John Oliver Takes on Trump's Assault Against the Way in Which We Speak To Each Other

By Emily Cutler | Last Week Tonight | November 13, 2017 |

By Emily Cutler | Last Week Tonight | November 13, 2017 |

First and foremost, I need to warn everyone that this is the last show of the year. Oliver and Co. are taking a much needed break until next year. So savor this.

The second thing I need to do is point out: what the fuck, Dean Cain? You’re arguably the worst Superman seen in my lifetime, but I still thought you were better than this. Which actually dovetails nicely into my third point: almost everyone is an asshole. Not that everyone is a complete asshole or even an asshole to a degree that threatens other people. But basically everyone has in them a tiny little voice that exclusively and consistently says, “But what about me?”

And the voice cannot be reasoned with. Basically, anytime anyone has anything that we would like, the voice pops up to remind us that we’re lacking. Why don’t I have more money? Why don’t I have more recognition? Why aren’t I going on that fancy vacation? Why don’t I have arms that could cut glass and look amazing in a strapless dress, Michelle?

And the answers vary. Maybe you are actually getting screwed by your employer, or maybe you knowingly went into a low-paying career you loved because that was more important than money. Further maybe: perhaps societal biases are preventing you from being paid a decent wage, and that’s a movement worth being involved in and fighting for. Maybe I’m unwilling to wake up early to work out and have shoulders like a linebacker so strapless dresses aren’t in the cards for me for a lot of reasons. The point is, you can’t just listen to the voice. The voice will convince you you’re being screwed and attacked, which will make you defensive and lash out. Which means at some point in the not so distant future, you might find yourself defending a man who sexually assaulted a fourteen-year-old girl because liberals are trying to make you slightly less overwhelmingly wealthy. And nobody should be that big of an asshole.