Episode Review: John Oliver Studies the Studies

review

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John Oliver Studies the Studies

In his most recent broadcast of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver treated us to an interesting and amusing look at science—at least that portion of science that we most often hear about. That would be the many “studies” of this, that and the other that make such amusing time and space-fillers for our media.

To be sure, Oliver’s comments were witty, but the best send-up of supposedly scientific studies I ever heard came from Craig Ferguson, during one of his Late Late Show monologues. He said that, according to a recent study, scientists have concluded that he who smelt it, may not have dealt it. The thing is, I’m the kind of guy who will laugh just as hard at a good dumb joke as I will a good smart one.

Getting back to Mr. Oliver, he was emphatic in his belief that there is nothing wrong with science itself. Rather, this segment was about the exploitation of the scientific method, or at least, things that bear a faint resemblance to it, for questionable gains.

He goes into considerable detail about how test results can be skewed and why some tests were even considered. You will need to see the show or at least this segment elsewhere. I have other plans for the link I plan to throw you this time out. More on that later.

I did get a very distinct impression from Oliver’s presentation, and I don’t think it was the wrong one. Sure, some of these questionable studies are undertaken by malefactors looking to obscure the nature of their activities, such as the tobacco industry’s many desperate attempts to prove that, far from their being bad for you, Popeye could just as well have smoked a cigar as downed a can of spinach before he lit into Bluto. Other studies may be launched to sell a product or service—no surprise there. But by far, the biggest study-whores seem to be the media, whose quest for news filler is well-nigh unto insatiable.

As he often, but not always does, the host turned the reins over to a talented group of players, who put on a very amusing skit to dramatize the remarks Oliver had made from his desk. Sometimes, the end-of-the-show scene is not as funny as we might have hoped it would be, but this was not one of those times.

Now what about this other link? In one of his short segments, before getting into the main topic, Oliver profiled a candidate for president in the upcoming Philippine elections. The man, Rodrigo Duterte, has been described as the Filipino Donald Trump, but, really, he would make Trump a candidate for sainthood by comparison. Look at the clip below, and you will see what I mean.

Oliver pointed out that Duterte was far ahead in the polls and likely to become the next president of the Philippines. He closed by asking us to consider the incongruity of a state visit from President Trump. On a serious note, it will be an interesting test of integrity to see how either Mr. Trump or Ms. Clinton deals with this goon. Back in 1939, President Roosevelt was believed to say about a ruthless Central American dictator, he may be a son-of-a-bitch, but he’s our son-of-a-bitch. And though he may or may not have said those words out loud, the attitude rang true. But then, we have to give our president and State Department a pass, because, in 1939, there were serious global threats all around, and anyone who offered friendship was worthy of consideration. Today, no president of the Philippines is going to help us defeat ISIS. If our next president cozies up to Duterte, it will be a free and needless exercise in the worst sort of cynicism. And if that comes to pass, John Oliver will have warned us well in advance.

Last Week Tonight, HBO, May 8, 2016

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Thomas Cleveland Lane

Thomas Cleveland Lane is a semi-retired freelance writer for pay and a stage actor for nothing more than the opportunity to make a fool of himself. Well, he does get a small stipend from the Washington Area Decency League, after playing the role of Hinezie in The Pajama Game, to never, ever appear on stage in his underpants again. When he has not managed to buffalo some director into casting him, Thomas can often be found at his favorite piano bar, annoying the patrons with his caterwauling. Thomas is the author of an anthology called Shaggy Dogs, a Collection of Not-So-Short Stories (destined to become a cult classic, shortly after he croaks). He is also the alter-ego to a very unbalanced Czech poet named Glub Dzmc. Mr. Lane generally resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and was last seen in the mirror, three days ago.
Thomas Cleveland Lane
Thomas Cleveland Lane
Thomas Cleveland Lane is a semi-retired freelance writer for pay and a stage actor for nothing more than the opportunity to make a fool of himself. Well, he does get a small stipend from the Washington Area Decency League, after playing the role of Hinezie in The Pajama Game, to never, ever appear on stage in his underpants again. When he has not managed to buffalo some director into casting him, Thomas can often be found at his favorite piano bar, annoying the patrons with his caterwauling. Thomas is the author of an anthology called Shaggy Dogs, a Collection of Not-So-Short Stories (destined to become a cult classic, shortly after he croaks). He is also the alter-ego to a very unbalanced Czech poet named Glub Dzmc. Mr. Lane generally resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and was last seen in the mirror, three days ago.