And the Pulitzer goes to... John Oliver?

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I think John Oliver's new HBO show - "Last Week Tonight" is brilliant; and the word "brilliant" like so many others is over-used these days, so I think its worth emphasizing that I literally mean that the show has an intelligence, courage, clarity of thought, and talent that's incredibly unique - not just for the humor but for the pure journalistic value as well.

I've read tons of of articles on Net Neutrality for years, but no publication boiled the main risk to consumers and just how we got here as clearly as this segment (below).


Just when I'd decided that what he was doing was out-Stewarting Jon Stewart and out-Colberting Stephen Colbert, he did this absolutely brilliant segment on FIFA (below).





The material itself was not a surprise to me but only because just a couple of days earlier, I'd read this Economist article that covers similar ground, but Oliver's segment and every point he made really stuck with me. The humor and Oliver's delivery helped, but it was also the clarity, the strong point-of-view, and a clear desire to fight through the fog to illuminate the things that really matter - the same values that make me value the Economist so much.

Jon Stewart's show on most nights is more journalism than most other news shows but he still chooses to be a comic first. John Oliver's show I think crosses the line - its world-class journalism that just happens to be very,very funny. I don't think its a choice as much as its just his sensibility and personality coming through.

But if he keeps this up, its just a matter of time before he's recognized for what he's doing - better journalism than most out there.

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