Ep 7. Episode 66

In Episode 66 of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the host covers a range of topics from the state of our voting machines, the growing concern of flooding in America, and the way in which tobacco companies target and manipulate young people into smoking.

Oliver starts the show by talking about the vulnerabilities of voting machines, and how easily they can be hacked. As the midterm elections approach, the need for secure voting systems is becoming increasingly important, but state governments seem to be grossly underprepared. John Olivers delves into the history of voting machine companies, talks to cybersecurity expert Bruce Schneier, and highlights the difficulties with paper-trail systems.

The focus then switches to the increasing threat of floods in the country. Oliver explains that the United States is experiencing more occurrences of deadly floods now than ever before. He addresses the inadequacy of the existing flood insurance policies and discusses how the National Flood Insurance Program is failing the victims of these natural disasters. He emphasizes the lack of a comprehensive and affordable solution, citing the case of Hurricane Harvey that struck Houston in 2017.

The third issue Oliver tackles is the way big tobacco targets teenagers. He investigates the way decisions made by these companies to create new flavors and products are contributing to the addiction of millions of young people in America. He highlights the dangerous and often misleading advertisements that are specifically targeting the younger generation, which is leading to a national epidemic of nicotine addiction. The episode highlights just how much the tobacco industry spends on marketing; with cigarette sales dipping, companies realised that a crucial way to secure profits was to get young people hooked.

Oliver then concludes the episode with a segment covering International Women’s Day and how it is celebrated by corporations. He highlights notable corporations that turned the day into a marketing stunt, instead of spreading awareness about the blatant discrimination faced by women. Oliver uses International Women’s Day as an opportunity to point out what American companies can do better.

The episode concludes on a high note, with the introduction of a new puppets character called “Doctor Dog” – an absurd character who provides his unique take on the problems of the world in his own humorous way. In general, the episode provides an in-depth and critical analysis of severe issues, in Oliver’s usual comedic style.