How does John Oliver feel about Netflix stepping aside in its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, paving the way for Paramount to become his new “business daddy”?
In his own words, it’s “not great news.”
At the top of Sunday night’s Last Week Tonight on HBO, Oliver briefly acknowledged the news that Paramount has struck a deal to acquire his corporate parent, quipping: “If I may quote anyone who’s ever accidentally sat on their Roku remote, ‘Oh shit, I’m in Paramount now, how the fuck do I get out of this?’”
He returned to the subject later during his main story on police body cameras. While explaining how body cams were touted as a breakthrough for transparency but have instead produced vast archives of footage that rarely see the light of day, Oliver couldn’t resist another corporate aside.
“There’s no point in the police just stacking up thousands of hours of footage that no one’s ever going to see—especially given that we all know that that is Paramount+’s job.”
Then, leaning into the uncertainty surrounding the merger, he added: “Hey—what’re they gonna do? Take us over and immediately cancel us? I’m genuinely asking.”
The jokes come amid a major industry shakeup. Paramount agreed Friday to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal reportedly valued at roughly $110 billion, including debt. The agreement followed a bidding war in which Netflix declined to match Paramount’s higher offer, clearing the way for the David Ellison–led company to secure the studio and its streaming assets.
If completed, the merger would unite Warner’s film and television library—including HBO and HBO Max—with Paramount’s studio, CBS, and Paramount+. Executives have indicated that some form of streaming consolidation could be explored as the combined company looks to better compete with Netflix.
The deal still faces regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and abroad. But for Oliver—who has been sharply critical of Donald Trump—the pending merger carries some existential subtext, as Paramount’s new leadership is widely viewed as politically aligned with the current administration and has already begun reshaping CBS in that direction.
Watch Oliver’s complete response to the merger news on Sunday night’s Last Week Tonight at the top of this post.
“How the F*ck Do I Get Out of This?’
Easy, John. Don’t renew your contract at the end of the year.
Fix your horrible teeth and then spend the next 10 years apologizing for starring in the racist movie, ” The Love Guru”
Who’s getting smacked?
Ellisons have got CBS, TikTok, and soon CNN and HBO.
How are you smacking people on a computer screen?
LOL.
Do you think John Oliver eating shit caused his hideous teeth?
Because you continue to lie and spread your pedophile loving bullshit around here! Because the idea of MAGA billionaires buying and controlling media outlets to get tiny smooth brained imbeciles like you to believe in their lies, gives your thimble sized junk a stiffie!
You act like you’re the winner here, when everyone sees you as an ignorant loser!
I’ll be waiting for your next sad and laughable response, boy!
Await away!
Nobody is acting like a winner, certainly not you.
The issue here is the racist, horrible-tooth John Oliver asking how to get out of his job.
Easiest way is to quit ASAP or not renew his contract.
Oliver will tell you to eat shit and shut the fuck up, you projecting racist hole, Mucky Boy! And don’t try and protest your innocence, boy! You’ll get smacked down every time!
Why should I apologize?
Remember, it was the racist, horrible toothed John Oliver that starred and profited off the racist movie, “The Love Guru”
Did Oliver apologize to the billions of Hindus affected by his racism? Nope.
You whine about liberals being so mean and unfair, and how you want Drumpf to deal with liberals who give you a sad, like Colbert and Kimmel!
It will be my right and privilege of letting you and the entire world know that, Mucky Boy!