‘Last Week Tonight’s John Oliver On Paramount Buying Warner Bros. Discovery: “Not Great News”

Last Week Tonight host John Oliver commented on Paramount's surprise acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in a $110 billion deal during his recent episode, expressing concern about the corporate merger that came after Netflix walked away when the David Ellison-run company increased its offer to $31 per share. Oliver, who has a history of criticizing the owners of his network HBO, often referring to them as 'business daddy,' opened his show by announcing, 'It turns out we might be getting a new business daddy.' The host then made a humorous comparison, quipping, 'Yeah, not great news. If I may quote anyone who's ever accidentally sat on their Roku remote, 'Oh shit, I'm in Paramount now. How the fuck do I get out of this?'' The acquisition represents one of the largest media mergers in recent history, combining HBO, Warner Bros., and Discovery properties under one corporate umbrella. The deal sent shockwaves through Hollywood, particularly as it came at a time when streaming services are already facing intense competition and consolidation. Netflix had initially been in contention for the acquisition but withdrew after Paramount's surprise outbid. The merger raises questions about the future of content creation, streaming platforms, and media consolidation, which Oliver has frequently criticized in his show. This isn't the first time Oliver has commented on major media industry developments; during the Season 13 premiere of Last Week Tonight, he also roasted the Netflix-WBD deal, noting ironically, 'Loved the ending of 'Stranger Things,' by the way — very brown.'