TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver

Summary

Summary of "TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver" – The Daily Show: Ears Edition

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Daily Show: Ears Edition
• Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and Paramount Podcasts
• Description: Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team cover today's biggest headlines. The “Ears Edition” features full episodes, extended content, exclusive interviews, and more.
• Release Date: March 10, 2025

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Episode Overview

In the "TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver" episode, host Jon Stewart and The Daily Show News Team revisit some of the most memorable segments featuring John Oliver. This episode delves into significant political topics, including health care reform, the Dodd-Frank Act, and the evolving landscape of satire in modern media. Additionally, the episode features a candid and humorous conversation between John Oliver and Dog the Bounty Hunter, offering personal insights into the challenges of immigration and the nuances of comedy.

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Health Care Reform in Hawaii

The episode kicks off with John Oliver’s investigative piece on the Republican National Committee’s annual meeting in Hawaii, focusing on their stance on health care reform.

• Jon Stewart introduces the segment:
  “Just because Republicans don't want to talk about health care with the president doesn't mean they don't want to talk about it.” [00:09]

• John Oliver explains Hawaii’s health care model:
  “Hawaii... government mandates that businesses give health insurance to any employee working over 20 hours a week, resulting in near universal coverage.” [00:21]

• Republican Speaker criticizes the health care system:
  “Health care reform isn't really a reform, it's a boondoggle.” [00:43]

• Dog the Bounty Hunter shares his positive experience with Hawaii’s health care:
  “Healthcare is awesome... free of charge till I get back on my feet.” [01:05]

John Oliver challenges this perspective by highlighting the limitations and unintended consequences of Hawaii’s system, ultimately arguing against expanding such socialized care to the mainland United States.

• John Oliver sarcastically remarks:
  “What would you say to Hawaiians who say, I have government mandated health care and I love it?” [02:07]

The segment underscores the political divide over health care reform and the Republican Party’s opposition to expanding government-run health care.

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The Dodd-Frank Act Segment

Transitioning from health care, the episode shifts focus to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a cornerstone of financial regulation in the United States.

• Jon Stewart introduces the topic:
  “The Dodd Frank Act is now one year old...” [05:02]

• John Oliver personifies the Dodd-Frank Act, humorously lamenting its implementation issues:
  “I am alone. Thousand page law Congress passed me without one single flaw.” [05:02]

The exchange between Jon Stewart and John Oliver satirizes the legislative process and the often cumbersome nature of comprehensive laws. Oliver humorously critiques the act’s effectiveness and the influence of lobbyists in diluting regulatory measures.

• John Oliver continues:
  “This whole financial reform thing is a sham... It's a giant punt.” [07:38]

The segment highlights the challenges in enforcing financial regulations and the pervasive impact of lobbying on legislative outcomes.

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Conversation with Dog the Bounty Hunter

One of the standout features of this episode is the engaging dialogue between John Oliver and Dog the Bounty Hunter. This extended conversation touches on personal experiences, immigration struggles, and the craft of comedy.

Immigration and Comedy

• John Oliver shares his immigration journey:
  “I felt ownership. It's very dangerous... I felt like I belonged.” [19:25]

• Dog the Bounty Hunter discusses the hardships of obtaining a visa:
  “It's called the Extraordinary Ability Visa... I challenge anyone to do unless you're freaking an NBA player seven foot.” [23:25]

Their discussion emphasizes the resilience required to navigate the U.S. immigration system and how these experiences shape their comedic perspectives.

The Art of Satire

The conversation delves into the role of satire in today’s media landscape:

• Dog the Bounty Hunter asks:
  “Do you feel that satire is still possible?” [21:26]

• John Oliver responds affirmatively, referencing historical contexts:
  “A place for satire... they gave it a go.” [22:03]

They explore how satire remains a vital tool for critiquing societal issues, despite the evolving challenges posed by digital media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Comedy Craftsmanship

John Oliver and Dog the Bounty Hunter exchange insights on refining comedic skills, particularly for immigrants adapting to American humor:

• John Oliver advises:
  “Once it does, you're fine.” [15:40]

• Dog the Bounty Hunter reflects on the learning curve:
  “It takes two years to learn the nuances of America so you can make fun of them in ways which they appreciate.” [16:21]

This segment reveals the dedication required to master satire and the cultural nuances essential for effective comedic delivery.

