Paul Pennolino — Director

Episodes 83

Donald Trump

73%
February 28, 201630m
3x3

John talks about the Egyptian president and economic crisis, the Guantanamo Bay shutdown and Donald Trump.

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Special Districts

80%
March 6, 201630m
3x4

Special districts spend more public money than all city governments combined. That's odd considering most of us don't know they exist.

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Encryption

78%
March 13, 201629m
3x5

Strong encryption poses problems for law enforcement, is weakening it worth the risks it presents? It’s…complicated.

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Border Wall

75%
March 20, 201630m
3x6

Donald Drumpf wants to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Is his plan feasible?

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Congressional Fundraising

79%
April 3, 201630m
3x7

Lawmakers have to raise money to keep their jobs, but a surprising amount of their job now consists of raising money. John Oliver sits down with Congressman Steve Israel to discuss the costs of political spending.

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Credit Reports

74%
April 10, 201630m
3x8

Credit reports play a surprisingly large role in our lives, but even more surprising is how often they contain critical mistakes. John Oliver helps credit agencies see why this is a problem.

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Lead

78%
April 17, 201630m
3x9

Lead poisoning is a national problem. If only lawmakers were as concerned as the puppets on Sesame Street.

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Puerto Rico

82%
April 24, 201630m
3x10

Puerto Rico is suffering a massive debt crisis. Lin-Manuel Miranda joins John Oliver to call for relief.

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Scientific Studies

78%
May 8, 201630m
3x11

John Oliver on Sticking to the Facts: Media outlets often report new findings from scientific studies, but how many are true?

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911

76%
May 15, 201630m
3x12

John Oliver on 911 Reliability: Things you never want to hear: there are no guarantees when you call 911. Emergency call centers are in desperate need of funding and new technology, so “no guarantees” is the unfortunate reality.

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Primaries and Caucuses

79%
May 22, 201630m
3x13

Last Week Tonight Tackles U.S. Primaries and Caucuses: The United States selection process for presidential nominees is convoluted — to say the least. Nevertheless, John Oliver reminds Americans that the "middle of the game" is the worst possible time to change the rules.

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Debt Buyers

74%
June 5, 201635m
3x14

John Oliver Takes On Debt Buyers: Companies that purchase debt on the cheap will aggressively collect on it. 'Last Week Tonight’ took a hands-on approach to addressing this issue.

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Retirement Plans

77%
June 12, 201632m
3x15

John Oliver Covers Ins and Outs of Retirement Plans: Saving for retirement means navigating a potential minefield of high fees and bad advice - Last Week Tonight is here to help.

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Brexit

82%
June 19, 201630m
3x16

John Oliver on “Brexiting” from the EU: There might be an innate British desire to diss Europe, but Last Week Tonight lays out exactly why it’s a mistake to leave the EU.

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Doping

80%
June 26, 201630m
3x17

John talks about the aftermath of the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and doping in sports with the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio on the horizon.

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Workplace Sexual Harassment

80%
July 29, 201830m
5x18

With a national dialogue underway about sexual harassment in the workplace, John Oliver sits down with Anita Hill to discuss the recent response to a not-so-recent problem.

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Compounding Pharmacies

73%
September 29, 201930m
6x24

Compounding pharmacies create medication tailored to the specific needs of individual patients. John Oliver explains why this small corner of the drug market can cause big problems.

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SLAPP Suits

83%
November 10, 201930m
6x29

After winning a legal battle involving a coal executive and a giant squirrel, John Oliver explains how SLAPP suits are designed to stifle public dissent.

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Medicare for All

78%
February 16, 202030m
7x1

Main story: The pros and cons of Medicare for All; plus, Bill Barr does Trump's personal bidding; and Flyers mascot Gritty is exonerated!

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Episode 210: The Next Pandemic

80%
February 14, 202130m
8x1

Main story: What could cause the next pandemic, what we can do to avoid it, and why you shouldn’t kiss pigs; plus, Impeachment Part 2.

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Episode 211: Meatpacking

75%
February 21, 202130m
8x2

Main story: Working conditions in the meatpacking industry; plus, the Texas power crisis in the wake of severe winter weather.

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Episode 212: Raids

78%
February 28, 202130m
8x3

Main story: How few guardrails there are on the use of police raids; plus, New York governor Andrew Cuomo faces multiple scandals.

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Episode 213: Unemployment

74%
March 7, 202130m
8x4

Main story: The many obstacles that impede access to unemployment benefits; plus, Fox News freaks out over Dr. Seuss.

