HBO late-night host John Oliver hasn’t been shy in going after their “business daddy” in AT&T, which acquired the channel in 2018.
However, with Discovery and WarnerMedia closing their $43 billion merger, Oliver will begin to lay off the telecommunications company once that deal becomes official.
“I’m sure that if and when they finally get rid of this problem child that, we will probably end up talking about them slightly less,” Oliver said to TheWrap. “However, I gather they’re still planning on existing in the world. So it seems likely that we are going to run into them in stories.”
Since AT&T has owned HBO, Oliver has gone after them regarding various issues such as their silence over Texas’ Abortion ban (the company is based out of Dallas) and for funding far-right cable network One America News Network (who they’re now cutting ties with).
Despite the criticism he’s given them, Oliver at least offered AT&T praise for not complaining to him about his show’s many digs.
Nothing. I’ve heard nothing. I doubt they’re good sports about it. That would be a projection I could not possibly make. I don’t mind them being bad sports about it, as long as they’re bad sports about it silently,” Oliver said.
“You don’t have to like everything we do. You probably shouldn’t. Just don’t feel like that needs to be communicated. The one thing that I will say for AT&T is that I really appreciate their lack of communication. Given their company, that is something they’re good at.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