Humorous Challenges

In a lighthearted moment, Dog the Bounty Hunter challenges John Oliver to "be American" by eating a hot dog and throwing a football:

• Dog the Bounty Hunter:
  “I want you to eat this hot dog right now... and then you throw this to me.” [25:14]

• John Oliver humorously struggles with the task:
  “I can't do that.” [25:22]

This playful interaction underscores the cultural differences and the challenges immigrants face in assimilating certain American traditions.

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Conclusion

The "TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver" episode masterfully blends political satire with personal anecdotes, providing listeners with both insightful commentary and entertaining dialogue. Through segments on health care reform and financial legislation, John Oliver critiques governmental policies with his signature wit. The extended conversation with Dog the Bounty Hunter adds depth, exploring themes of immigration, the evolution of satire, and the intricacies of comedic expression. Overall, the episode offers a comprehensive and engaging recap of John Oliver’s most impactful moments on The Daily Show, making it a valuable listen for both loyal fans and newcomers alike.

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Notable Quotes:

• “Health care reform isn't really a reform, it's a boondoggle.” – Republican Speaker [00:43]
• “What would you say to Hawaiians who say, I have government mandated health care and I love it?” – John Oliver [02:07]
• “This whole financial reform thing is a sham... It's a giant punt.” – John Oliver [07:38]
• “It takes two years to learn the nuances of America so you can make fun of them in ways which they appreciate.” – Dog the Bounty Hunter [16:21]
• “I call it an American football.” – John Oliver [25:25]

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Additional Resources:

• ParamountShop.com: Use discount code "TDS20" for 20% off The Daily Show products.
• Watch: The Daily Show weeknights on Comedy Central at 11/10c or stream on Paramount+.

Transcript

[John Oliver]

You're listening to Comedy Central.

[Jon Stewart]

Just because Republicans don't want to talk about health care with the president doesn't mean they don't want to talk about it. When John Oliver visited the RNC winter meeting in Hawaii, he found plenty of people eager to chat. He filed this report.

[John Oliver]

Hawaii. Not only is it an island paradise, it's also been held up as a model for health care reform. Here, government mandates that businesses give health insurance to any employee working, working over 20 hours a week, resulting in near universal coverage. Which made it the perfect place for the Republican National Committee to hold their annual meeting and deliver one key message.

[Republican Speaker]

Health care reform isn't really a reform, it's a boondoggle.

[John Oliver]

It would be one more step towards socialism. Do you think the American people should be thanking the Republican Party for destroying the health care bill?

[Republican Speaker]

Absolutely. They should be thanking those that have stood up for the American people to stop this.

[John Oliver]

But for some reason, Hawaiians didn't understand how bad their own system was.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Healthcare is awesome. You know, especially with my baby. I'm in between jobs right now, and they're taking on my healthcare free of charge till I get back on my feet, and that's awesome. Hawaii has awesome health care. Right?

[John Oliver]

You have health insurance. This guy has health insurance. The guy with a skateboard and without functioning shoelaces?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yep.

[John Oliver]

How the does that work out? Even visitors to the island were initially impressed. The treatment I received here was the best that the world has to offer until a few days later when they realized they'd been tricked into receiving socialized care. You know what I wanted to say at the press conference? I wanted to say I'm just glad this happened before 2013 and Obama's health care went into effect because I might not have survived it. Luckily, Republicans were here to save Hawaiians from themselves. What would you say to Hawaiians who say, I have government mandated health care and I love it?

[Republican Speaker]

Do they have government mandated health care here?

[John Oliver]

Yes.

[Republican Speaker]

Well, I would say that he who pays the biber calls a dune.

[John Oliver]

Right. And what would you say to Hawaiian who said what? That's meaningless. That's just a bit of folksy nonsense that doesn't have any real substance.

[Republican Speaker]

I lost my thought.

It's just not going to work and it will destroy the health care system.

[John Oliver]

What would you say to a Hawaiian who said, you literally don't know what you're talking about?

[Republican Speaker]

Well, I would say that I do, and I would hope that you would give me a chance to show you there is a better way.

[John Oliver]

What if that Hawaiian Then said, okay, you've got that chance. Dazzle me.

[Republican Speaker]

There are some people that may believe that government run health care is okay because they've not had the opportunity of seeing how it works on the private side.

