Rise to Success: Career Highlights of John Oliver

Discover the career path of John Oliver, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

John Oliver is a British-American comedian best known as the host of HBO's 'Last Week Tonight.' He gained prominence as a correspondent on 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,' where he won three Primetime Emmy Awards for writing. Oliver also guest-hosted 'The Daily Show' for eight weeks in 2013. Beyond television, he co-hosted 'The Bugle' podcast and hosted 'John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show' on Comedy Central. He has had acting roles, including Ian Duncan on 'Community' and voice acting in films like 'The Smurfs' and 'The Lion King' remake.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

2012: Analysis of Miss America Scholarship Program

In 2012, John Oliver's team analyzed the Miss America Organization's tax returns and found that it only distributes a small fraction of the claimed "$45 million made available annually" in cash scholarships.

February 2016: Viral Trump Segment

In February 2016, John Oliver's segment on Donald Trump received 62 million views on Facebook and 23 million on YouTube within a month, becoming the "most watched piece of HBO content ever".

2018: Publication of "A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo"

In 2018, John Oliver presented the children's book A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, a parody of Marlon Bundo's A Day in the Life of the Vice President, featuring a gay relationship.

2018: Net Neutrality Awareness

In 2018, a study found that viewers of Last Week Tonight and The Colbert Report were more familiar with net neutrality than non-viewers. Last Week Tonight viewers were also more likely to support strict regulation to ensure net neutrality.

October 2020: Visit to Danbury for Unveiling Ceremony

In October 2020, John Oliver visited Danbury to attend the unveiling ceremony of the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant, after donating $55,000 to Danbury charities.

2020: Favored Joe Biden in 2020 Election

In 2020, John Oliver favored Joe Biden for president and celebrated his victory over Donald Trump, warning about the significant number of people who voted for Trump.

2021: Great Immigrants Award

In 2021, John Oliver received the Great Immigrants Award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

2022: Impact on US territories Rights and Charitable Donations

In 2022, a Ninth Circuit Court judge cited a Last Week Tonight segment about the lesser constitutional rights of residents of US territories in a ruling in favor of the residents of Guam. Also a study published in 2022 found that "calls for action" by Oliver in seasons seven and eight of Last Week Tonight raised over $5 million for charities and other causes.