Episode
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Essential Workers
Overview
John explains how the Trump administration failed to protect the unemployed, small businesses and essential workers during the pandemic, the peeps make their unholy return, and 90s rat erotica makes John's day once again.
Details
- Series
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Season
- Season 7
- Episode
- Episode 8
- Air date
- 2020-04-12
- Runtime
- 30 min
Episode context
Essential Workers is Episode 8 in Season 7 of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It aired on 2020-04-12. The runtime is 30 min.
Previous / Next
Episode 7: One America News Network
John criticizes the Republican governors' response to the pandemic, showcases how everyone filming from home gets asked if they're wearing pants, and warns of the new ultra right wing, extremely pro-Trump network called OAN(N).
Episode 9: Coronavirus Misinformation
John analyzes the right wing media's protests, conspiracy theories and misinformation spreading about the pandemic, spotlights Inside Edition's latest 'coming up' segments, and becomes a fan of the home edition of The Wendy Williams Show.
More episodes from this season
Episode 6: Coronavirus III
In the first show from his makeshift home studio, John covers the horrible way COVID-19 pandemic is going and how Trump is mishandling it, how TV hosts are practicing social distancing, and how profoundly gleeful 90s erotic rat art can be.
Episode 10: COVID-19 Testing
John points out the failure of The FDA and federal government when experts encourage widespread coronavirus testing for several months. The number of tests being done everyday far behind the lowest recommended number. John talks about the different types of tests: diagnostic and antibody tests, and how the tests work.
Episode 5: Coronavirus II
Main story: 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak, governmental response in the US, and the prevention of COVID-19. This episode was filmed at an unspecified location with no live audience as the studio and the show's offices were shut down after employees tested positive for COVID-19. John Oliver stated the show will go on hiatus for an unspecified amount of time but will definitely return.
Episode 11: United States Postal Service
John discusses the United States Postal Service which is in dire need of economic assistance from the government. He examines some of the essential services of the USPS and why it is facing such financial trouble due to a 2006 law requiring it to pre-pay health care benefits on a fifty year schedule while at the same time putting price caps on services and products.
Episode 4: Sheriffs
Main story: A look at how much power and how little accountability local sheriffs have; plus, Trump's coronavirus incompetence; India's self-censorship of 'Last Week Tonight.'
Episode 12: Coronavirus Impact on Sports
John discusses the sudden disappearance of sports due to coronavirus, how their absence is impacting people emotionally and financially, and the complications of bringing them back anytime soon.
Episode 3: Coronavirus
John covers the Covid-19 pandemic, how each country, including the US, is handling it, and why the Phillie Phanatic is in a copyright row. Also, Tom Steyer quits the Democratic presidential race, and Chris Matthews messes up his sign offs.
Episode 13: Postal Voting
John explains the importance of voting by mail. Also, mass protests against police brutality erupt in Minneapolis, TV hosts inquire about the odd objects behind their stay-at-home guests, and John schools UFC president Dana White.
Episode 2: Modi
Main story: John Oliver talks about India's controversial Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and his government's Hindu nationalism; plus, a look at Mike Bloomberg's presidential campaign.
Episode 14: Police
This episode tackles the hard truth about the history of Police in the United States and the many problems that are faced in fixing those problems.