John Oliver, the man who somehow convinces us that talking about sewage treatment plants is comedy gold, took the stage for another well-deserved win. But this time, the real star wasn’t Oliver—it was his late, great dog who may or may not be moonlighting as a ghost producer for emotional montages.
Yes, during his acceptance speech for Outstanding Scripted Variety Series, the 47-year-old Last Week Tonight host veered off into what can only be described as the most heartfelt canine eulogy ever delivered on live television. Move over, Sarah McLachlan, there’s a new tear-jerking dog lover in town.
John started his speech with the usual “thanks, team!” stuff, but quickly switched gears: “I want to thank the silly odd dog,” he said, probably causing at least three people in the audience to look around for a mascot in a tux. “We had the most fantastic dog! She was at our wedding, got us through the pandemic, and dealt with TWO pregnancies.” The crowd, of course, collectively went “aww,” as they mentally compared their pets to this heroic creature.
But just when it seemed like things might get too sentimental for a comedy show, the production team decided it was time to wrap it up. Cue the orchestral music—aka the universal award show signal for “get off the stage, please.” But did John Oliver yield to the polite nudge? Absolutely not.
Instead, he leaned in. “Perfect choice of music,” he quipped as if he were hosting his own roast. “We had to say goodbye to her. I feel like Sarah McLachlan right now.” All that was missing was a slow-motion video of a dog with soulful eyes. Perhaps sensing that this could go on for a while, the music grew louder.
And then, the pièce de résistance: “F**k you! There you go!” Oliver declared, not to the memory of his dog, of course, but to the ever-present threat of being played off. In that moment, every dog who ever chewed a shoe in defiance felt vindicated. The audience roared in laughter because nothing says “award show class” like a well-placed curse word over the gentle strains of the “wrap it up” music.
Wrapping it up himself, Oliver made sure to honor not just his dog but ALL dogs, declaring, “This isn’t just for her. This is for ALL dogs. You are all good boys and girls. You all deserve a treat. Play me off now!” A bold move, as though he were the maestro of the chaos.
In true John Oliver fashion, he exited the stage not only with an Emmy but with the hearts of dog lovers everywhere. Oh, and by the way, he also picked up another Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, but let’s be honest—this one was really for the dogs.
