Last Week Tonight Episode Review: John Oliver Has Gone to Pot

Those of you who actually saw the most recent broadcast of Last Week Tonight, please be careful not to roll your eyes over the idiotic title pun, to the extent they become embedded in the upper regions of their orbit. It may make distinguishing your next plate of spaghetti from that big bowl of rubber bands you like to keep handy somewhat problematic.

For the rest of you, all that is to say that John Oliver’s main topic was marijuana and the confusing legalization of same. As you probably knew already, the main source for the confusion is that, while many states seem to be easing up on the substance (even to the point of outright legalization), Uncle Sam remains obdurate.

To many casual users, the issue may seem to be a non-problem. Just don’t have a joint dangling from your lips as you amble from Colorado into Wyoming, and you don’t have a thing to worry about, right? Well, it turns out the problems are very complex indeed. They have not presented themselves in full force because Mr. Obama directed that the federal agencies try not to interfere with state law on the subject, and to a great extent, they have not. It seems that Mr. Trump has not yet had time or seen fit to address himself to the issue, but as Oliver pointed out, our distinguished attorney general has some very definite views on the subject: perjury, good; marijuana, BAD. All in all, it was an amusing and insightful presentation, worthy of being the main course on that night’s menu.

The second segment, which is the one I will offer for instant perusal, was about Mr. Integrity himself, Devin Nunes, whom I already suspect of being so secretly ashamed of his Hispanic heritage that he has left the tilde off the second N. If you have been following the news to any extent, you should have some idea of the depth of the poop Congressman Nunes has placed himself within. Even so, you will probably enjoy the host’s perspective on the situation. The one thing where I would question Mr. Oliver’s perspicacity in this area is his insistence on calling this entire flapdoodle “Stupid Watergate,” you know, as opposed to the original. See, here’s the thing: the original Watergate performers were not exactly geniuses, including the guy at the very top, who could have gone from someone who would be remembered as an “average” President (high praise for most modern-day Republicans) to someone who resigned in disgrace. That little lapse in historical perspective aside, though, the bit was not bad.

What followed was not good, not from an ideological standpoint, but from a comedic one. It was about the next phase of Great Britain’s Brexit, and not at all a-chock with chuckle, unless you have a very low level of risibility. If you do, then good for you. You had a better time in those few minutes that your narrator did.

Still overall, a show worthy of your attention.

Last Week Tonight, April 2, 2017

 

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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.