The comedian calls out HBO for content removals, labelling the service a “tax write-off to appease Wall Street.”
John Oliver has taken a jab at HBO, the network behind his show Last Week Tonight, during a recent episode aired on the same platform.
The host used a segment of his weekly programme to highlight the recent removal of several TV shows and films from the streaming service HBO Max. These deletions are part of Warner Bros Discovery’s strategy to merge HBO Max with Discovery+ into a single service.
One major casualty of these cuts is the Batgirl movie, which has been shelved indefinitely despite its completion and a production budget of $90 million.
During a discussion about Sarah Palin’s campaign for Alaska’s House seat, Oliver mocked the situation by referencing a source that described Palin’s appeal as “Sarah, Inc.” He quipped: “It sounds like the title of a sitcom starring Kat Dennings that’s already vanished from HBO Max.”
Oliver also parodied HBO’s iconic tagline, saying: “HBO Max. It’s not TV. It’s a series of tax write-offs to appease Wall Street.”
This critique comes just weeks after Oliver accused Warner Bros, HBO’s parent company, of “burning down his network.” He sarcastically remarked: “Hi there, new business daddy. Seems like you’re doing an excellent job. I do get the impression you’re burning down my network for the insurance payout, but I’m sure that feeling will pass.”
