Emmy-winning satirical show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is now on hiatus, the makers announced on Sunday, and they aren't happy about it.
Also, fans have expressed disappointment that Oliver will not be appearing on their screens in the week of the DNC.
English comedian Oliver hosts the popular series, which focuses on current political and cultural events. Since it first aired in 2014, the show has won 28 Emmy Awards.
The hit late-night show normally airs Sundays at 11 p.m. ET on HBO.
"We've got a new episode tonight at 11 p.m.! Then, sadly, we're off until Sept 8th," Last Week Tonight shared via X, formerly Twitter. "We begged the network to let us make more shows. We said 'please, John has no idea how to take a vacation, you should see him try to sit on a beach, it's humiliating, just let him work.' But no dice."
At the time of publication, the post had more than 110,000 views.
We've got a new episode tonight at 11pm! Then, sadly, we're off until Sept 8th. We begged the network to let us make more shows. We said "please, John has no idea how to take a vacation, you should see him try to sit on a beach, it's humiliating, just let him work." But no dice.
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) August 18, 2024
In the X comments, many fans expressed their thoughts on the hiatus.
"Oh no! I can't live without my weekly dose of John! I wish the show was an hour long!" user @KarenBa86836999 replied.
"NOOOOOOOO WE NEED MORE EPISODES" @RandallMurrain wrote.
"I can't wait 3 weeks for a new episode! There's subjects I've been praying to God you will do!" @TheFerbguy added.
And others were surprised by the timing. "No episode after the DNC seems like wild scheduling," @IrishBelle07 pointed out.
"How can you not be on TV when the DNC Convention is happening, giving you lots of material to work with this week?!?" @dollymad1812 asked.
"Couldn't you guys have waited one week until after the Democratic Convention?" @stevethefirst chimed in.
"NOOOO THEY'RE MISSING THE DNC," @downbadwriter said, while @VijethaYeruva wrote, "No DNC episode then? 😐"
Newsweek reached out via email to Warner Bros. Discovery, who owns HBO, as well as Oliver's manager for comment.
Previously, Last Week Tonight covered the Republican National Convention, which was held from July 15 to July 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the time, Oliver criticized Hulk Hogan ripping his shirt off as well as Kid Rock's performance.
"I know the Republican Party gets a lot of s*** for only landing D-list celebrities, but I do have to hand it to them. Booking the actual pair from the American Gothic painting was a pretty good get," he said while showing a picture of an elderly couple onstage.
The Democratic National Convention began on Monday, August 19 in Chicago and runs through Thursday, August 22.
Democratic nominee and current vice president Kamala Harris made a surprise speech at the event on Monday, thanking president Joe Biden.
"This is going to be a great week, and I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President Joe Biden, who will be speaking later tonight," she said. "Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe!"
"Looking out at everyone tonight, I see the beauty of our great nation," Harris continued. "People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here united by our shared vision for the future of our country, and this November, we will come together and declare with one voice, as one people, we are moving forward."
Before going on hiatus, Oliver spoke out about the upcoming U.S. election, which concludes in November. On Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight, he called out Republican vice president nominee JD Vance.
"The Trump campaign continued trying to counter enthusiasm for the Democrats' new ticket, with JD Vance—a man who virtually looks like he got stuck 10 percent of the way to transforming into a werewolf—desperately trying to spin the joy of Harris' recent rallies as a negative," Oliver said of Vance, who was chosen by former president Donald Trump as his running mate.
Vance spoke outside trucking company in Byron Center, Michigan on Wednesday and said "Americans are suffering" under Harris' policies.
"When she laughs during a speech, remember that there are American families crying this very day because they cannot afford groceries," he said. "When she does these rallies and does these events and does these fake dances, remember that there are parents who lost their children to drugs or violence who will never see their children move again, much less dance again."
Oliver reacted to the statement on Last Week Tonight. "What are you doing?" he said. "Scolding people for enjoying stuff because there are sadder things happening elsewhere is a s****y thing to do—although it does make me curious what Vance is like in other social situations."
Last Week Tonight was recently renewed for three more seasons through 2026.
