HBO’s John Oliver has had to explain the difference between the films and real life to some of the figures outraged by East Palestine Fox News.
Video:
Oliver said: “East Palestine, Ohio was visited by Donald Trump and Pete Buttigieg, but some Fox News figures insisted that others really should have been there too.”
John Oliver then played a clip of Jesse Watters and Rachel Campos-Duffy, with Duffy saying, “Think of the environmentalists and the American corporations, they weren’t there. This is an Erin Brockovich moment. I mean, there was a blockbuster, Oscar-winning film that was written about something like that.
Watters said, “Erin Brockovich is actually in East Palestine tonight.”
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Campos-Duffy said: “She is, but where is Julia Roberts?”
John Oliver, “What? What are you talking about? You do realize that Julia Roberts is an actress, right? She pretended. She’s not really Erin Brockovich. Also, I can’t believe I’m the one who has to tell you this. She didn’t really ruin her best friend’s wedding. She’s not a sex worker and she didn’t die in 1989 in a small Louisiana town. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Fox News’ efforts to politicize the East Palestine train derailment were bound to descend into the absurd, but nobody thought Fox News would slam Julia Roberts for not being there for the people of East Palestine. What’s next? Will Fox be outraged that Tom Cruise didn’t do some Mission Impossible stuff and keep the train from derailing?
John Oliver skewered how far Fox News went to make an environmental disaster a deeply partisan issue. Fox is so aloof and so unconcerned with reality that they are willing to take offense at Julia Roberts not showing up in East Palestine.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House press pool and congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His thesis focused on public policy with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and professional memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
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