A biography for John Oliverhasn’t been written yet.
“I've always been interested in socially political, or overtly political, comedy.”
“The British media is sinking down, as the American news media has lowered the bar for all of humanity. British news media is definitely trying to stoop down to that level. Everyone is stooping to the lowest common denominator.”
“People are friendlier in New York than London.”
“Australia turns out to be a sensational place, albeit one of the most comfortably racist places I've ever been in. They've really settled into their intolerance like an old resentful slipper.”
“There is so much cross-pollination between the U.S. and Britain in terms of comedians. British TV comedies work well in the U.S. American stand-ups make it big in Britain.”
“People are always going to say stupid things, and you're always going to be able to make jokes about that, but it should be the last thing you add in, because it's the easiest thing.”
“The only thing I'm nervous about is talking to guests like human beings, because all of my interviews so far have been attacking people. I have a genuine concern about sitting across from an actor whose movies I obviously haven't seen.”
“I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to do by a British accent. That's why so many infomercials have British people.”
“Politics has become infused with narcissism in America.”
“If I wanted to take a more activist or journalistic slant in work, I should probably just go be an activist or a journalist. But I'm happy being a comedian.”
“It's exciting to have a role in anything that's Claymation, just because you're always intrigued by what a clay wizard version of yourself would be.”
“I feel non-stop Brit shame!”
“Every empire has to get sucked down the drain. As a British person, I know how it feels.”
“If you're asking me, would I have voted for Mitt Romney, the answer is absolutely not. Emphatically not. I cannot envision a world in which I would have voted for Mitt Romney unless I sustained a massive concussion.”
“Campaign ads are the backbone of American democracy if American democracy suffered a gigantic spinal injury.”
“Most stand-ups, once they have done it, think of it as their default job. I'm pretty sure Jon Stewart still feels that way now. You are a stand-up first; other things come and go.”
“I find it hard in my general life to think further than the week ahead.”
“I feel more at home knowing I'm not really at home. It takes all the pressure off you trying to fit in!”
“My family are from Liverpool, so I have some twang there - I have a Midlands accent, and I was raised about an hour north of London, so my voice is a mess. Although, to American ears, it sounds like the crisp language of a queen's butler.”
“People really have come for a dialogue when they go to a stand-up show in the U.K. They say, 'I understand that you have now finished your little comedy monologue; now I have something to say regarding what I've just heard.”