In February, Oliver returned for a new season of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO, and Stewart came back to host The Daily Show on Mondays. Both prove that they’re the best at what they do.
TERRY GROSS, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. John Oliver returned in February for a new season of his HBO series “Last Week Tonight.” Also last month, Jon Stewart, who used to be Oliver’s boss and mentor when both worked on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” returned to host “The Daily Show” on Mondays. Both comedians have already drawn attention to themselves with their newest efforts, including the attention of our TV critic David Bianculli, who has this review.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, “THE DAILY SHOW”)
JON STEWART: Welcome to “The Daily Show.” My name is Jon Stewart. Now, where was I?
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: I’m excited to be back. I’m very excited.
(APPLAUSE)
DAVID BIANCULLI, BYLINE: I’m very excited Jon Stewart is back, too. And the same goes for John Oliver, who worked with Stewart as one of the brilliantly funny “Daily Show” correspondents before leaving to start his own late-night current events comedy show on HBO. Jon Stewart hosted Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” from 1999 to 2015, stepping down before the 2016 presidential election that saw Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.
John Oliver left “The Daily Show” even before that in 2013, but by the next year, he was hosting his own weekly HBO program, “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.” Oliver returned last month to start his 11th season, and Stewart returned to his “Daily Show” home turf on Mondays the same month. Both of them are doing weekly shows now, which allows for a more thoughtful and focused approach. And as far as I’m concerned, they’re both unmissable television.
John Oliver marked his return by doing a deep dive on the Supreme Court, especially about the potential for money and other perks to influence specific justices. Honing in on Clarence Thomas, Oliver recounted…
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