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John Oliver vs Russell Crowe

58K views 824 replies 51 participants last post by  astrohip 
#1 ·
Who would have thought Russell Crowe would win?!? :D

(If you didn't watch it, you have to...no description could do it justice. But a while back John Oliver pranked Russell Crowe, and now Russell Crowe has pranked him back so well, John Oliver has declared there's no point in going on and closed down his show...although since there's another episode next week I'm not entirely convinced of his sincerity. I'm sure it will be on YouTube shortly and somebody will post the video.)
 
#43 ·
The season premiere was a bit lackluster. At least for me since there was very little new information. I actually watch these type of shows to try and get exposure to topics that I don't know too much about. There's been so much written about Brexit that I feel there's very little material left for an episode.
 
#46 ·
The show may be a US based show,but it's nice that they talk about events from around the globe.
 
#51 ·
Although his overall point (which he didn't make very well) is pretty good...people have been complaining about technology killing jobs for centuries, but there have always still been jobs... the problem is, the old jobs are replaced by new ones, and the people who lose the old jobs don't tend to be well suited for the new ones.

So it's not a jobs apocalypse; it's jobs evolution. It just feels like an apocalypse to the people who are suddenly unemployed (which, of course, is understandable). And that's the dynamic that some people, especially politicians who feel obliged to make simple, easy-to-understand promises to win votes, don't seem able to grasp. Which Oliver kept dancing around but never really hit on the head...
 
#52 ·
One thing that I remember from an Adam Ruins Everything episode is that the American middle class family good fortunes started right after WWII when Europe, Japan, Russia etc... were in ruins and incapable of competing with American manufacturing. China was an inward looking back water until recently. Now, many other countries can provide the jobs and wares that once were exclusively produced by Americans. China is an economic powerhouse now and there are many countries now where people are culturally willing to do the same job for less pay and longer hours than Americans. Automation along with the gradually decreasing advantages created by WWII are why things are tough for many people.
 
#60 ·
Yeah, he only briefly mentioned the real problem, and the solution in "blink and you miss it" passing. That should have been the main focus.

I think he just wanted to do the robocall stunt. It didn't feel like they did anywhere near the usual amount of research for this story.
 
#64 ·
I agree that it wasn't as informative as many past segments. He kept mentioning how such calls COULD be made legally, and I kept expecting him to dive into the details of what is allowed and why most of the calls out there are not allowed. And then I expected him to provide consumers with some tools to identify illegal calls so they can be properly reported. But instead, he just went for the easy joke.

Although I have to admit I laughed out loud when the curtain dropped and the button push was just automating a much larger finger pushing a much larger button.

Also, do we really think the FCC doesn't have a way to filter out those types of calls? I seriously doubt any of those commissioners will ever even hear the call, unless they watch this segment.
 
#76 ·
Good on John Oliver for taking on Vince McMahon and the WWE. I don't follow rasslin' any more but definitely grew up watching it and was aware of it for many years. It'll be interesting to see if his request for signs and chants will be heeded although I expect any critical signs will be confiscated at the upcoming Wrestlemania and other events.
 
#77 ·
Agree. It's been well known for years that they abuse their wrestlers. On the other hand some of them have become pretty big stars and very wealthy. But McMahan has always been a jerk, not just one he plays on TV. Watching those clips (entirely out of context of course) made me laugh uncontrollably. There is one I will see in my nightmares that involves Vince and a HUGE male butt in a singlet....It might take therapy to lose that one from my mind!
 
#78 ·
I've heard the same about the UFC. All of the riches go to a few fighters and everyone else fights for scraps.

But I'm still kinda meh about this week's topic and the season so far in general. I guess when you have that many episodes in the can, the well can start to run dry.
 
#81 ·
But I'm still kinda meh about this week's topic and the season so far in general. I guess when you have that many episodes in the can, the well can start to run dry.
I used to think of LWT as borderline investigative journalism and not merely late nite schtick commentary. (Frontline meets The Daily Show)

Now I don't know what to think. It's not been rubbing me the right way this season either.
 
#79 ·
I think wrestling is stupid (though I'm now interested in hearing if a few of the Giant Bomb podcast members who are/were into wrestling comment on this), but I also think it's really stupid that that world wildlife fund sued to make them change their name. Yes I know it happened a long time ago now, but last night's episode mentioned it.
 
#82 ·
At least the episode wasn't about Brexit!

Pro Wrestling is stupid but it's a fun stupid. I grew up watching the WWWF on Saturday mornings (and Roller Derby too) and the WWF and other federations into my 20s. It's "fake" but the people who do it put tremendous strains on their bodies and health. It's a shame that the corporation they work for treats them like dirt. Seeing Vince McMahon get popped upside his head with a bed pan cracked me up.
 
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