John Oliver took a detour from midterm politics on Sunday night to talk about a documentary his staff can’t stop discussing. The Last Week Tonight host used it as a punchline, and he said the Elizabeth Holmes documentary has disrupted work at the show.
What John Oliver had to say about You Can See Everything
Oliver reached the documentary while mocking a Republican Senate candidate’s evasive interview answer. He compared the moment to his own viewing experience. “I haven’t seen someone dodge a question that shamelessly since I spent three hours gasping aloud at two complete lunatics who’ve never blinked once in their lives,” he said. Additionally, he spoke about behind-the-scenes issues, as the staff’s fixation on the documentary has real consequences. Oliver said, “If you want to talk about that movie, please contact anyone who works here.” He added, “It’s derailed our workflow to an unacceptable degree.” (via Variety)
You Can See Everything follows Holmes, the disgraced Theranos founder, and Evans in the weeks before she reports to prison. The documentary begins 34 days before her surrender, and Fielder even lived in the family’s guesthouse during filming. The directors shot the project in secret over three years. It debuted as a surprise screening at the Telluride Film Festival. A24 released it in theaters on October 16. The film runs 174 minutes and consists almost entirely of conversations.
Moreover, John Oliver has concentrated on the November 3 midterm elections in recent weeks. Last week, he spent most of the show examining ties between MAGA midterm candidates and neo-Nazis. This week, he looked at how Trump’s rallies have grown increasingly unhinged. He also noted that most Republican midterm candidates are distancing themselves from Trump because of his low approval ratings. His HBO colleague Bill Maher has taken a different path. Maher has been caught up in a public feud with his dinner companion Trump, while Oliver has kept his attention on the elections.
