S1 E2: The Death Penalty, Brunei & Ukraine: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

John Oliver's Commentary

• John Oliver criticizes the international community's response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, particularly the reliance on sanctions and their limited impact on Russia.
• Oliver criticizes the coziness between journalists and their sources at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and the lack of focus on actual journalism.

Death Penalty Discussion

• Oliver discusses the execution of a convicted killer in Oklahoma but avoids discussing the death penalty in detail, instead showing a video of tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos.
• Oliver argues against the death penalty, citing the risk of executing innocent people, the fact that many Western countries no longer have capital punishment, and the high rate of DNA exonerations in the United States.
• He also highlights the high cost of the death penalty and the lack of credible evidence that it deters crime.

Brunei's Controversial Laws

• Brunei, a small country in Southeast Asia, has implemented Sharia law, which includes punishments such as whipping, amputations, and the death penalty for crimes like theft, consuming alcohol, blasphemy, sodomy, and insulting the Quran.
• The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is extremely wealthy and has a lavish lifestyle, which includes a fleet of luxury cars, a 747, and a 1,780-room palace.
• The Sultan has been criticized for his hypocrisy and lack of condemnation for his brother's yacht called "Tits" and graphic statues of himself having sex on his estate.
• Celebrities have begun boycotting the Beverly Hills Hotel owned by the Sultan in response to the country's anti-gay laws.

Staten Island Borough President's Birthday Celebration

• Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro's 80th birthday celebration was low-key, with flowers and phone calls but no presidential greetings.

US Response to Brunei's Anti-Gay Laws

• The US, which has been critical of anti-gay legislation in other countries like Uganda and Russia, has remained silent on Brunei's recent implementation of such laws.

Speaker's Concluding Remarks

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of individual effort and unity in achieving success and competing with other nations.
• The speaker criticizes both sides of the political spectrum for engaging in provocative and divisive rhetoric.
• The speaker acknowledges the social problems faced by certain groups and expresses support for freedom, hope, and opportunity.