John Oliver Picks a New Fight With Coal Boss He Called 'a Geriatric Dr. Evil' on Last Week Tonight

Powerful people and companies can use lawsuits to silence journalist, activist, blogger, comedians and anyone that dare to criticize them. While them self have now that it can be hard to go after comedians. Even if people doing investigative works or for example try to stop pollution in their local community still risk being sued for ridiculous amount of money.

"SLAPP suits are a scourge, according to Oliver, so 30 states have anti-SLAPP laws that require plaintiffs to justify their claims early on, and if they can’t, suits are dropped and defendants can be awarded attorneys’ fees. “Unfortunately, 20 states don’t have those laws,” Oliver said, including West Virginia, which is where Murray sued Oliver, despite the fact that neither of them live there. “Lawsuits like his make people think twice before reporting on his business or pointing things out like the fact that Bob Murray’s general facial expression answers the question, ‘What would it look like if an egg was mentally undressing you?” Oliver joked.
As the Last Week Tonight team was researching Murray again, they uncovered what they believe are serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Murray. Murray denies the allegations, and Oliver admits that by airing them Murray will most likely sue them again, but they felt it was in the public interest to do it anyway."

John Oliver Picks New Fight With the Coal Boss Who Sued Him | Time

Bergslagstroll said:

Powerful people and companies can use lawsuits to silence journalist, activist, blogger, comedians and anyone that dare to criticize them. While them self have now that it can be hard to go after comedians. Even if people doing investigative works or for example try to stop pollution in their local community still risk being sued for ridiculous amount of money.

"SLAPP suits are a scourge, according to Oliver, so 30 states have anti-SLAPP laws that require plaintiffs to justify their claims early on, and if they can’t, suits are dropped and defendants can be awarded attorneys’ fees. “Unfortunately, 20 states don’t have those laws,” Oliver said, including West Virginia, which is where Murray sued Oliver, despite the fact that neither of them live there. “Lawsuits like his make people think twice before reporting on his business or pointing things out like the fact that Bob Murray’s general facial expression answers the question, ‘What would it look like if an egg was mentally undressing you?” Oliver joked.
As the Last Week Tonight team was researching Murray again, they uncovered what they believe are serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Murray. Murray denies the allegations, and Oliver admits that by airing them Murray will most likely sue them again, but they felt it was in the public interest to do it anyway."

John Oliver Picks New Fight With the Coal Boss Who Sued Him | Time

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The musical number at the end was hilarious. That aside, he raised the very important point about how people can be silenced by those with the financial means to do it.

Was it in the public interest or his interest? His declaration of such seems rather hedgy.

Bergslagstroll said:

Powerful people and companies can use lawsuits to silence journalist, activist, blogger, comedians and anyone that dare to criticize them. While them self have now that it can be hard to go after comedians. Even if people doing investigative works or for example try to stop pollution in their local community still risk being sued for ridiculous amount of money.

"SLAPP suits are a scourge, according to Oliver, so 30 states have anti-SLAPP laws that require plaintiffs to justify their claims early on, and if they can’t, suits are dropped and defendants can be awarded attorneys’ fees. “Unfortunately, 20 states don’t have those laws,” Oliver said, including West Virginia, which is where Murray sued Oliver, despite the fact that neither of them live there. “Lawsuits like his make people think twice before reporting on his business or pointing things out like the fact that Bob Murray’s general facial expression answers the question, ‘What would it look like if an egg was mentally undressing you?” Oliver joked.
As the Last Week Tonight team was researching Murray again, they uncovered what they believe are serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Murray. Murray denies the allegations, and Oliver admits that by airing them Murray will most likely sue them again, but they felt it was in the public interest to do it anyway."

John Oliver Picks New Fight With the Coal Boss Who Sued Him | Time

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This does not address the OP... but John Oliver is a twit that thinks he is much more clever than he is...

ElChupacabra said:

The musical number at the end was hilarious. That aside, he raised the very important point about how people can be silenced by those with the financial means to do it.

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Yes other countries don't allow companies to sue individuals and journalist because it risk people being silence also that the companies have means to fight fake stories. Also that companies exploit the right to sue then they get it like in the USA, that companies also sue then they don't know that they can't win. Because it's a way to scare people and also force them to spend a lot of time and money defending them self against the charges.

Oliver's personal problems are small indeed compared to the real journalist Julian Assange's personal problems.

Thoreau72 said:

Oliver's personal problems are small indeed compared to the real journalist Julian Assange's personal problems.

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Assange was never a real journalist, a dried dog turd rapist who deserves whatever he gets in prison. Hopefully a complete sharpened mop stick.

OldFatGuy said:

Assange was never a real journalist, a dried dog turd rapist who deserves whatever he gets in prison. Hopefully a complete sharpened mop stick.

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Certainly an old fat guy would know. Probably a Christian too....

An informed person would know that there was no rape. A misinformed person would believe there was a rape. When everything the American people believe is false, we will know the success of our misinformation efforts.

Thoreau72 said:

Certainly an old fat guy would know. Probably a Christian too....

An informed person would know that there was no rape. A misinformed person would believe there was a rape. When everything the American people believe is false, we will know the success of our misinformation efforts.

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Fat body shamer!

Wrong again, not a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Shintoist, Hindi, islamist, whatever.

How silly to think about just one case with your twist of a hero. There's more than a dozen accusations, and by the standards of progressive democrats that means guilt. Worse according to those at the Ecuadorian Embassy, his personal hygiene is very wanting. Let's hope you never have to share a prison cell with that pig.

