John Oliver is doing something incredible. He is producing weekly, longform segments — usually around 10-15 relentless, commercial-free minutes each — about important and often under-reported issues, and he is somehow making all of them must-watch television. And it’s not just television, either. His FIFA segment has over 7 million views on YouTube. His one on net neutrality has 4.5 million. That’s insane. Want proof? Go up to the next person you see and say “Hey, want to watch a 13-minute YouTube clip? Nonono, it’s important. It’s about the government failing to properly regulate nutritional supplements.” They’ll slap you. They will literally slap you. I’ve seen it happen.
I mention this because his segment from last night might be his best and most important yet. In it, he discusses the rise in income inequality in America in sensible terms that are easy to understand, and he manages to do it all without becoming a shrieking partisan hack. That, based on everything I have learned from political coverage in my decade-plus as a registered voter, is a goddamn miracle. (He has an angle, yes, but it never even comes close to hackery.) AND IT’S FUNNY. Oh God, is it funny. That’s the best part. “F*CK YOU, CHAUNCEY,” indeed.
Find 15 minutes and watch this. It counts as news even though there’s cussing and jokes about orgies. What more could you ask for?
