The John Oliver Effect is not a new idea. Media outlets, such as Time and Fortune, have addressed the large influence that Oliver’s HBO show, "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver," has on its viewers and America in general.
The British comedian got started on the late-night show circuit as a correspondent on "The Daily Show With John Stewart." He even had the opportunity to host the show when Stewart took a break to direct his film "Rosewater." It was during this time hosting that people began speculating that Oliver should or will be the host of his own show in the future.
Soon enough, Oliver became the host of a satire news show with the creative freedom to criticize and talk about important topics in the news and media. According to Time, there have been numerous times Oliver has covered a little-known issue and caused systemic change.
For example, Oliver has tackled tough topics including bail requirements, the Miss America pageant system, and Donald Trump’s run for presidency. Some might not agree that Oliver has an effect, but no one can deny that he has some sort of influence on his viewers. After his segment on the Miss America organization and its lack of transparency on how many scholarships the women competing actually receive, the Society of Women Engineers received over $20,000 in donations in just two days. This is because Oliver said this organization was more deserving.
Most Recently, Oliver dedicated 20 minutes of his show to persuade viewers not to vote for Donald Trump. Oliver often uses hashtags for people to use on social media, which usually are trending by the end of his show, and it is another way to get his name out to a wider audience. Oliver’s show ripping apart Trump just this past Tuesday had the trending hashtag #MakeDonaldDrumpfAgain, which has been tweeted more than half a million times and counting.
John Oliver brings to light topics that might seem uninteresting on paper. However, he breaks down the subject matter and explains it in a funny, energetic, and endearing way so viewers of all ages can understand. His clever writers keep the content both entertaining and educational. Because at the end of the day, if there is one thing that you should take away from John Oliver, it should be the importance of knowledge and being informed about the world around you