[John Oliver]

Even Hawaiians who make frequent visits to the emergency room somehow didn't see it.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I have been in an arrest and happen to get some stitches. I go into Hawaii and they say, get the gurney, get him fixed. Dog, you okay? And the doctor starts working. I go the mainland, they say, you got insurance, right? Is your wallet on you?

[John Oliver]

Right?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

It's not my wallet that hurts, it's my lip.

[John Oliver]

Let me get this straight. Dog the bounty hunter believes in Hawaiian health care?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Dog the bounty hunter believes in Hawaiian health care?

[John Oliver]

Correct. These poor bastards just didn't realize they were living in a socialist nightmare. Forced to scrounge for a living, unable even to afford shirts. Many driven to suicide. But for those who do survive, what will their world look like?

[Republican Speaker]

Let's look down the road. 10 years from now, 20 years from now. Your children, your grandchildren, how are they going to pay for you?

[John Oliver]

You're going to regret it.

[Jon Stewart]

Well, we've done it for 40 years. This isn't something we just started. In the last few months or past few years.

[John Oliver]

Exactly. With only four decades of testing, America simply cannot afford to join this dangerous experiment. What would happen, do you think, if this healthcare system made it to the mainland?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

That question I couldn't answer.

[John Oliver]

I'll tell you what the answer is. What is the answer? Every single person in the United States believed it would be dead. Thank goodness we have experts like these to save us.

[Republican Speaker]

I don't know about Hawaii. I haven't. I mean, I've been here before once, but I don't know how that has worked. What I do know, as is a universal rule, it simply does not work.

[Jon Stewart]

John Oliver. We'll be right back. The Dodd Frank act is now one year old. And here to discuss the effect it's having in reforming a damaged financial system we're very lucky to have with us tonight HR4173, the Dodd Frank Act. Everybody.

[John Oliver]

I am alone. Thousand page law Congress passed me without one single flaw. I make sure Wall street plays by the new regulations protecting your investments across the entire nation.

[Jon Stewart]

Quickly, just hang on there one second.

[John Oliver]

What?

[Jon Stewart]

I'm sorry. Dodd Frank.

[John Oliver]

Uh huh. What?

[Jon Stewart]

What the hell happened to you?

[John Oliver]

What do you mean?

[Jon Stewart]

I don't want to say it, but you look like.

[John Oliver]

Oh. Hey, easy. Washington's a tough town, John. Since getting past. Yeah. I've taken a Few shots. But I'm still standing. Yeah. Yes, yes, I'm still standing. I'm still here. In fact, just last week, my all new Consumer Financial Protection Board opened for business. As soon as it gets a director, we'll be off to the races.

[Jon Stewart]

So wait, there's. There's no director?

[John Oliver]

No, not just yet.

[Jon Stewart]

It's been a year.

[John Oliver]

Come on.

[Jon Stewart]

What about Elizabeth Warren? Wasn't she supposed to be the director of this thing? What happened there?

[John Oliver]

Confirmation in the Senate. There's no motion. Obama could have used a recess appointment to give her the job without her vote. But he didn't do it. Cause his feelings weren't that strong.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Wow.

[John Oliver]

Yeah. But you know what?

[Jon Stewart]

That's interesting.

[John Oliver]

You know what, Jon? It doesn't matter. I've still got 400 tough new rules to remake our broken and corrupt financial system.

[Jon Stewart]

Well, you know what, that's great. How are those new 400 rules working?

[John Oliver]

They're working great. The ones that are written are working great.

[Jon Stewart]

The ones that are. How many of the 400 new rules have been written?

[John Oliver]

Hmm. 38. It's a magic number. Yes, it is. Oh, it's a magic number. It might not be 400 or 150 or 77, but it's 38 and that's a magic number. Let's do this. Red Sox pitcher Kurt Shilling, LA Clippers forward Dale Wilkinson, project tailback Richie rivers. They want 30 Hayes. And it's a magic number. Oh, it's a magic number.

[Jon Stewart]

38 is a magic number because Dale Wilkinson makes it a magic number.

[John Oliver]

You've heard of Dan Wilkinson?

[Jon Stewart]

No, I have not. The Clippers guy, until you mentioned him just now. No, I have not heard of him.

[John Oliver]

You just have to take my word for it. He definitely exists.

[Jon Stewart]

Why weren't the rules written? John, stick me.