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Episode 214: Tucker Carlson

85%
March 14, 202130m
8x5

Main story: Where Tucker Carlson came from and why he's admired by white nationalists; plus, reaction to the Biden COVID-19 relief bill.

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Episode 215: Plastics

80%
March 21, 202130m
8x6

Main story: How plastics are harming the planet, and why recycling isn’t the solution you think it is; plus, the Atlanta mass shootings and hate crimes against Asian-Americans.

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Episode 216: The National Debt

78%
April 4, 202130m
8x7

Main story: How national debt works and why it might be more helpful than you'd think; plus, Giuliani freaks over Lil Nas X; Amazon's anti-union tactics; Peeps and Pepsi form an unholy alliance.

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Episode 217: Long-Term Care

75%
April 11, 202132m
8x8

Main story: Why nursing homes and assisted living facilities need fixing; plus, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program; Matt Gaetz and Venmo; R.I.P. Yahoo! Answers.

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Episode 218: Bankruptcy

80%
April 18, 202130m
8x9

John Oliver details why people file for bankruptcy, how needlessly difficult the process can be, and the ways we can better serve people struggling with debt.

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Episode 219: Vaccine

83%
May 2, 202130m
8x10

John Oliver explains why some people don't want to get the Covid-19 vaccine and how they might be reassured.

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Episode 220: Hair

68%
May 9, 202130m
8x11

John Oliver discusses the importance of black hair, the ways it can be a target of discrimination, and some ideas to address that.

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Episode 221: Stand Your Ground

76%
May 16, 202130m
8x12

Main Story: John Oliver takes a look at why “stand your ground” laws were created, who they protect, and, crucially, who they don’t. Plus, a look at the past week’s events in Israel.

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Episode 222: Sponcon

84%
May 23, 202130m
8x13

John Oliver explains why the integrity of local news is so important, how sponsored content could damage that integrity, and why the Venus Veil is so much more than a blanket. (It's not.)

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Episode 223: Asian Americans

70%
June 6, 202130m
8x14

John Oliver discusses the large and diverse group of people who fall under the term "Asian American", the history of the model minority stereotype, and why our conversations on the subject need to be better-informed.

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Episode 224: Prison Heat

80%
June 13, 202130m
8x15

John Oliver explains how the failure to air-condition prisons can cause both physical and mental health issues for incarcerated people, and why the solution is simpler than you might think. Plus, some truly unique local car dealership ads.

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Episode 225: PACE

76%
June 20, 202130m
8x16

John Oliver explains how PACE, a program meant to pay for environmentally-friendly home renovations, is fundamentally flawed and can put people at risk of losing their homes. Plus, why hosting summer Olympics in Tokyo this year is a bad idea and why dog shows are weird.

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8x17

Health Care Sharing Ministries, or HCSMs, advertise themselves as a more affordable, faith-based alternative to health insurance. But John Oliver explains some of the massive limitations these plans can have.

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Episode 227: Housing Discrimination

68%
July 25, 202139m
8x18

John Oliver breaks down the long history of housing discrimination in the U.S., the damage it's done, and, crucially, what we can do about it.

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Episode 228: Emergency Medical Services

80%
August 1, 202131m
8x19

John Oliver explains how emergency medical services function in the U.S., why they can be so expensive, and what we can do to fix things.

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Episode 229: Opioids III – The Sacklers

72%
August 8, 202132m
8x20

John Oliver explains how the Sackler family has been handling lawsuits related to the opioid crisis, how hard they've been fighting to defend their name, and why you should judge the situation for yourself.

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Episode 230: Ransomware

75%
August 15, 202132m
8x21

John Oliver discusses ransomware attacks, why they’re on the rise, and what can be done about them.

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Episode 231: Afghanistan

80%
August 22, 202132m
8x22

John Oliver discusses the end of America's war with Afghanistan and the humanitarian crisis being left behind.

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Episode 232: Lukashenko

80%
September 12, 202128m
8x23

John Oliver discusses the longtime leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, and the many reasons his country's citizens have not to like him.

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Episode 233: Voting Rights

73%
September 26, 202140m
8x24

John Oliver discusses the current attacks on voting rights, who's behind them, and what we can do about it. Plus, John enters several paintings in the annual Duck Stamp contest.

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Episode 234: PFAS

77%
October 3, 202128m
8x25

John Oliver discusses PFAS - a class of chemicals linked to an array of health issues - and why their widespread use isn't as magical as it may seem.

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Episode 235

77%
October 10, 202129m
8x26

John Oliver discusses how misinformation spreads among immigrant diaspora communities, how little some platforms have done to stop it, and, most importantly, how to have a very good morning.

