HBO's John Oliver does not have to use the same caution tip-toeing around lewd language as cable news hosts, and he used that fact to his hilarious advantage in his return to Last Week Tonight on Sunday. In addressing recent graphic comments made to The New Yorker by White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, Oliver insisted that "there is just no point in being coy anymore."
"'I'm not Steve Bannon, I'm not trying to suck my own c--k.' That's what he said, to a reporter, on the record," Oliver explained. But not everyone gets to use that kind of language on air, with many anchors needing to insert "expletive" or "blank" as awkward verbal censors.
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.
-
Hugh Corcoran and The Yellow Bittern: is the customer really always right?Talking Point A new London restaurant has caused controversy by complaining about customer eating habits
-
When is an offensive social media post a crime?The Explainer UK legal system walks a 'difficult tightrope' between defending free speech and prosecuting hate speech
-
Women are getting their own baseball league againIn the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