[John Oliver]

Lobby, lobby, lobby. Get your access here. Lobby, lobby, lobby. Get your access here. Lobby, lobby. That's your. Stop it, stop it, stop it. Hold it. I can't do this. Blaming lobbyist is a cop out, John. Here's what's going down. This whole financial reform thing is a sham. The only way that Congress would pass me was if the details of my rules and regulations were left unspecified. Giving K Street lobbyists all the time, they would need to water me down post passage. And you know what? Exactly. Boo. Exactly. Thank you, boys and girls. Thank you. And you know what? If any actual tough rule managed to squeak through, congresspeople cut the budget of the agency responsible for enforcing it, the whole thing is a giant punt. I'm no law. I'M no law, John. I'm just an undefined, impotent, 2,300 page piece of legislative. You see this? You see this here, John? I stole this off the Voting Rights act of 1965. I'm sorry. This is a lie. I'm sorry. This is a demon lie.

[Jon Stewart]

I'm sorry, John. I had no idea, Law. I had no idea, Dodd Frank, that you have been through so much. I.

[John Oliver]

You don't know what you're talking about. You haven't seen the things I've seen. I know I'm just a law, but my ass was raw and my balls put through a circular saw. And everyone who swore up and down to support me, now they want Planned Parenthood. Too late, tomabort me. Last night I got hit by a car. It's gone too far for this law. Did I mention my ass was raw?

[Jon Stewart]

The Dodd Frank Act. Everybody, we'll be right back.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I have no idea.

[Jon Stewart]

The debate, of course, being held tonight in Hempstead, Long island, at Hofstra. John, thank you so much for joining us.

[John Oliver]

Hey, no problem, Johnny. Least I can do. All right.

[Jon Stewart]

Uh, obviously, make a break night for John McCain. How did the candidates do, John?

[John Oliver]

Ah, come on, John. It was a real ragu. You got one guy over here doing this, one guy over there doing that. I'm thinking, what are these guys doing over here? You know, just talking. And a goober da, Gavin, a goober there. Oh, oh.

[Jon Stewart]

A gooba da goba da, gooba da. You know that. I'm pretty sure that that doesn't mean anything.

[John Oliver]

What you talking about?

[Jon Stewart]

Any reaction from the people of Long island to the debate?

[John Oliver]

Oh, let's see. Let's see. Actually, I talked with this one chick. She had a pretty nice rack, kind of a butter face. Anyway, she said, and I quote, oh, my God, the debate was awesome. You know.

[Jon Stewart]

I don't know when you change from a Long island accent to some Serbian thing, but, hey, are we talking?

[John Oliver]

Are we talking here?

[Jon Stewart]

I thought we were talking.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Jon Stewart]

John, how long have you been out in Long Island?

[John Oliver]

Only two hours. Took the. Took the lir. Boom. It was just like. Tree stops. No. Only tree.

[Jon Stewart]

I'm going to ask you. I'm going to ask you right now. Please return immediately to the studio. All right, John. It's just.

[John Oliver]

I got a better idea. I'm a little gago. Oh, oh, oh, oh, John, please get me out of here.

[Jon Stewart]

We'll send someone to come and get you, John.

[John Oliver]

Quickly.

[Jon Stewart]

All right, John. Thank you very much, John Oliver.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

We get it enough already. Enough.

[John Oliver]

I agree with you more than I agree with them.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Well, well, well. Look who's come crawling back.

[John Oliver]

Yes.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Where it all started.

[John Oliver]

I know. It's pretty weird to be back. I do not like being in that guest room.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Oh, really?

[John Oliver]

That was the one room where I worked here you were not allowed to go in. And I don't like being in it now. It really feels like I'm doing something wrong by being inside it.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. You never snuck in to see a guest?

[John Oliver]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We were never allowed to really be in there because it had to be kept nice for the guests. And it never really occurred to me one day I might be that. And I still don't feel. So I put my bag in there and then stood in the corridor for the rest of the time, I don't want to be in there at all.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. But this place brings back to my memories. You were here. You were in this building.

[John Oliver]

I was very much in this building. This was the reason I came to America. And I was here for eight years.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah, same.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

That's why I was so happy you came on, because people don't know by looking at us, but we actually have very similar backgrounds because we both joined the show. I moved to America to do the show, just like you. And when I first joined the show, you know, the Daily show alumni network is so strong. I asked to meet up with.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Mr. Oliver came to the office.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

And I thought this Mr. Oliver. And I. He was Mr. Oliver. I was like, there's no way this guy's gonna let me meet up with him. And you were like, no, come, come before work.

