John Oliver has criticised Jay Leno for saying there needs to be more “civility” in late night television.
Leno was asked last week on NBC’s Today show whether the missed being a late night host, replying “no” and reasoning that having such a position now entails being overtly political.
“If people don’t like your politics,” he said, “everyone has to know your politics. But when people see you are one-sided, it just makes it tough. I’d just like to see a bit of civility come back to it, you know?”
Oliver addressed the comments on Last Week Tonight during a segment on public shaming. Discussing the “hell” Monica Lewinsky was put through after having an affair with President Bill Clinton, Oliver pointed out how Leno had frequently mocked the situation.
The host then proceeded to play archive footage from Leno’s stint as a late night host, including a moment where Leno sniggered at a fake Dr Seuss book about Lewinsky titled The Slut in the Hat.
“If that’s what he means by civility,” Oliver said, “may I offer my new book: Oh the Places You Can Go F**k Yourself, Jay Leno!”
Oliver went on to say that not all public shaming is bad, pointing out how comments made by Fox News host Tucker Carlson had resurfaced online. Carlson has refused for making the comments, which included calling Iraqis “semi-literate primitive monkeys”.
“I would argue that Tucker is actually a good example of an internet pile-on being merited,” Oliver said. “He’s a public figure, he made his comments publicly, they are appalling and he’s standing by them.”