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Episode 236

80%
October 24, 202131m
8x27

John Oliver discusses Taiwan's history of being governed by other countries, its fraught present-day relationship with China, and what its citizens would want their future to look like.

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Episode 237

80%
October 31, 202131m
8x28

With homelessness increasing nationwide, John Oliver takes a look at the way we discuss the unhoused, what policy failures are making the problem worse, and how we can help.

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Episode 238

85%
November 7, 202129m
8x29

John Oliver discusses the current state of the nation's power grid, why it needs fixing, and, of course, how fun the balloons are.

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Episode 239

85%
Season Finale
November 14, 202139m
8x30

John Oliver discusses the mechanics of union busting, why the companies who do it face so few consequences, and what it really means when your manager wants to talk to you about "your attendance."

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February 20, 2022: Critical Race Theory

80%
February 20, 202235m
9x1

John Oliver explains what critical race theory is, what it isn't, and why we can expect to hear more about it in the coming months. Plus, the Canadian trucker protests.

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February 27, 2022: Sex Work

79%
February 27, 202240m
9x2

As long as sex work has existed, so have efforts to end it. John Oliver explains why criminalizing the trade hasn’t helped the most vulnerable people involved, and why we should start listening to those at the center of the conversation: sex workers. Plus, Russian invasion into Ukraine, that has placed the whole world at the brink of WW3.

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March 6, 2022: Wrongful Convictions

80%
March 6, 202229m
9x3

John Oliver talks about the current practices of overturning wrongful convictions and how it is quite unsupportive of even apparently innocent people. He advocates for urgent reforms in the flawed system which is clearly not working in favor of the innocents. Plus, the heroic resistance of Ukrainians against the invasion of Russia.

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March 13, 2022: Tickets

81%
March 13, 202230m
9x4

John Oliver explains why concert tickets are so expensive, who’s making money off of them, and which One Direction is his favorite. Plus, the introduction of some appalling anti-LGBT laws in several states.

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March 27, 2022: Harm Reduction

76%
March 27, 202240m
9x5

John Oliver discusses why overdoses in the U.S. have been on the rise and what we should, and shouldn't, be doing to prevent them. Plus, a rather odd yearly tradition in Nenana, Alaska.

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April 3, 2022: Trucks

77%
April 3, 202235m
9x6

John Oliver explains how truck drivers get paid, how they often don’t, and how companies exploit them to increase profits. Plus, Republican congressman Madison Cawthorn's tales of GOP orgies and drug use has him in trouble with his own party.

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April 10, 2022: Data Brokers

87%
April 10, 202235m
9x7

John Oliver discusses how much data brokers know about us, what they’re doing with our personal information, and one unusual way to change privacy laws. Plus, Russian State TV lies about the Ukraine war; DirecTV drops OAN; John says goodbye to AT&T.

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April 17, 2022: Police Interrogations

80%
April 17, 202235m
9x8

John Oliver discusses the tactics that can make police interrogations so damaging, particularly to the innocent. Plus, a look at Dr. Oz's campaign for U.S. Senate.

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May 1, 2022: Environmental Racism

82%
May 1, 202235m
9x9

John Oliver discusses environmental racism, how both government and industry are failing people of color and how zoning is manipulating the same people to live in adverse conditions. Plus, pandas doing some weird things and 'gas math' by Shaquille O'Neal.

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John Oliver discusses the current presidential election in The Philippines and why Bongbong Marcos is - albeit in a very limited and unflattering way - sort of like Ant-Man. Plus, the leaked anti-abortion draft opinion that looks set to overturn Roe v. Wade, how we got to this point, and where we may be headed.

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May 15, 2022: Utilities

80%
May 15, 202235m
9x11

John Oliver discusses the incredible amount of power we give electric utility companies, how weakly regulated they are, and why they get such bad Yelp reviews. Plus, a look at Alabama's extreme anti-trans law and some ridiculous participants of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.

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May 22, 2022: Subway

82%
May 22, 202235m
9x12

John Oliver discusses one of the largest franchises in the U.S., how their business model doesn’t always serve franchisees, and what it all has to do with Korean dramas.

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June 5, 2022: School Police

80%
June 5, 202235m
9x13

In the wake of the mass shooting in Uvalde, John Oliver discusses the push for more police in schools and whether they are the answer to school safety issues, or a new problem altogether. Plus, John makes an offer for a banana sculpture in Australia.

