This Is The Show That Fills The Void Jon Stewart Has Left | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

This Is The Show That Fills The Void Jon Stewart Has Left

It's not "The Daily Show."

14
This Is The Show That Fills The Void Jon Stewart Has Left

A gaping void was left in the television landscape with Jon Stewart's retirement last week. It's well documented how Stewart transcended comedy and turned into a trusted primary news source for millions of Americans.

The question now becomes who will take over Stewart's mantle. While Jon Stewart's official replacement, Trevor Noah, is slated to begin episodes in September, the real "Daily Show" heir has already ascended the throne.

"Last Week Tonight" with John Oliver is the best show on television, and that may be an understatement.

Oliver left the "Daily Show" to host "Last Week Tonight," which airs Sundays at 11 p.m. Here's one of his shorter segments to give you a taste.

Oliver has developed an incredible formula that takes societal problems receiving little-to-no attention but affecting millions of people and communicates them in a way that is informative and entertaining.

From food waste, prescription drugs, crumbling infrastructure, FIFA, standardized testing and horny space geckos, Oliver has become a master of making the mundane not just entertaining, but brilliant.

There is no better example of this than his piece on government surveillance. Oliver tackled NSA Data collection (aka the most boring thing you can think of) and boiled it down to its simplest terms: Can the government see my dick pics?

That's right. Oliver traveled to Russia to interview Edward Snowden and asked him if his sexts could be intercepted (intersexted?) by the government. They can, and they are.

That's what makes "Last Week Tonight" so impressive. Nobody understands the geopolitical implications of spy agencies intercepting terabytes of bulk data through prisms and cross referencing it for potential red flags. But everyone knows creepy government employees shouldn't be able to see your genitals. Oliver makes important, complicated things simple and funny.

He also makes it engaging. I know 30 minutes sounds long, but it will seem short. "Last Week Tonight" holds your attention on a second-to-second basis. You won't get the same urge to glance down at your phone that comes with literally every other TV show.

Journalistically, Oliver is on point. Not only did he interview Edward Snowden, one of the most desirable interviews on the planet, but he did a better job interviewing him than the top journalists in America did. At one point in the interview, Oliver says point blank that Snowden fucked up a national security issue and needs to take responsibility. This is just moments after Oliver questioned Snowden's opinion on truck nuts.

Oliver's ability to weave comedy and journalism flawlessly has created the most watchable news content in America. And it doesn't stop there. Where Oliver surpasses "The Daily Show" is his calls to action.


A good example is Net Neutrality. In a nutshell, politicians were debating letting TimeWarner, Verizon and Comcast effectively control the Internet.

Oliver pleaded with the world's Internet trolls to tweet and email the FCC to let them know how stupid the idea was. So many people commented that the FCC website crashed. It was a critical moment in defeating the bill.

"Last Week Tonight" is a show that makes you more cognizant of the world around you, but still likes penis jokes. Steal your friend's HBOGO and give it a try.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Disney Princesses
The Odyssey
Tiana would no doubt be disappointed in the food our cafeteria has to offer.

And hopefully she would cook for everyone in her dorm.

She definitley would not take any 8:00 am classes because she would be up late baking and cleaning up the communal kitchen that are available in every dorm.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

The Struggles of Being A Last Semester Senior, As Told By Michael Scott

25 reasons your last semester in college is the best and worst time of your life

1194
Michael Scott

The day you walked onto your school's campus for the first time you were scared, excited, and unsure of how the next four years of your life were going to turn out. You doubted it would go fast and even though you weren't positive about what your future plans would hold, you had plenty of time. You figured out your major, added a minor or two, joined a handful of organizations and all of the sudden you're here. Your final semester of undergrad. Now you've got 25 problems and graduation is only one.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week At UD Explained By "The Office"

"The Office" understands the struggle of the first week back from winter break.

999
the office

January 19th is the first day of the second semester at the University of Dayton, and students couldn't be more excited. However, the excitement that students are experiencing may be short-lived once they see what this semester's courses will entail. Although students will be happy to be back at Dayton, they may realize this semester will be more difficult than they predicted. Here are some things that happen during syllabus week explained by " The Office."

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Your Friend Group, As Told By Disney Princesses

Each Disney Princess has their own personality, and chances are you've got a friend in your group to match it.

1401
Disney Princesses

The dynamics of any friend group are usually determined by the personalities which make it up. Chances are, while personalities may overlap, each person in your friend group holds his or her own place. It is the differences which bring the groups together and keep them functioning. No matter how functionally dysfunctional your friend group may be, if you're anything like me, you feel absolutely blessed to have found such a wonderful group of humans to call "your people." Here is what your friend group might look like if they were Disney princesses (and that wasn't just a thing you all pretended in your heads):

Keep Reading...Show less
dorm roon
Tumblr

College is a place where you spend four years exploring opportunities you never knew were there, creating the person you are, and making life-long friends. College is hard, but it is worth spending four years there. Just because college is difficult doesn't mean that it's not fun. There are plenty of great memories you can make during your four years if college. Here are ways college is designed to be the best four years of your life:

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments