Never one to shy away from contentious topics, John Oliver delivered a diatribe against Harvey Weinstein on Sunday night’s edition of “Last Week Tonight.”
The host addressed the recent allegations of sexual harassment waged against film executive Harvey Weinstein in an explosive report published by The New York Times last week. So far, other late-night TV show hosts have ignored the news completely.
Oliver began his segment by noting the one-year anniversary of the Billy Bush-Donald Trump “Access Hollywood” tape, in which Trump boasts of being able to grab women “by the pussy” because of his fame.
“We marked the one-year anniversary of the Access Hollywood tape with a series of grim stories concerning the treatment of women,” Oliver said.
Oliver then discussed the incredibly strange and “infuriating” statement Weinstein issued in conjunction with the Times report.
“I came of age in the ’60s and ’70s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. That was the culture then. I have since learned it’s not an excuse, in the office — or out of it. To anyone,” Weinstein’s said via the statement.
Oliver was appalled by that and quipped:
“Yeah, you’re right — your excuse isn’t an excuse. In fact, it isn’t even an excuse for that behavior in the ’60s! ‘Well back then, we had no idea that women didn’t want to be forced to look at dicks. That wasn’t discovered by scientists until 1988. It was a different time.’”
During the segment, Oliver also referenced a report by HuffPost, in which TV news reporter Lauren Sivan recounts how Weinstein once trapped her “in the hallway of a restaurant that was closed to the public and masturbated in front of her until he ejaculated.”
“Step aside Chocolat, you are no longer the most horrifying picture that Harvey Weinstein has ever produced,” Oliver said.
OK, late-night hosts, who’s next?
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