Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Lowes Hires Robots, State Legislatures

November 3, 2014 11:48 PM - Season 1, Episode 23

Hungary protests an internet tax. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key floats changes to his nation's flag. Lowes tests out employing robots instead of help staff in a store(6m), prompting Last Week Tonight to make a commercial for Home Depot in response. A couple of days before the 2014 elections, John Oliver takes a look at the madness of state legislatures(17m). Web exclusive: the Last Week Tonight YouTube channel reaches one million subscribers(2m). "I think of YouTube subscribers the same way I think of pogs: I recently acquired a lot of them, and I'm not quite sure what they do." According to the LWT YouTube channel, next week is the end of the first season of Last Week Tonight(1m).
posted by JHarris (16 comments total)

I would have enjoyed that Home Depot sketch more if it wasn't driving me crazy where I knew the actress from. It's Sarah Baker who had a notable guest role on Louie last season . She's also had minor roles in a couple movies and a whole bunch of sitcoms.

The Actor (H. Jon Benjamin) is the voice of Archer and Bob Belcher.
posted by Gary at 1:17 AM on November 4, 2014 [3 favorites]

And of course the Home Depot employee was played by Nick Offerman, doing a gentler Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec.
posted by Pendragon at 1:29 AM on November 4, 2014

(Pointing Gary to the list of tags --->)
posted by JHarris at 2:02 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

The segment on state legislatures was excellent and insightful. Also, H. John Benjamin yelling "How would our daughter be ASIAN?" made me laugh as much as I can remember laughing at television.
posted by transient at 2:03 AM on November 4, 2014

And of course the Home Depot employee was played by Nick Offerman, doing a gentler Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec.

Even though Ron shops at Lowe's. At least, he did in the pre-robot days.
posted by Gary at 2:09 AM on November 4, 2014

(Pointing Gary to the list of tags --->)

You left out the RonSwanson NickOfferman tags :-)
posted by Pendragon at 2:31 AM on November 4, 2014

I liked hearing the crowd go from laughing at the bad candidates to being genuinely bothered by the idea that they were guaranteed to win. The way they were set up in the first part of the segment made it seem like there was no way they'd get into office and it was a really effective way to show the consequences of dismissing local elections.
posted by Peccable at 6:40 AM on November 4, 2014 [8 favorites]

I want to know how and why John Oliver "recently acquired a lot of" pogs.
posted by asperity at 8:47 AM on November 4, 2014

I think in a way Oliver missed an opportunity for not suggesting a common write-in candidate name to use against incompetent incumbents. What with turnouts being low it might end up winning in a few places.
posted by JHarris at 9:25 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

I was really expecting that to be the end result, and am glad it wasn't. While a winning protest write-in campaign would make good news and good comedy, it wouldn't change any of the election results, and might diminish the awfulness of the long parade of uncontested races.

I'm hoping the end result here is that more people in the wide audience for this clip will see just how easy it can be to run for local and state office, and get in there with a credible campaign for the next election cycle. I was honestly pretty disappointed with most of the D candidates for my county's offices this year. I'm glad the local party org at least managed to fill the slots with warm bodies and all, but they really didn't look especially competent by comparison. This is a problem.
posted by asperity at 9:44 AM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

I just want more stories from the Home Depot couple. I lost it when the wife give a handjob to the best man on the day of her wedding and it was okay because she wasn't married yet. That was pretty funny.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 6:38 AM on November 5, 2014

I think in a way Oliver missed an opportunity for not suggesting a common write-in candidate name to use against incompetent incumbents. What with turnouts being low it might end up winning in a few places.

For a piece that did try this, check out Michael Moore's Ficus for Congress episode of The Awful Truth. Unfortunately, write in laws are sometimes very restrictive, and results are usually not reported unless the candidate is somehow registered prior to the election.

Can I digress, man do I miss funny pre-9/11 pre-Bush Michael Moore. The guy who was able to get Alan Keyes to crowdsurf or challenged Nike CEO Phil Knight to a footrace. His television shows (and The Big One, which was pretty much like an episode of his TV show) were always hilarious.
posted by ALongDecember at 1:10 PM on November 5, 2014 [1 favorite]

Man, do I miss the pre 9/11, pre-Bush world.
posted by JHarris at 1:36 PM on November 5, 2014 [5 favorites]

He got the Rhode Island-ness of the state legislators, yet completely missed the Buddy Cianci campaign for mayor of Providence (yet again, now that it's been more than three years since his parole has ended). Though, I suppose the state legislators were more the point, but still.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:52 AM on November 6, 2014

Furchester Hotel: John Oliver has Bad News for Cookie Monster
posted by Gary at 1:09 PM on November 6, 2014 [3 favorites]

Wow, that's quite a freak out from the Cookie Monster, there.
posted by JHarris at 1:15 PM on November 6, 2014