Last Week Tonight Episode Review: John Oliver Reviews The Donnie and Vlad Show
First things first, John Oliver has treated us to another excellent edition of Last Week Tonight. Despite the order used in the above title, it was hard to tell who got more time in Oliver’s spotlight: Putin or Trump.
The first (short) segment of the show started with a commentary on Mr. Trump’s recent activities. Not only was it very droll, it was somewhat remarkable that the host could cover so much misfeasance in under five minutes.
The bulk of the show starred Vladimir Putin, Supreme Suggester of the Not-Quite Soviet Union. Naturally, a good bit of Oliver’s commentary was on the subject of Trump’s ever-more unfortunate man-crush on the Russian leader. That aside, there was plenty of footage that focused entirely on the situation in Russia itself.
It should be noted that Oliver did correctly point out that Putin is still very popular within his country. This only reinforces the old cliché that, the more things change, the more they stay the same, especially when Oliver reveals the secret of Putin’s popularity. I am reminded of a vintage cold-war joke from the 1950s, where some American tourists are being informed of the beauty and majesty of the Moscow subway system. At one point, during the tour guide’s harangue, inside the empty station, a tourist asks, “What about the trains?” The guide ignores the question and goes on with his pitch, but then, the same tourist says, “That’s all very nice, I’m sure, but when do we get to see a train? Again, no response, but a glare. Finally, after several more minutes of the tour guide’s monologue, the American calls out, “Yes, but what about your trains?” The Russian angrily replies, “Yes, and what about your lynchings in the South?” Fast forward to today, and you have Putin dutifully informing the Russian people of how horrible and corrupt life is in modern-day America, which, if not entirely accurate, seems to be a real crowd-pleaser. There are several more points Oliver gets to make, for which space does not permit, except to post a strong recommendation that you find some way to see it for yourself.
Oliver closes the segment with a mock music video that is nothing short of hilarious.
Finally, Oliver takes on the issue of China and the artificial island it is constructing in the South China Sea. He correctly informs us that this has become a great source of tension between ourselves and the Persons’ Republic. But then, he comes up with what may be an excellent solution to the problem. That solution, as well as the segment itself, will be your weekly peek. It may or may not be more amusing than the rest of the material, so after you have availed yourselves of this part of the comedy carpet, why not cut out a segment, so you can see the hole show?
Last Week Tonight, HBO, February 19, 2017
