Entertainment

Viral Video of the Day: John Oliver Explains Net Neutrality

This is a long one, but it’s worth it

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On HBO’s Last Week Tonight Sunday, host John Oliver devoted half of his show to explaining net neutrality in terms that make sense to everyone unable to sit through C-SPAN hearings—which is most of us.

Using analogies such as a dingo babysitter and an unlikely Superman/Lex Luthor alliance, Oliver lays out the whole debate: why net neutrality is important to consumers, what would happen if it were ended, and what we can do about it.

Oliver finishes with a Howard Beale-esque plea to the dark forces of internet commenters, inviting them to unleash hell upon the FCC, currently taking open comments about net neutrality. “Like Ralph Macchio,” Oliver says to self-appointed arbiters of internet quality, “you’ve been honing your skills, waxing cars and painting fences…. Now it’s time to do some f---ing karate!"

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