[John Oliver]

There's nothing. There's nothing I like more than talking to people who have questions about how to make field pieces.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah.

[John Oliver]

Because it's the. It's that it's such a narrow set of skills.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yes.

[John Oliver]

And all you had, all of your questions were great. I remember you leaving and thinking, oh, you're gonna be fine. Even though you don't have the answers yet, all your questions are right. So you're gonna be fine. You do not have a problem.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Oh, excellent.

[John Oliver]

Before. Before we make it too sincere. You do have that unique skill set of not minding being a dick to people. And that, really, at the end, that is the secret sauce.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Well, that's. That is the. I mean, you know, you have to really not care to do satire sometimes. And everyone's like, people. I don't think people know how much you don't give a.

[John Oliver]

Yes.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Like, you truly don't give a no.

[John Oliver]

You will go hard in the marrow of my bones sometimes when our lawyers say they're gonna be upset, you go, I'm not having a physical reaction to that at all.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yes. Yeah.

[John Oliver]

It is of no concern to me whether the Sac family are mad with me or not, to be honest. I'm a little bit. There's a tingle of happiness.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. But that's kind of what you need to.

[John Oliver]

Yeah, definitely. Yeah. You like the feeling? I like the feeling of trouble.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. You do? Yeah.

[John Oliver]

In comedy, it's good because I'm probably a natural coward in many ways, but when it comes to comedy, I do like the feeling of being in real trouble.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. It's weird. You talked about it. You said pushing the button.

[John Oliver]

You said you just put button.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

You just got to push it. Because, I mean, you know. And what was interesting was when I went met with you, this is how much you don't give a. You made me come to your office at 8:00am first of all, which is.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Which is extremely early for comedians. Yeah. That is true.

[John Oliver]

That's the amazing thing about doing jobs like this. Now, when you get into comedy, it's not generally thinking that you will see a human being's breakfast time.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

No.

[John Oliver]

But. Yeah, that's right. You came. You came very early. You looked bright and early and showered. I had no complaints.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. And I came and I talked, and I have very specific questions. And one thing you told me. I've been using this in my podcast rounds. I don't know if it's come back to you, but, like, when you told me it took you two years to relearn how to do comedy in America.

[John Oliver]

I think that's probably true.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

You were spot on to the day, by the way. I was. In hindsight, I was like, oh, my God. Cause I remember there was a day I was in New York City gigging at some comedy club, and it was two years in, literally almost to the day. And I remember things just starting to click a little bit of, like, relearning how to do comedy. Because, again, like, you, like me, we were doing comedy outside of America.

[John Oliver]

Yes.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Before we even came here.

[John Oliver]

Yeah. And so I think the outsider perspective in comedy always works. The thing with being an immigrant here is you kind of have to learn the exact ways that your outsider perspective can translate. So you kind of have to learn basically how that can work. And once it does, you're fine. But until that point, it does feel a little bit like uncharted waters.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. It's a bit like you Know, you can come here and you can joke about America on a very surface level. And you can. And that would do well for you, for, you know, if you have a 15 minute set, maybe 30 minute set. But I feel like after nine months or a year in America, the audience can kind of smell the bullshit of like, of like, you've been here long enough.

[John Oliver]

Yes, right.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Like, guns shouldn't be weird to you.

[John Oliver]

That's right.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

So really, how profound your two year thing was. Like, it takes two years to learn the nuances of America so you can make fun of them in ways which.

[John Oliver]

Yes, exactly.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

They appreciate.

[John Oliver]

Exactly.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Like, don't tell us we have guns. We know we have guns. Tell us something else.

[John Oliver]

If we know nothing else about ourselves, it's that we have guns to a genuinely problematic extent. That is not a fresh insight. We genuinely know. Yes, exactly.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

So you were like going deeper, deeper and deeper into it, which, you know, that was my guiding light as well when I first started.

[John Oliver]

I'm so glad my incredibly insightful advice of wait 24 months worked.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

It was like a charm. I still can't believe it.

[John Oliver]

I just, deep down didn't want to hear from you again for two years. That's all it was. Come back with the same question in two years and then we'll talk. Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

And I wonder, like, do you feel like satire in 2023 is that, you know, you've been at the show, you've seen the Daily show kind of evolve over a lot of times and when you joined the show. I don't. There wasn't anyone else doing it, kind of. There wasn't TikTok. There wasn't Instagram.

