John Oliver used the end of Sunday night’s “Last Week Tonight” to send a message to the company that now owns HBO’s parent. “I’m thrilled to be part of the Skydance family! Hope you’re happy with what you bought, guys! We’re never gonna change!” the host said, repeating the last line as the credits rolled, according to Deadline.
A merger Oliver had not yet addressed
Deadline reports Oliver drew criticism in some quarters last week for staying quiet about the then-pending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros., the parent of “Last Week Tonight.” The deal closed this week. The remark came at the end of a segment on corporate mascots, including the yellow “Liberty Biberty” character.
It was not his first joke on the subject. Three weeks ago, Deadline notes, Oliver took a jab at Skydance chief David Ellison and his father Larry, who largely financed the deal. Oliver has long mocked the owners of HBO, including AT&T and Warner executive David Zaslav, whom he calls his “business daddies” on air.
The rest of the episode
Before his main story on generic medications and national drug shortages, Variety reports, Oliver also took aim at the controversy around Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece. Variety says the segment was based on text messages obtained by The Wall Street Journal, in which donor Eric Deters alleges Guilfoyle asked him to pay a $100,000 credit card bill before her confirmation. These are allegations reported by the Journal and repeated by Oliver, and this article does not verify them. Oliver’s remarks were satire aimed at the story.
Why it matters
Late-night hosts at Skydance-owned companies have been under a spotlight since Stephen Colbert’s run on “The Late Show” ended earlier this year amid Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, Deadline notes. Oliver’s message suggests his show plans to keep its tone under new ownership.
Sources: Deadline and Variety, both published Oct. 11-12, 2026. Featured image is an editorial illustration, not a photo of the show.
