John Oliver never misses a chance to take on one of his favorite targets: Tucker Carlson. The Last Week Tonight host even devoted a recent deep-dive segment to bashing the Fox News host, and that celebration landed after multiple other instances, including Oliver having a field day over the former’s Dr. Seuss outrage (over “cancel culture”) and Elmo tantrum (over Black Lives Matter). Oliver also lit up Tucker’s preposterous defense of Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, so Oliver was bound to be beside himself with glee over Tucker’s uncharacteristic pushback at a fellow right-winger, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), last week. And Oliver loved to see it during his latest episode.
“Wow, imagine being the one white man on earth that Tucker Carlson won’t defend. Tucker was so clearly trying to ‘nope’ his way out of that interview. He looks like he wants to walk out of his own show. The problem is, if he did that, it wouldn’t be Tucker Carlson Tonight anymore. It would be the Matt Gaetz Digs His Own Grave Adventure Hour.”
With that, Oliver proclaimed that we’ll probably hear more about Gaetz during a “sentencing” phase (he’s facing multiple allegations, including a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old that he apparently transported over state lines, which points toward federal crimes), so he put the issue to sleep for the evening, but it’s also worth noting that the host declared that “Lil Nas X twerking on Satan seems positively wholesome compared to the news this week concerning Matt Gaetz.”
To briefly recap, you’re almost certainly aware of how Tucker described his interview with Gaetz, who (poorly) attempted to defend himself against the sex trafficking allegations against him, as “one of the weirdest” that he’s conducted. Mere days after the congressman wished for a Gaetzgate, he sure got one. Not only that, but Gaetz wildly claimed to Carlson that he was being extorted by an ex-DOJ official for $25 million, and — in what was certainly the detail that pushed Tucker over the edge — he tried to drag Tucker into it by claiming that the host had met Gaetz’s lady “friend” at a dinner.
Tucker swiftly denied recalling any such meeting — CNN further reported word that he was “pissed” about Gaetz’s attempt to link him to the scandal — and as mentioned above, Oliver erupted with glee over the mess. This is an interesting twist in the followup to Gaetz making himself the only member of Congress (both House and Senate) to vote against an anti-sex-trafficking bill in 2017. So far, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is the one person who has “no idea” why Gaetz cast his vote that way. Oliver’s correct: the followups to this whole scandal will definitely provide some return visits in the future.
