After several weeks away from the smoldering pile of news crap these days, John Oliver returned to Last week tonight to recap our current hell.
First, it aired a short segment focused on President Trump’s crazy proclamations about reopening schools amid a pandemic that has claimed more than 140,000 lives. Oliver noted how the president is currently ignoring the guidelines of the CDC and its health officials in pressing for the reopening, and that he is threatening to disburse schools that do not obey their demands (thereby reducing funding for education for low-income and developmentally disabled children, which is where most of the federal money goes).
However, the main segment of the night focused on conspiracy theories, including the many insane ones that have emerged around the new coronavirus pandemic. But before all of that, Oliver shared a curious conspiracy theory of his own.
“These theories are much more popular than you think. Polls over the years have shown that more than half of Americans consistently endorse at least one type of conspiracy narrative, ”explained Oliver. And look: I’m not immune here. Shamefully, there is a part of me that thinks the royal family killed Princess Diana. I know they didn’t, because there is absolutely no evidence that they did, but the idea still lingers because it felt like too big an event to be accidental. There had have any intention there. “
Phew. Then, he pointed to the widely discredited “Plandemic” video, which was packed with crazy claims (including that wearing a mask would trigger a “coronavirus expression” within you), and seen by more than 8 million people in its first week.
People have become even more susceptible to these conspiracy theories because, Oliver explained, Trump is “one of the most prominent broadcasters of conspiracy theories on Earth.”
Examples Oliver cited include: “Obama was born in Kenya, Antonin Scalia was assassinated, and millions of false votes were cast for Hillary Clinton,” he said, adding: “Conspiracies are like ugly buildings and deeply tragic adult children in that moment”. Donald Trump loves to unleash them in the world and then refuses to take responsibility for them ever again. ”
“I know you may not find plausible conspiracy theories, but you can also meet the people who do,” Oliver continued. “And while you can’t reach everyone, you can reach some. And now more than ever, it may be important for you to try. Which clearly is no easy.”
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