Some people spend their whole lives imagining what they would say if they won an Oscar, an Emmy, or a Grammy (shudder). They’ve practiced in front of the mirror, pretending their hairbrush is an award statue. Days have been spent wondering what they would wear and how they would walk the red carpet. There are celebrities they admire who they picture in the audience, cheering them on as their life’s work comes to fruition. What they likely don’t imagine is excitedly yelling “f*** you” as they are played off the stage.
Still, they can’t all be John Oliver, whose show won its 29th Emmy award last night. Oliver is no stranger to acceptance speeches at this point. He has made enough to cover a theater conservatory class worth of hopes and dreams. Last Week Tonight taking home gold has become a sure thing at the Emmys. It’d almost be boring if he didn’t thank his wonderful staff and come across as a kind and caring boss whenever given the chance. There’s also the fact that this year, his speech included some bad news.
People get played off-stage at award shows all the time. There is a bit of rhyme or reason to who is and isn’t given the musical boot. If it is a “big” award, people are often given leeway. Some shows will be apt to make a statement at the beginning of the night by playing people off early and often (only to relent later in the night when they realize they’re ahead of schedule). It really can be anyone’s game as producers and directors do their best to ensure the show doesn’t go (too) long. In Oliver’s case, his exit music led to a pretty hilarious yet somber moment.
After thanking his writers last night, Oliver thanked his family dog. “In particular, I want to thank the silly odd dog,” Oliver said to the audience. “We have the most fantastic dog, and she was at our wedding and she got us through the pandemic. She was with us for two pregnancies…” The show then gave Oliver his cue, something he found quite funny, and replied to with a big reveal. “Perfect choice of music,” he joked. “We had to say goodbye to her. I feel like Sarah McLachlan right now. She was an amazing dog.”
This feels like a perfect thing to happen to John Oliver. I don’t want him and his family to experience the pain of losing a pet. It’s more that he handled the situation so well, in a way that feels apt for his humble, underdog persona. Oliver isn’t the devilishly handsome cad or legacy news anchor. He’s a normal guy who is funny, smart, cares, and by his own admission looks like a man who is too old to be cosplaying as Harry Potter but is still trying anyway. Getting the boot while mourning his dog adds to that oeuvre.
Not one to waste a moment, the award-winning host yelled “F*** you! There you go,” at the orchestral tunes. Soon after, the music did go away, and Oliver finished celebrating his pooch. “This isn’t just for her. This is for all dogs,” he said to the Emmy crowd. “All dogs, you are all very good girls. You are very good boys. You all deserve a treat. Play me off now! Thanks so much.” A ridiculous award show moment that could not have happened to a nicer guy.