[Steveknj]

I think that sometimes we forget that this is a comedy show first and a news show second and in a lot of respects I find it sad when this (and others of it's ilk) is the primary news sources for a lot of people. Jon Stewart had to constantly remind us of that (and oddly I think he used to use the term fake news). Can we learn something about what's going on from these shows? Certainly. But the goal is to be funny, not to deliver a serious news story. I get that the Japanese mascot story was "out there", but it did amuse me. It amused me the same way that the Russell Crowe jock and the toy railroad story did. So this is nothing new for JO.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I think that sometimes we forget that this is a comedy show first and a news show second...

I totally disagree. At its best, it's one of the best news shows on television.

But it hasn't been at its best most of this season.

 

[zalusky]

I think that sometimes we forget that this is a comedy show first and a news show second and in a lot of respects I find it sad when this (and others of it's ilk) is the primary news sources for a lot of people. Jon Stewart had to constantly remind us of that (and oddly I think he used to use the term fake news). Can we learn something about what's going on from these shows? Certainly. But the goal is to be funny, not to deliver a serious news story. I get that the Japanese mascot story was "out there", but it did amuse me. It amused me the same way that the Russell Crowe jock and the toy railroad story did. So this is nothing new for JO.

I have seen it heard here and other places that people get their news first from these late night comedy shows. Speaking of Jon Stewart, I am looking forward to his new movie: Jon Stewart's Political Satire Irresistible: Everything We Know

 

[mattack]

I thought it was funny.

 

[cheesesteak]

Is this show filmed before a live audience? It seemed like somebody was really leaning on the fake laughter button pretty heavily this episode in the non-lethal injection segments.

Apparently, I'm not the target demographic for this show since I like KFC and I like cold, day old fried chicken.

 

[madscientist]

It is filmed before a live audience; in fact I've been to a taping. And, there are no "applause" signs, etc. Of course I can't say whether they sweeten the laughter. They don't even have someone waving their arms to get the audience to cheer more loudly, like they do at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (in defence of Colbert, his studio is enormous and you really have to make a lot of noise in there to fill it up--but his band is absolutely amazing so that helps keep people energized anyway).

 

[ayedee]

I would like to see Oliver replaced by Jonathan Pie, he is much more entertaining.

Live - Jonathan Pie

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

John Oliver has had some pretty great celebrity appearances over the years. But tonight's episode may take the prize. Because that was FREAKING HILARIOUS!

 

[astrohip]

John Oliver has had some pretty great celebrity appearances over the years. But tonight's episode may take the prize. Because that was FREAKING HILARIOUS!

Yeah, I had to rewatch that final segment twice, there was so much goodness in there.

 

[Steveknj]

I like John Oliver, but I don't know, maybe I'm getting bored with his topic of the week. This past week's with pharmacies, just bored me. But the payoff at the end was great. He's had a few shows this season that has topics I just didn't care about. With so much going on around us, I just feel that a show on a topic like that is just a waste. I do get that every comedian is covering current events and he wants to do something different, but he needs to come up with better things. Sorry, but 20 minutes on this topic didn't work for me.

 

[cheesesteak]

I like John Oliver, but I don't know, maybe I'm getting bored with his topic of the week. This past week's with pharmacies, just bored me. But the payoff at the end was great. He's had a few shows this season that has topics I just didn't care about. With so much going on around us, I just feel that a show on a topic like that is just a waste. I do get that every comedian is covering current events and he wants to do something different, but he needs to come up with better things. Sorry, but 20 minutes on this topic didn't work for me.

At least it wasn't Brexit.

 

[Steveknj]

At least it wasn't Brexit.

I was actually kind of hoping he'd do Brexit, with all of what is going on with Boris Johnson.

 

[sharkster]

John Oliver has had some pretty great celebrity appearances over the years. But tonight's episode may take the prize. Because that was FREAKING HILARIOUS!

Just as I clicked on this thread I was beginning to watch last night's episode. So, I didn't go on with the thread because I wanted to be surprised.

That was fun, but I did have one issue. The Eclectus that they showed as Michael Bolton's girlfriend was actually a male. I only know this because I have a male Eclectus and they are the green ones. The females are half red and half purple.

Not that that is worth a hill of beans, nor did it take away from the message. Just a little note.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

Well, you can take some pride in being a bigger geek than John Oliver. That's quite an accomplishment!

 

[Saturn_V]

I like John Oliver, but I don't know, maybe I'm getting bored with his topic of the week. This past week's with pharmacies, just bored me. But the payoff at the end was great.

I switched away in the middle of the Compounding Pharmacy story. Partly because it the show started 11 mins late, mostly because the story was a non-starter for me.

It's nice that it finished strong. But I long for the good ole days of LWT like "Net Neutrality", "Civil Forfeiture" and the "Supreme Court doggies"

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I actually valued the Compounding Pharmacy story, because that's a thing that I never knew existed, and I think that's something we really ought to know.

I would discuss why I think the show has suffered lately, but it's pretty much impossible without getting political.

 

[eddyj]

I knew they existed, but did not realize they were big (and mostly unregulated) business until that fiasco with NECC that he mentions in the story.

 

[logic88]

Yeah, it's been a weak season so far. Though I must admit the ending bit from last night was pretty funny.

For long-form comedy news shows, I think Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act has been much stronger this year. I look forward to new episodes of that more than LWT these days.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I honestly don't think of LRT as a comedy show. It's more of a news show than many news shows.

It just happens to be really funny.

 

[robojerk]

I honestly don't think of LRT as a comedy show.

LRT???