[logic88]

Maybe my Google Fu is not working this morning, but I find that the current National Debt is ~28T, yet LWT, kept showing the (not a) "clock' at ~12T.

That was archival news footage from when they had to add an additional digit to the clock. At the beginning of the segment, Oliver mentioned the $28T figure in his opening monologue.

 

[Tony_T]

That was archival news footage from when they had to add an additional digit to the clock. At the beginning of the segment, Oliver mentioned the $28T figure in his opening monologue.

I was referring to the 11.7T archival footage he showed numerous times at the end of the segment (and during the kids skit). What excuse could he have for not showing the $28T (not a) Clock? Not once did he show the $28T Clock.

 

[madscientist]

Pandemic? He is stuck in a void after all; not sure if you heard about the void...?

I actually liked this week's episode better than some previous ones. I thought there was more humor here and I thought he did a particularly good job explaining things. The more I think, when watching an episode, "I wish I could get my inlaws to watch this, maybe it would make a difference" the better I think the episode is.

Of course, that's just fantasy on my part. Nothing will make a difference.

 

[Steveknj]

I think came a moment when John Oliver realized he was making a difference. A number of his stories have hit home and effected change.

And he still has the humor and snark in him. He just knows when to use it, and when not to. He doesn't lean on it like he used to. More confidence.

I get that, but I watch J.O. for the comedy, not his knowledge on a subject. His show it to make me laugh not to inform (though it's great that he does both). And again, if I want straight news or investigative journalism, I'll watch something that specializes in that. Contrast that to what TDS has always been, or even Real Time, they inform, but generally it's a comedy show. I think J.O. especially in his main story of the night has moved off of that. He used to do it much better, but now the show is much more wonky. And really, he's not really doing any type of investigative journalism, he's just looking up stuff and informing us. Yeah, he'll throw in a snarky comment, but in the end it's just not as funny as it used to be.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I don't think there is a show that does a better job of covering the issues. And that has always been the case.

 

[Steveknj]

I don't think there is a show that does a better job of covering the issues. And that has always been the case.

Oh, I can think of a few, but they tend to be more wonky than even this. Frontline does a great job of it, Some of the CNN specials on topics do a great job. But that's why I watch those shows. I like that J.O covers some topics that don't get covered on other comedy shows, but there are times that I roll my eyes, just knowing it's going to be a boring topic and hope that J.O injects humor into making it more interesting. He has been better at it, but now he thinks he's a newsman, no longer a comedian. Maybe, like Oberrmann that's what he's always wanted to be. Anyway, he does cover the issues well, but it's not why I watch.

 

[cheesesteak]

I don't think there is a show that does a better job of covering the issues. And that has always been the case.

All those Brexit-centric episodes really held my interest.

I actually think that Trevor Noah is doing a better job nowadays.

 

[Steveknj]

All those Brexit-centric episodes really held my interest.

I actually think that Trevor Noah is doing a better job nowadays.

Trevor Noah's Daily Show outside of the studio is much better than Oliver's. I think one thing is that this made Trevor's show someone different than John Stewart. Sure the format is similar but the fact that he doesn't have to play for an audience works for him and he seems much more relaxed. He still is a terrible interviewer, and his guests are much less interesting as most seem to trumpet African American issues these days.

There just feels like there's something different about Oliver's show since the pandemic. And for me it's just too serious now.

 

[kdmorse]

There just feels like there's something different about Oliver's show since the pandemic. And for me it's just too serious now.

I think he's genuinely having less fun. A large part of what makes the show so much fun to watch is the over the top degree to which he is clearly enjoying it, no matter how absurd the topic. But be it the lack of audience, or the topics, or the pandemic, or the void - I just don't think the same level of enjoyment is there, and is shows. Hopefully things get back to normal, and he finds the spark again (It's not gone, it's just not there as much as it used to be).

 

[cheesesteak]

Trevor Noah's Daily Show outside of the studio is much better than Oliver's. I think one thing is that this made Trevor's show someone different than John Stewart. Sure the format is similar but the fact that he doesn't have to play for an audience works for him and he seems much more relaxed. He still is a terrible interviewer, and his guests are much less interesting as most seem to trumpet African American issues these days.

