Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
John Oliver reunited with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show for the first time in 10 years – and had a message for Americans.
Before fronting Last Week Tonight on HBO, the presenter was the senior British correspondent – and stand-in host – for Stewart’s daily talk show.
On Monday’s episode (10 February), Stewart, after critiquing Donald Trump’s presidency, said: “It’s been a good run, America. It looks like we’re becoming less like the constitutional republic it’s been for 250 years and more like the monarchy that we all fought to escape from.”
Here, slow clapping could be heard, with Oliver suddenly appearing on screen to a rapturous response from the crowd. “The prodigal son appears to have returned,” the comedian said.
After Oliver told the audience that he was there “to gloat”, stating: “America had its little fun, experimenting with democracy. You fought so hard to get away from us, acting up, throwing all that tea into the harbour – you still owe us for that.
“The point is you told everyone you were going to be different, you weren’t going to turn out like the mean old dad that was horrible to you growing up so we sat back and let you spend your wild teen years, experimenting with your ridiculous ideas of checks and balances because deep down we knew that once you got that nonsense out of your system, you’d be back,” he said.
“Let me be the first to welcome America to its monarchy era. Congratulations everyone, you can take your place in the pantheon of great empires alongside the British, the Roman, the Klingon, Wakanda, whatever the Barbie elephant was the ruler of, I forget.”
Stewart, highlighting that things “didn’t end up so great for the British empire”, had stern words for Oliver in response.
“First of all, how dare you? We are technically between empires at the moment but we’re keeping our castles warm and our crowns bejewelled for the day that we get back onto our feet,” he said.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
“Imperial model isn’t for you? For a country that doesn’t want to be an empire, you’re doing a pretty fucking good impression right now. Invasions, economic exploitations and now suggesting turning Gaza into a beachfront casino? Even King George would have been like ‘I don’t know guys, feels like the situation is a bit more complicated than that and I’m literally dying of medieval brain disease’”.