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June 12, 2022: Tech Monopolies

80%
June 12, 202235m
9x14

John Oliver discusses tech monopolies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook, and how to address the hidden harm they can do. Plus, a look at the hotly contested U.S. Senate race in Arizona, which includes Trump-endorsed candidate Blake Masters.

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June 19, 2022: Rent

77%
June 19, 202235m
9x15

John Oliver discusses why rent has become increasingly unaffordable, what we can do to combat a system that is stacked against tenants, and, of course, Dakota Johnson’s complex relationship to limes. Plus, a look at GOP primary winners claiming the 2020 election was stolen.

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June 26, 2022: Water

78%
June 26, 202235m
9x16

John Oliver discusses the water shortage in the American west; plus, the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

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February 19, 2023: Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

79%
February 19, 202335m
10x1

John Oliver discusses psychedelic assisted therapy: its history, its potential, and what it has to do with A$AP Rocky’s relationship to rainbows. Plus, the Fox News lawsuit and the Ohio train derailment.

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February 26, 2023: Artificial Intelligence

82%
February 26, 202340m
10x2

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of our lives, from self-driving cars to ChatGPT. John Oliver discusses how AI works, where it might be heading next, and, of course, why it hates the bus.

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March 5, 2023: Ron DeSantis

76%
March 5, 202335m
10x3

John Oliver discusses Ron DeSantis, his track record as the governor of Florida, the pitfalls of comparing him to Donald Trump, and the supposed dangers of “woke math.” Plus, the hilarious advertising by a plumbing company called Radiant.

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March 12, 2023: TANF

75%
March 12, 202335m
10x4

John Oliver discusses TANF - a federal program designed to help families with little to no income – who’s currently receiving these vital funds, who should be receiving them, and what it all has to do with Brett Favre. Plus, a look at Tennessee’s new law about drag performances and the lieutenant governor who supports the law.

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March 19, 2023: Timeshares

76%
March 19, 202335m
10x5

John Oliver discusses timeshares, how people get into them, why it’s so difficult to get out, and one exciting new business venture.

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April 2, 2023: Solitary Confinement

74%
April 2, 202335m
10x6

John Oliver discusses solitary confinement, how prevalent it is, how damaging it can be, and, of course, how to hit the woah.

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April 9, 2023: Homeowners Associations

74%
April 9, 202334m
10x7

John Oliver discusses homeowners associations, the surprising power they have, and how to tell if a tree is “tree-shaped.”

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April 16, 2023: Farmworkers

75%
April 16, 202335m
10x8

John Oliver discusses the conditions farmworkers face, how we failed to protect them, and the Jolly Green Giant’s body hair.

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April 23, 2023: Cryptocurrencies II

79%
April 23, 202335m
10x9

John Oliver discusses cryptocurrency, the collapse of three big crypto companies, and what to do if your office gives off “crime vibes.”

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April 30, 2023: Biden and the Border

74%
April 30, 202337m
10x10

A look at the things Biden has promised to fix about our southern border, what he has and hasn’t done, and a magnificent pile of gators.

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October 1, 2023: Prison Health Care

72%
October 1, 202339m
10x11

John Oliver discusses the health care offered in prisons; plus, a look at the past five months, from the WGA strike to Lauren Boebert.

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October 8, 2023: Homeschooling

80%
October 8, 202340m
10x12

John Oliver discusses homeschooling, its surprising lack of regulation in many states, and, crucially, Darth Vader's parenting skills.

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October 15, 2023: Food Safety

74%
October 15, 202335m
10x13

John Oliver discusses the groups in charge of keeping our food safe – from the FDA, to the USDA, to, most crucially, the Association for Dressings and Sauces.

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October 22, 2023: McKinsey

77%
October 22, 202338m
10x14

John Oliver discusses the oldest and largest management consulting firm: McKinsey & Company.

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October 29, 2023: Chocolate

82%
October 29, 202336m
10x15

John Oliver discusses chocolate, cocoa farming, and, of course, some facts that will make Halloween a little weird.

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November 5, 2023: Abortion Rights

80%
November 5, 202340m
10x16

John Oliver discusses the ongoing fallout from the overturning of Roe v. Wade as the November elections approach.

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November 12, 2023: Israel-Hamas War

80%
November 12, 202340m
10x17

John Oliver discusses the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

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April 7, 2024: Death Penalty

83%
April 7, 202440m
11x7

John Oliver discusses new information about the methods used to carry out the death penalty, plus this week's earthquake in New Jersey, and John's new celebrity crush. It's not who you think. Whoever you're thinking of, you're wrong.

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