News

John Oliver's 9 Funniest Descriptive Phrases

by Cate Carrejo

If you've ever watched an episode of Last Week Tonight, you know John Oliver has a way with words. Oliver, the host and writer for the show, made a name for himself as a correspondent on The Daily Show before making the leap to HBO and his own hosting gig. Since then, he's consistently made headlines for his long-form segments, which explore everything from Guantanamo Bay to abortion laws and include some of the best quotes from the entire spectrum of entertainment television. Oliver is particularly well known for his hysterical analogies and comparisons, highlighted in the following collection. Here are the most descriptive phrases John Oliver has used on Last Week Tonight to keep you laughing until the next episode.

Oliver has kept many people sane throughout this gut-wrenching election season, precisely because he doesn't focus solely on politics. Because the show is primarily oriented towards the critical (but still funny) examination of important issues, Oliver largely steers clear of pure politics. He’s still done a fair amount of reporting on the presidential election, but Oliver gets that he has a very specific niche to fill thanks to his show. People really respond to the way he delivers the news, which relies a lot on humorous comparisons and analogies to highlight his main points.

Thankfully, that means the world not only gets some hilarious quotes, but some genuine and enlightening coverage of some of the more forgotten issues in the political system. Enjoy the quotes here, and remember to keep watching the show for more information and laughs.

"Donald J. Trump Is America’s Back Mole. It May Have Seemed Harmless A Year Ago, But Now That It’s Become Frighteningly Bigger, It’s No Longer Wise To Ignore It"

"Drug Companies Are A Bit Like High School Boyfriends — They're Much More Concerned With Getting Inside You Than Being Effective Once They're In There"

"Sex Education — The Conversation That Animals In Zoos Refuse To Let You Not Have"

"Pennywinkies, The Delightful English Cousin Of The Throaty Tugtug And The Jolly Shocky Buzz Buzz Ticklywickly Seat"

"The 2016 Presidential Election, Or, As It's More Commonly Known, The Electoral Equivalent Of Seeing Someone Puking So You Start Puking And Then Someone Else Is Puking And Pretty Soon Everyone Is Puking 2016"

"The Poverty Line Is Like The Age Of Consent: If You Find Yourself Parsing Exactly Where It Is, You’ve Probably Already Done Something Very, Very Wrong"

"They're Treating Someone As A Sex Offender When He Clearly Isn't One. It's A Move That's Now Commonly Known As A Reverse Cosby"

"David Cameron, Noted Alleged Swine Fellatio Enthusiast"

"Mental Illness — The Thing Actors Pretend To Have To Win Oscars."

Oliver's writing has seriously saved some sanity over the two years since the show began, and the world may need more than ever after the election on Nov. 8. May LWT reign forever.