John Oliver gloats about dismissal of defamation lawsuit by coal magnate

George Back
·Producer, Yahoo Entertainment

John Oliver opened Last Week Tonight with an update on the defamation lawsuit filed by coal magnate Robert Murray. In June 2017, Oliver called out Murray for his stance on health and safety regulations in mining, and taunted Murray with a giant squirrel named Mr. Nutter Butter.

“You may remember that last year, we did an episode on coal,” Oliver said. “We talked about this man, Bob Murray. We said a lot of things about him, culminating in a seven-foot squirrel telling him to eat sh*t.”

At the time, Oliver knew legal actions was likely since Murray had filed several lawsuits against newspapers and journalist in recent years. Oliver even warned Murray that there was no money in a frivolous lawsuit.

It looks like the judge presiding over the case sided with the comedian. “This week, we learned the judge has said he’s going to dismiss it,” Oliver said.

He warned that the dismissal isn’t official yet, however. “Now is not the time for victory laps,” he said. “It’s not a time for gloating. It’s not a time for saying, ‘Hey, we won,’ and just rubbing it in the face of the person who lost over and over again. That time will come. It will come.”

But while Oliver’s words were those of caution, the giant squirrel known as Mr. Nutter Butter returned with a sign that said “Eat sh*t Bob!”

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver airs Sundays at 11 p.m. on HBO.

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