John Oliver’s Sexual Wellness Blanket Prank Are Actually Causing Local News Station to Change
(via Deadline)
One of the many benefits to not having Trump around as POTUS is that John Oliver can focus on those niche issues that you, me, and everyone else overlook, but is very crucial to examine.
Case in point: this past week’s deep dive segment on Last Week Tonight went damningly in on sponsored content on local news station that wheel and deal in sponsored content. Despite laws being in place to prevent such practices, Oliver pointed out how some local news station barely notify their viewers that they’re watching products/brands buying air time to promote their goods, making it seem as though this potentially could be viewed as truthful news story or interview.
To the further point and get back to his penchant for “gonzo comedy”, Oliver created a “sexual wellness blanket” that he was easily able to get a segment on in several local news stations around the country. There was no actual backing to any of the claims made for the sexual wellness blanket, but that didn’t make seem a difference to the stations taking Last Week Tonight’s money to sell blankets.
Please enjoy the brilliant segment from Last Week Tonight here.
Following Sunday, a number of stations, especially the ones that took Oliver’s bait are reviewing their practices and are aggressively pleading that they integrity is important to them and that they do actually distinguish between their legitimate journalism and “non-news lifestyle” segments. Still, they’re re-examining their protocol as to not get hoodwinked again since, clearly, the sexual wellness blanket is just a blanket and no one dared check up on that.
So, cheers to John Oliver and company speaking truth to power yet again with some comedy/satire and actually making a difference.