On Thursday, John Oliver's Last Week Tonight posted a withering takedown of the late Ayn Rand, and the adults who still idolize her. In case you're not familiar with her oeuvre, "Ayn Rand became famous for her philosophy of objectivism, which is a nice way of saying: being a selfish asshole," the narrator gravely intones. Rand "has always been popular with teenagers," the narrator continues, "but she's something you're supposed to grow out of, like ska music."
The show then pokes fun at several of her adult fans, like Mark Cuban, Glenn Beck, and a handful of Republicans in Congress, before noting that Rand is pro–abortion rights and anti-Reagan. She also had some controversial things to say about Native Americans. Given her conservative heterodoxies, why would conservatives hold her up as their idol, the narrator asks, "especially when there are so many advocates for selfishness they could choose?" Drake for president? (There are some mildly NSFW words and images.) --Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlandsThe Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
-
5 deliciously funny cartoons about turkeysCartoons Artists take on pardons, executions, and more
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
