The media is not a meritocracy. They don't tend to reward hard work. But every once in a while, a genuine talent will be given the right opportunity at the right time, and all the skills and experiences that have preceded them will lead up to this one shining moment.
I think John Oliver is in the middle of that right now.
Oliver first broke through here in America as another one of The Daily Show's great correspondents. He also popped up in episodes of 'Community' as a professor clearly unfit for the job, and has participated in random bits in movies and television alike. But he's got a unique voice. And I'm not just talking about his accent.
Oliver's show has only been on the air for two weeks and yet he's already gone viral. His fantastic 13-minute rant on Net Neutrality showcases what he can do best: give you the facts, and add in some funny bits. There's also a third element to Oliver's rants that seems to separate him from the angry commentators before him: a nice dose of humanity. You can tell Oliver is passionate about these subjects. But you can also tell he knows we all make mistakes and we're all uninformed in some areas of life. Sometimes we just need someone to do the dirty work for us so we can get the information we need in a way we can understand it. And he's happy to do that.
Net neutrality is a concept that even I didn't know much about before. That's a mistake Oliver will help you remedy.
I think John Oliver is in the middle of that right now.
Oliver first broke through here in America as another one of The Daily Show's great correspondents. He also popped up in episodes of 'Community' as a professor clearly unfit for the job, and has participated in random bits in movies and television alike. But he's got a unique voice. And I'm not just talking about his accent.
Oliver's show has only been on the air for two weeks and yet he's already gone viral. His fantastic 13-minute rant on Net Neutrality showcases what he can do best: give you the facts, and add in some funny bits. There's also a third element to Oliver's rants that seems to separate him from the angry commentators before him: a nice dose of humanity. You can tell Oliver is passionate about these subjects. But you can also tell he knows we all make mistakes and we're all uninformed in some areas of life. Sometimes we just need someone to do the dirty work for us so we can get the information we need in a way we can understand it. And he's happy to do that.
Net neutrality is a concept that even I didn't know much about before. That's a mistake Oliver will help you remedy.
And just in time for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Oliver released ANOTHER 13 minute rant about the incredibly corrupt organization of FIFA. As a longtime casual soccer fan, I knew they were not a great group. But I had no idea just how corrupt they were. Again, Oliver knows you don't know. He gets its. He will help you through it, inform you, and leave you laughing and feeling a bit more understanding of this big, crazy world.
It's a great thing to witness when a singular talent finds their great moment in the sun. Here's hoping Oliver can stay warm in this spot and keep it going for as long as possible.