they can do. Plus, a look at the hotly contested U.S. Senate race in Arizona, which includes Trump-endorsed candidate Blake Masters.
Les merJune 19, 2022: Rent
John Oliver discusses why rent has become increasingly unaffordable, what we can do to combat a system that is stacked against tenants, and, of course, Dakota Johnson’s complex relationship to limes. Plus, a look at GOP primary winners claiming the 2020 election was stolen.
Les merJune 26, 2022: Water
John Oliver discusses the water shortage in the American west; plus, the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Les merFebruary 19, 2023: Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
John Oliver discusses psychedelic assisted therapy: its history, its potential, and what it has to do with A$AP Rocky’s relationship to rainbows. Plus, the Fox News lawsuit and the Ohio train derailment.
Les merFebruary 26, 2023: Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of our lives, from self-driving cars to ChatGPT. John Oliver discusses how AI works, where it might be heading next, and, of course, why it hates the bus.
Les merMarch 5, 2023: Ron DeSantis
John Oliver discusses Ron DeSantis, his track record as the governor of Florida, the pitfalls of comparing him to Donald Trump, and the supposed dangers of “woke math.” Plus, the hilarious advertising by a plumbing company called Radiant.
Les merMarch 12, 2023: TANF
John Oliver discusses TANF - a federal program designed to help families with little to no income – who’s currently receiving these vital funds, who should be receiving them, and what it all has to do with Brett Favre. Plus, a look at Tennessee’s new law about drag performances and the lieutenant governor who supports the law.
Les merMarch 19, 2023: Timeshares
John Oliver discusses timeshares, how people get into them, why it’s so difficult to get out, and one exciting new business venture.
Les merApril 2, 2023: Solitary Confinement
John Oliver discusses solitary confinement, how prevalent it is, how damaging it can be, and, of course, how to hit the woah.
Les merApril 9, 2023: Homeowners Associations
John Oliver discusses homeowners associations, the surprising power they have, and how to tell if a tree is “tree-shaped.”
Les merApril 16, 2023: Farmworkers
John Oliver discusses the conditions farmworkers face, how we failed to protect them, and the Jolly Green Giant’s body hair.
Les merApril 23, 2023: Cryptocurrencies II
John Oliver discusses cryptocurrency, the collapse of three big crypto companies, and what to do if your office gives off “crime vibes.”
Les merApril 30, 2023: Biden and the Border
A look at the things Biden has promised to fix about our southern border, what he has and hasn’t done, and a magnificent pile of gators.
Les merOctober 1, 2023: Prison Health Care
John Oliver discusses the health care offered in prisons; plus, a look at the past five months, from the WGA strike to Lauren Boebert.
Les merOctober 8, 2023: Homeschooling
John Oliver discusses homeschooling, its surprising lack of regulation in many states, and, crucially, Darth Vader's parenting skills.
Les merOctober 15, 2023: Food Safety
John Oliver discusses the groups in charge of keeping our food safe – from the FDA, to the USDA, to, most crucially, the Association for Dressings and Sauces.
Les merOctober 22, 2023: McKinsey
John Oliver discusses the oldest and largest management consulting firm: McKinsey & Company.
Les merOctober 29, 2023: Chocolate
John Oliver discusses chocolate, cocoa farming, and, of course, some facts that will make Halloween a little weird.
Les merNovember 5, 2023: Abortion Rights
John Oliver discusses the ongoing fallout from the overturning of Roe v. Wade as the November elections approach.
Les merNovember 12, 2023: Israel-Hamas War
John Oliver discusses the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Les merNovember 19, 2023: Dollar Stores
John Oliver discusses dollar stores and why Irish Spring is not his soap of choice.
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