Trevor's guests may be less interesting to you but not to me. I believe that he's consciously highlighting African Americans who would normally be omitted from other similar programs. I applaud him for that.

 

[Steveknj]

Trevor's guests may be less interesting to you but not to me. I believe that he's consciously highlighting African Americans who would normally be omitted from other similar programs. I applaud him for that.

I do too. That's his prerogative. I'm just not all that interested. Sam Bee's show definitely skews towards women's issues. Also her prerogative as well.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

 

[Jonathan_S]

Speaking of the show being off this past weekend - I forgot that and my TiVo recorded the rerun. (Looks like it was the one from March 21st).
Not realizing it was a rerun, I started playing it and was a bit shock he started off with a joke about being surprised Prince Philip (10 June 1921 - 9 April 2021) was still around.

 

[astrohip]

my TiVo recorded the rerun.

Mine too. Guide data sucks.

 

[NorthAlabama]

Mine today. Guide data sucks.

so does tech support - i honestly don't believe they could be doing worse if they were trying to fail.

 

[sharkster]

Yeah I had that episode, not even realizing it was not new. I started watching and it took me a few minutes to realize that what I was watching I had already seen. For whatever stupid reason I didn't even hear the Prince Philip reference. I just kept thinking 'this sounds familiar' and then when the donkey guy came on I finally got it. d'oh!

 

[logic88]

Someone needs to watch the most recent LWT episode.

A Black softball player was forced to cut off her hair beads at a game: 'I feel humiliated' (WashPo article)

 

[Steveknj]

This past episode really annoyed me, as it just felt like a "me too" reaction to what so much of the press is saying. It's much more complex than just "Israelis killed "innocent Palestinian kids" which is the take that so much of the press has taken too. Sure Israel has defensive weapons and a highly trained military, so they shouldn't use it when Hammas sends missiles their way? Sorry John, you are far from an expert on this and maybe this complex issue is just more than about the "poor Palestinians" and the Israeli thugs, and you should leave it to the experts to handle.

I apologize if this got too political, but this to me is about John not really getting it and painting one side as the "bad guys" no matter how many times he prefaced it with "I don't pretend to understand this", or "Yes, Hammas has shot missiles into Israel too".

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

This past episode really annoyed me, as it just felt like a "me too" reaction to what so much of the press is saying. It's much more complex than just "Israelis killed "innocent Palestinian kids" which is the take that so much of the press has taken too. Sure Israel has defensive weapons and a highly trained military, so they shouldn't use it when Hammas sends missiles their way? Sorry John, you are far from an expert on this and maybe this complex issue is just more than about the "poor Palestinians" and the Israeli thugs, and you should leave it to the experts to handle.

I apologize if this got too political, but this to me is about John not really getting it and painting one side as the "bad guys" no matter how many times he prefaced it with "I don't pretend to understand this", or "Yes, Hammas has shot missiles into Israel too".

I was also a little surprised at his emotion. He often seems...exasperated and annoyed by what he reports, and sometimes flashes of genuine anger will come through, but there was an obvious, deep anger that showed throughout the report. I suspect he for some reason has a personal stake in all this...

 

[Steveknj]

I was also a little surprised at his emotion. He often seems...exasperated and annoyed by what he reports, and sometimes flashes of genuine anger will come through, but there was an obvious, deep anger that showed throughout the report. I suspect he for some reason has a personal stake in all this...

I noticed that too. For the first time in this series, I considered not finishing the episode. I was so annoyed by it all. The gun issue was pretty good, but even there he was VERY serious. It's a serious topic for sure, but as I said a few weeks ago, I really don't watch JO for hard news. There's plenty of outlets for that if I wanted it. I like the more lighthearted stuff, or where he calls out people in a humorous way. This show has just become just another in a long line of serious news shows, with an occasional joke. Maybe it's a result of him sitting in the white void. I don't know. (and really, I think it's time for him to get back to an audience even a smaller one like Bill Maher. I'd say the same about TDS, but I actually think Trevor Noah's show has gotten better since he's doing it from home.