[John Oliver]

Oh, no, there wasn't those things.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Right. So it wasn't a bunch of, you know, like assholes on talking about, you know, like trying to do satire, but it up all the time. And. And so what? Sorry, now. Now I'm just attacking a bunch of people on social media.

[John Oliver]

I think you're now attacking the entire population of TikTok for trying.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Right, yeah, no, I'm down. I got. I'm hosting for one day. Come at me, TikTok.

[John Oliver]

I was distracted, but. Is that a monogram shirt? Do you have a monogram shirt?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's.

[John Oliver]

That's a very fancy shirt.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Oh, yeah, yeah. This one is. I got this shirt made in New York City. Chinatown. No, he's a girl. He's a legit tailor. And then he asked me if I wanted my Chinese name embroidered on it. I was like, go for it. And then now it just looks like a mustard stain. Yeah. It doesn't look like my son.

[John Oliver]

It does look a little bit like a mustard stain. It's a very stylish mustard stain.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. Did you guys get fancy suits?

[John Oliver]

No, we got no suits. We were not given any. I never owned a suit.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Check out this boomer coming on the Daily show telling us how good we have it now. We didn't have a desk.

[John Oliver]

We had to buy a suit.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

We didn't have cameras.

[John Oliver]

We had to go. I had to go. To go to a place to buy a suit. And doing field pieces, you wrecked them all the time for years here. We did not. There's nothing that made ex correspondents more angry than hearing that we got free suits when we did. And, yeah, that was the thing that bothered them the most. You should have to go into the hole every year just to get a presentable suit. Now look at you.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

You're all spiffy.

[John Oliver]

Did the show pay for that?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah, the show.

[John Oliver]

They pay monograms. You get monogrammed shirts now? Yeah, well, you know, Comedy Central has changed. I know things are a little choppy here, but monogrammed shirts? No.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I told them if they didn't monogram it, they were racing. And then they just did. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[John Oliver]

That's a move that I can't make.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. But, like, that's the thing. Like, we're both immigrants in America and do you ever. I guess my question to you is, like, how do you answer the people who are like, if you don't like it here, leave? Because I get that a lot.

[John Oliver]

Yeah, I mean, I guess they took. It's a. I mean, it's a horrible point, but it's a fair question, I guess now my answer would be, I'm a citizen. You can't do that. But I think the tricky thing is I felt ownership. It's very dangerous. A British person saying I felt ownership of this country historically does not go well. It's amazing. I just went to India and I felt like I belonged. I felt at home here long before my legal status was solid. That's the tricky thing. As an immigrant, the more I felt at home here, the more cognizant you are of the fact that it's not up to you whether or not you get to stay or not. So it was a massive relief to get my green card and an even bigger relief to get my citizenship. So. Yeah. Despite the fact immigrants tend to talk shit.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah.

[John Oliver]

It's generally the kind of way that you talk shit with someone you genuinely Love, sure. As a comedian, I only really talk shit as a way of expressing love professionally. Exactly. I don't really know how to express myself sincerely.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Right, right.

[John Oliver]

I like you. I'm never gonna say that. You, Ronnie. There, you see? There you go.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. You and your show. That's how we love. That's it. But I was back on that earlier point. Like, do you feel there's a place for satire? Like, basically, the news is so crazy right now. Reality is sometimes matching up to the news. Sometimes in that environment, do you feel that satire is still possible? Like, you know, when you're doing a joke ironically, do you feel like people can get it? That you're trying to ironically be the bad guy in some, you know.

[John Oliver]

Oh, I see. You mean like if you're doing field pieces. Because we used to play the bad guy in Philpiece.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Right.

[John Oliver]

You would say things you did not mean just to embody an argument that you do not agree with. Yeah, I mean, yeah. In field pieces, that's the way that we would operate all the time. In general. I mean, our show's a little different. Like, we're not in the. Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I'm not asking about your show. I'm asking about. For me, for this show. We get it, you know, you figured it out. I'm talking about this. I'm talking about. For me, I think there'll always be.

[John Oliver]

A place for satire. I mean, there was a place for it in Germany in the 30s. It didn't seem to work out that well over there, but they gave it a go.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. Yeah.

