Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Police

June 8, 2020 7:36 AM - Season 7, Episode 14

This week: it's a strange episode, even from among those coming from the White Void of Sad Facts, as the entire show is about the protests over the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, and the police reaction to them. In the words of John Oliver, "If police are trying to convince the public that they're not guilty of displaying excessive force, it's probably not a good idea to repeatedly display excessive force on national television[...]" Instead of listening to me summarize it, you can watch the entire episode on YouTube (33 minutes).

F.37: BLACK LIVES MATTER

posted by JHarris (9 comments total)

Yeah, I'm going to have a hard time watchign this one. But I like angry John Oliver.
posted by Catblack at 10:21 AM on June 8, 2020 [1 favorite]

This episode gave me life. To see someone on TV saying everything I've been thinking, reading, learning, and feeling over the last few weeks, and not just saying it but visibly as worked up about it as all of us should be, was extremely cathartic. John was ANGERY. It also made me tear up at several points which never happens to me. Extremely on point.
posted by bleep at 12:09 PM on June 8, 2020 [7 favorites]

What's happening now is basically the culmination of everything he's been talking about for the entire history of his show all coming to a head.
posted by bleep at 12:10 PM on June 8, 2020 [6 favorites]

I've watched this twice now (once live, once on YT) and will probably have to watch it again. It's one of those pieces that really crystalizes so much so intensely that it's hard to take in all at once. I've loved this show since it started but this may be its crowning jewel thus far.
posted by hippybear at 4:40 PM on June 8, 2020 [4 favorites]

I especially appreciate how he ended this one.

It's nice to see somewhat major media explaining why "defund the police" isn't actually that radical a statement and is not only attainable but necessary.
posted by jessamyn at 6:26 PM on June 8, 2020 [6 favorites]

This resonated a lot with some of the other videos, like Hasan Minhaj, and American Carnage at Lafayette Square [youtube] by Legal Eagle. It feels like there's real anger out there rather than just sadness & resignation; I hope some good comes out of this time.
posted by Marticus at 6:28 PM on June 8, 2020 [3 favorites]

The excerpt at the end of this episode came from "How Can We Win".
posted by ZeusHumms at 6:59 PM on June 8, 2020 [3 favorites]

I’m so annoyed Oliver’s show is blocked for Australians. This colonised country is also extremely violent in its harassment and murder of blackfellas. Right now in Perth, a Noongar woman is fighting for her life after being ‘body slammed’ by a prison guard. There have been 437 deaths in custody since a Royal Commission into deaths in custody in 1991, and no convictions.
posted by honey-barbara at 8:35 PM on June 8, 2020 [1 favorite]

John was just incandescent with rage and it felt so cathartic and horrible and maybe inspirational too. And the way he ended it with Kimberly Jones’s speech was perfect—let the right voices be heard. I’m grateful too because he lays things out in a way I think a lot of (white) people need help with to understand. It’s something I can point to and that’s really valuable.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 1:46 AM on June 9, 2020 [6 favorites]