Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Season 4 Episode 9 April 16, 2017

In season 4 episode 9 of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which aired on April 16, 2017, John Oliver dove into some of the most pressing issues facing our country. The episode began with a segment on the French elections, which was particularly timely as they were set to take place in just a few days. Oliver gave a brief overview of the candidates and their platforms, and then discussed the potential ramifications for both France and the rest of the world.

Next up, Oliver tackled the topic of net neutrality, which had been making headlines at the time due to proposed changes by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Oliver highlighted the importance of net neutrality, which ensures that all internet traffic is treated equally and prevents internet service providers from charging extra fees for faster access to certain websites. He then explained how the proposed changes would undermine these principles and give too much power to ISPs. Oliver encouraged viewers to voice their concerns to the FCC and urged them to take action before it was too late.

The third segment of the episode focused on the opioid epidemic in the United States. Oliver discussed the alarming statistics, which showed that overdoses from prescription painkillers and heroin had risen dramatically in recent years. He also touched on the role that pharmaceutical companies have played in fueling the crisis by aggressively marketing opioid painkillers and downplaying their addictive potential. To underscore the gravity of the situation, Oliver even interviewed a former opioid addict who shared his harrowing story of addiction and recovery.

In the fourth segment, Oliver turned to the topic of gerrymandering, which he described as a "creatively evil" practice. He explained how politicians use gerrymandering to manipulate voting districts to their advantage, effectively choosing their own voters instead of letting voters choose them. Oliver also highlighted some of the more egregious examples of gerrymandering, which sometimes result in bizarrely shaped districts that have been dubbed "Rorschach tests for insanity." He ended the segment by calling for an end to gerrymandering and for fairer districting practices to be put in place.

Finally, the episode ended with a lighthearted segment in which Oliver ranted about the explosion in popularity of fidget spinners. He quipped that they were "perfectly designed to annoy adults" and joked that he was considering starting his own "anti-fidget-spinner propaganda campaign."

As always, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver provided a mix of insightful commentary and biting humor on some of the most important topics of the day. Whether he was discussing the French elections, net neutrality, the opioid epidemic, gerrymandering, or fidget spinners, Oliver managed to educate and entertain his audience in equal measure.