Must-see morning clip: Fireworks make America great

John Oliver makes fun of America's annual Fourth of July tradition

Published July 7, 2014 1:14PM (EDT)

Though "Last Week Tonight" was on hiatus this week, John Oliver covered the most important news event of the week (fireworks, of course!) in a Web exclusive posted to the show's YouTube page. If you're an adult who enthusiastically participates in the fanfare around fireworks -- the crowds, the classical music, the terrible parking spots -- then you might not want to watch Oliver's cynical take on the yearly ritual that demonstrates "the ability [Americans have] to wholeheartedly embrace excitement while letting disappointment and failure slip away as quickly as you can." Oliver then did his best impression of a firework. It was pretty good.


By Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com.

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Fireworks Fourth Of July Holiday Independence Day July 4th Last Week Tonight Must See Morning Clip Video