[John Oliver]

So, no, I think there will always be. And I, unlike you, I'm happy for people online to try and do it as well. Ronnie really would like nobody to have a voice.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Nobody, no. All about. Earn your voice like me. I did. I had to get on this show to get a voice. You don't get a voice just cause you're in your underwear on Instagram.

[John Oliver]

Ronnie regrets that gatekeepers have been removed process. You really like the gates?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I love the gatekeeper. It was so tough to come here, you know, it was very tough for me to come here. I like you. I also really wanted to come here.

[John Oliver]

That is the thing. I don't think Americans understand how rough the US immigration process is when they say come to people come in the right way. I don't think they realize how literally impossible that is in some. In some aspects. When I got my green card here, they brought it to me in my office upstairs and they gave me a Budweiser and an apple pie with A little American flag in it. I think they were giving it. As if, like, here's a joke, right. Oh, you got it. You were always gonna get it. Here it is. And I nearly cried. And for a British person, nearly crying is crying. That's as close as I can come. But I was so relieved because I was worried about it so much.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah.

[John Oliver]

And so I think you tend to find. Like, when we were talking before. Exactly. When. When you find out someone just got their green card, you can kind of almost feel the relief coming off it because it's such a concern.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

It's not easy. It's not easy. No, it is not easy. Don't even talk about the green card. Even the visa before the green card.

[John Oliver]

Incredible.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

It's called the Extraordinary Ability Visa.

[John Oliver]

Yes.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

You have to prove, first of all, that you have extraordinary ability, which I challenge anyone to do unless you're freaking an NBA player seven foot. And then second of all, it's like, if you don't constantly prove that they can deport.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Like, if I have a bag segment on the Daily Show, I'm. Yeah.

[John Oliver]

You did not demonstrate extraordinary ability. That was at median level ability. That is the worst thing about coming in on a visa is like, occasionally they'll look at the visa and say, what do you do? Because they're expecting a surgeon, someone with a marketable skill. And the moment you say comedian, like, that's. This is not for you. That's not. And also, then if it's all go, tell me something funny like. Or what? Is this a fun bit? Or is this the moment I get deported? Do I need a joke on hand? It demonstrates extraordinary ability in terms of word craft. Yes. It's incredibly stressful in a way people don't understand.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah. So in a weird way, I'm with you in that. In that, like, immigrants to America who come here actually want to be here, have fought to be here, and we're the ones who get shit done here because we had to prove it every single time.

[John Oliver]

That's right.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Immigrants.

[John Oliver]

Immigrants, immigrants. That's right. We get the job done. Yeah. I would say, what is more quintessentially American than coming to a country you don't belong in and deciding you're going to stay.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah.

[John Oliver]

Thanksgiving of all times.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

All right, so we get it. You know, every interview I've researched you on, you've professed your love for America. You're still here. Clearly, you still love it.

[John Oliver]

Yeah.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Okay, so can you shut the up and be American for one minute instead of constantly complaining and Talking like a foreign all the time. I mean, I challenge you.

[John Oliver]

You challenged me?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yes.

[John Oliver]

How would one do it?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

I want you to eat this hot dog right now.

[John Oliver]

Oh, boy.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

And then I want you to throw this football. And first of all, you have to call it a football, okay?

[John Oliver]

I can't do that.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Yeah, you gotta.

[John Oliver]

I call it an American football.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

Okay, American football.

[John Oliver]

I'll call it an American football.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

You gotta throw this to me. So you gotta eat that first. And you throw this to me.

[John Oliver]

Okay. Like this?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

No, no. You got a freaking tight spiral. We're gonna go over there.

[John Oliver]

Okay?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

All right, so eat this first. We got this from a bodega, so you might.

[John Oliver]

Oh, no.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

This is the way we Us. Usa. Usa.

[John Oliver]

All right.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

And then you gotta come over here, and you gotta stand right here, and you gotta throw a tight spiral.

[John Oliver]

How hard can that be?

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

All right, hang on, hang on. All right, can we get a drum roll?

[John Oliver]

Drum roll for you. For you. Ready? Yeah. Oh.

[Jon Stewart]

All right.

[Dog the Bounty Hunter]

You proved it. All right, we gotta y. This is Last week. Tonight with John Oliver as wherever you'll find it. Who gives a.

[John Oliver]

Explore more shows from the Daily show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Daily show weeknights at 1110 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount. Paramount podcasts.