Watch John Oliver’s Emotional Response to the Orlando Shooting: “This Pain Is So Familiar”

He urged viewers to remember the hundreds of people who waited in line to donate blood in the wake of the attack.


John Oliver took a moment at the top of his show on Sunday to address the devastating mass shooting that took place inside a gay nightclub in Orlando just hours before.

“It’s still early and details are still emerging and right now this just hurts,” Oliver said. “And the worst thing is—this pain is so familiar. In Paris last November, terrorists seem to target places symbolizing everything that is wonderful about France: culture, music, restaurants. In Orlando early this morning, the gunman attacked a Latin night at a gay club in the theme park capital of the world.”

Instead of focusing on the “dipshit terrorist” behind Sunday’s tragedy, the Last Week Host Tonight urged viewers to watch a clip of the hundreds of people who lined up to donate blood in the wake of the attack to remember that the “terrorist dipshit is vastly outnumbered.”

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

December is make or break for us. A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. A strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength. A weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again today—any amount.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

December is make or break for us. A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. A strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength. A weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again today—any amount.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate