For the second year in a row, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver beat out Saturday Night Live in the Emmys’ (semi) newly created Outstanding Scripted Variety Series category. Oliver accepted the award on behalf of his fellow producers, and delivered a heartfelt list of thank-yous, which included a shout-out to his late pup.
After thanking his wife and two children (and butchering his firstborn’s name in the process), Oliver took a moment to acknowledge another beloved member of his family: his dog, who recently passed away.
Oliver prefaced his comments by noting that it might sound “very silly,” then went on to say how much he wanted to thank his family’s dog for being part of his journey. “We had the most fantastic dog,” Oliver explained. “She was at our wedding, she got us through a pandemic, and she was with us for two pregnancies.”
It was at this point that the orchestra began playing in an attempt to usher Oliver off the stage. He instead used the solemn instrumentals to comedic effect.
“Perfect choice of music,” quipped Oliver, as he revealed that his family was recently forced to “say goodbye” to their beloved family member.
The host then pointed toward the orchestra and jokingly told them to “F**k off,” then admitted that “I feel like Sarah McLachlan here.”
It’s not the first time a late-night host has used their screentime to remember their doggo. In February, Jon Stewart—Oliver’s former colleague—took a moment at the end of an episode of The Daily Show to pay emotional tribute to his rescue pup, Dipper. “In a world of good boys, he was the best,” Stewart tearfully told the audience.
