John Oliver unloaded his clips at NRATV Sunday via “Last Week Tonight.” He showed muscle-man Grant Stinchfield using a sledgehammer to shatter a TV featuring anti-gun coverage.
But the British comedian took his own hammer to the National Rifle Association’s media campaign.
Calling the web channel “Fox News on a much lower budget,” Oliver showed examples of NRATV, including a female-friendly show called “Love At First Shot” where firing an AR-15 was described as “a nice, light poof of happiness.”
Rolling Stone reported: “One hunting show includes nature scenes overlaid with brooding narration like ‘Somewhere over this horizon sit a million little dictators eager to purge humanity of its hunting instincts’ and ‘Death is an undeniable fuel of life.’ Oliver summarized the programming as ‘less Planet Earth and more ‘deranged letter from a serial killer.'”
Sign up here for our free newsletters. We’ll send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon.
Oliver said: “Think about it this way: If the NRA is a ferocious bear charging at you, NRATV is that bear’s ridiculous hat. Is it eye-catching? Sure it is. Is it perversely entertaining? Absolutely. Is the main thing you should be worried about? Probably not. Because the real truth here is: Hat or no hat, it is imperative that everyone keep their eyes on that — bear.”
The satirist’s efforts didn’t go unappreciated.
Stinchfield himself said via NRATV’s Twitter handle: “@iamjohnoliver, thank you. You did such great job highlighting our work here.” (Last August, he gained attention by suggesting that North Korea bomb Sacramento instead of Guam.)
“@iamjohnoliver, thank you. You did such great job highlighting our work here.” —@stinchfield1776 #NRA #LastWeekTonight pic.twitter.com/DtUNyRF5nc
— NRATV (@NRATV) March 5, 2018
Did Oliver’s efforts backfire?
Tempted to watch NRA TV after John Oliver’s latest show.
— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) March 5, 2018
John Oliver does a well researched and honest look at the NRA and the NRA responds by smashing a TV with a sledgehammer. That seems about right.
— Alex Wentzell (@alexwentzell34) March 5, 2018
Why is @amazon still allowing @NRATV on their platform???
It’s filled with racist inflammatory hate speech ENCOURAGING you to buy a AR-15 as a solution to your “problems”
Call 888.280.4331 or cancel your prime account. #BoycottAmazon #StopNRAmazon pic.twitter.com/DEkG0AqCxB
— Storm ???? #BoycottNRA (@StormResist) March 5, 2018
Go to @NRATV, check out their pinned tweet, and then tell me these lunatics aren’t preparing for another Civil-War.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) March 5, 2018