John Oliver Skips Skydance Merger News in Latest ‘Last Week Tonight’ Episode

In a notable deviation from his typical approach to media industry shifts, John Oliver chose not to address the recent Skydance Corp. merger on his HBO program ‘Last Week Tonight.’ The $111 billion acquisition, which combines Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery under David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, is scheduled to officially close on October 6.

The episode, which aired on Sunday night, centered instead on the history of U.S. presidential Secret Service protection. Oliver highlighted a series of security lapses that have recently threatened President Donald Trump’s life, attributing them to resource shortages and a culture of doing more with less. The segment referenced the controversial hiring of filmmaker Michael Bay by the Department of Homeland Security to produce an expensive recruitment commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.

To illustrate the ongoing concerns, the show featured a parody recruitment ad starring Adam DeVine and Anders Holm from the series ‘Workaholics,’ portraying Secret Service agents as comically inept. Despite previous episodes poking fun at the Ellisons, Oliver bypassed the implications of the merger for his own network and potential editorial changes under the new ownership structure.

Oliver and his team secured a contract extension through 2027 just before the merger was finalized. However, questions remain about the longevity of the show, given that Ellison previously cancelled Stephen Colbert’s ‘The Late Show,’ reportedly at the request of President Trump. Analysts suggest the merger could lead to significant job cuts and a shift in editorial direction similar to the changes seen at CBS News under Ellison and Bari Weiss.

Speculation is mounting that Oliver may address the Skydance takeover in a future episode, as the long-term impact on Warner Bros. Discovery and its programming slate remains to be seen.