Oliver Mocks Musk After Midterm Losses
The host of Last Week Tonight cited specific Democratic victories and questioned the return on investment for Elon Musk's campaign spending.
By Rebecca Foster ·
Viewers of Last Week Tonight received a detailed accounting of Democratic gains following Tuesday's midterm elections. John Oliver opened the program with a list of victories that included a shift in Texas from red to blue. The host noted that the volume of positive results made it difficult to absorb the news at first.
Oliver directed his commentary toward Elon Musk, who invested approximately 500 million dollars in candidates that lost. The comedian suggested that the financial outlay was wasted. He compared the speed of the loss to a parked Cybertruck catching fire. The joke linked the spending to recent news that Tesla is ending production of that specific vehicle model.
The host also examined the Senate race in Mississippi between Scott Colom and Cindy Hyde-Smith. The contest remains too close to call. Oliver pointed out that Hyde-Smith announced her victory on Wednesday before the results were final. He described this as a premature declaration.
A clip showed Colom reacting to the early win announcement. After a pause, Colom told reporters to bless Hyde-Smith's heart. Oliver explained the phrase to audiences outside the South. He stated that the expression functions as a severe insult in the region. He described it as a method of delivering criticism while remaining seated in a church pew.