You are aware the Swedish case against him has been reinstated? Only dropped because he was inaccessible in a foreign embassy, foreign territory, of a nation Sweden did not share any treaties.

BTW Swedish law defines rape as nonconsensual sex without a condom, meaning consensual sex but not consent for sex without a condom is the parameter that makes Assange the filthy rapist pig that he is. In other words she says yes, but not without a glove.

Strategic lawsuits against public participation are a problem in both US and other countries. While US it is especially a problem because in the US the defend have to pay the legal cost even if the defendant wins. Also that the American courts at the start consider all lawsuit to be true even if there are no evidence presented to back up the cases. There it only a bit into the court process that the case can be dismissed and even the decisions to dismiss the case can be appealed. So the law suit can cost the defendant a lot of money even in baseless claim. To prevent it you have anti SLAPP laws but many states still don't have it and powerful companies and individuals can decided to sue in states that don't have those laws.

That for John Olivier it is more a nuisance and also opportunity to make it a part of his shows. That he has the backing of the wealthy HBO, there HBO can also see that the PR and marketing value of the attention law suits can at least to a bit compensate the cost. While it is really good that John Olivier bring the subject up. Because you for example have bloggers, individuals and small news organization that don't have the money to defend themselves against SLAPP suits. There even big news organization can take the cost of a SLAPP in consideration about reporting about a story.

Strategic lawsuit against public participation - Wikipedia

Understanding Anti-SLAPP laws - The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Bodhisattva said:

This does not address the OP... but John Oliver is a twit that thinks he is much more clever than he is...

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That is correct. It does not address the topic at all.

OldFatGuy said:

Fat body shamer!

Wrong again, not a Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Shintoist, Hindi, islamist, whatever.

How silly to think about just one case with your twist of a hero. There's more than a dozen accusations, and by the standards of progressive democrats that means guilt. Worse according to those at the Ecuadorian Embassy, his personal hygiene is very wanting. Let's hope you never have to share a prison cell with that pig.

You are aware the Swedish case against him has been reinstated? Only dropped because he was inaccessible in a foreign embassy, foreign territory, of a nation Sweden did not share any treaties.

BTW Swedish law defines rape as nonconsensual sex without a condom, meaning consensual sex but not consent for sex without a condom is the parameter that makes Assange the filthy rapist pig that he is. In other words she says yes, but not without a glove.

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Clearly, you don't know shaming when you don't encounter it, and you don't know facts about the Assange case. So here is your chance to inform yourself regarding the Assange case of NOT rape.

Sex, Lies and Julian Assange - Four Corners

The conscientious man will inform himself, but I'm betting you won't take the time to do so, much less discuss the facts. Just a bet. You can prove me wrong.

In the meantime, you should consider choosing your name on internet forums a bit more carefully. eace

Thoreau72 said:

Clearly, you don't know shaming when you don't encounter it, and you don't know facts about the Assange case. So here is your chance to inform yourself regarding the Assange case of NOT rape.

Sex, Lies and Julian Assange - Four Corners

The conscientious man will inform himself, but I'm betting you won't take the time to do so, much less discuss the facts. Just a bet. You can prove me wrong.

In the meantime, you should consider choosing your name on internet forums a bit more carefully. eace

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Yadda Yadda

Reading what you don't want to believe always results in denial and accusations of ignorance. Of course his accusers must be liars, agents of a deep state conspiracy. :roll::doh:lamo

There is nothing to discuss fat shamer. Never advise me on a handle, your lack of a sense of humor, tells all.

Assange isn't worth dried cat droppings. He's on the same level as Ronan Farrow. A predator of the misery of others, a pariah. I am thrilled he will die in prison.

OldFatGuy said:

Yadda Yadda

Reading what you don't want to believe always results in denial and accusations of ignorance. Of course his accusers must be liars, agents of a deep state conspiracy. :roll::doh:lamo

There is nothing to discuss fat shamer. Never advise me on a handle, your lack of a sense of humor, tells all.

Assange isn't worth dried cat droppings. He's on the same level as Ronan Farrow. A predator of the misery of others, a pariah. I am thrilled he will die in prison.

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And you sir, are on the same level as DJT. You are both moral lepers.

Thoreau72 said:

And you sir, are on the same level as DJT. You are both moral lepers.

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Your vision of morality is irrelevant to the entire rest of the world. No one cares an iota for what you claim to be moral.

How vile of you to use the plight of lepers as an insult. As if suffering from a bacterial disease is something it victims could prevent. Evidence of your own moral failures. I look forward to your use of other flesh eating disfigurative fatal diseases as insults.

What kind of person mythologizes a rapist pig betrayer as a heroic figure? Let alone sinks to lame non-evidentiary emotional associations for purpose of insult? A putrid tactic of desperation.

John Oliver is one of my heroes. His episodes are gold.

Dans La Lune said:

John Oliver is one of my heroes. His episodes are gold.

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It’s really good that John Oliver and his staff can focus on underreported, interesting and important stories. That they aren't forced to focus on controversial and over discussed topics for short time increase in viewership.

I think the episode about SLAPP suits is a good example of that. Because it’s an important topic while at the same the few responses to this thread indicates that it’s not a controversial or hotly discussed topic.

Also that John Oliver as a comedian have a lot more means to make his topic interesting, that he can have actual song and dance numbers.