John Oliver examines 'Gang Databases' plus 'Last Week Tonight's six Emmy nominations

As I promised yesterday, I'm returning to Emmy Awards coverage with the latest from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Gang Databases.

John Oliver discusses the massive problems caused by gang databases, how people wind up on them, and why nobody looks good in lime green. You might think you’re pulling it off but trust us, you’re not.

The opening minutes are giving me flashbacks to what I wrote in 'Last Week Tonight' examines 'Trump & Deportations' for Wayback Wednesday: "Donald 'Hoover Cleveland' Trump insisting that the photoshopped 'MS-13' on Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hand is real reminds me of what I've written before, 'the voices in his head are not reliable sources. Neither are the real people he listens to.'" Based on what Oliver and his researchers and writers found out, the gang databases aren't all that reliable or helpful, either. Oh, and kudos to Oliver and his producers for getting LV to sing the chorus from "Gangster's Paradise" to conclude the segment.

Sunday's episode also included Trump & Epstein.


Desi Lydic isn't the only comedian having fun with the Epstein Files. I expect to embed more on Thursday when I cover the Outstanding Talk Series nominees. In the meantime, follow over the jump for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver's six Emmy nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards and Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Scripted Variety Series

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Saturday Night Live proper has seven Emmy nominations, 24 including the 50th anniversary specials and spin-offs, while Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has six. That's not a good handicap for this category or the next, as the prognosticators at Gold Derby think Last Week Tonight with John Oliver will win handily, just like last year. All the experts, two-thirds of the editors, and 84.3% of the users expect John Oliver and his producers will accept the trophy in September. One-third of the editors and 15.7% of the users are calling for SNL to win in an upset. I'm with the majority. Besides, SNL will win its Emmys for its 50th Anniversary specials.

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

• The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• Saturday Night Live (NBC)

The Gold Derby odds also overwhelmingly favor Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to repeat here, too, as 91.7% of experts, 88.9% of editors, and 85.2% of users picked it to win again. The Daily Show sits in second with 8.3% of experts, 11.1% of editors, and 7.5% of users think it will upset. Only 7.3% of users think SNL has a chance. This ranking looks right to me.

Now for the awards to be presented at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series

• The Daily Show: "Jon Stewart Delivers a Mug-Smashing Take on Musk's DOGE" – David Paul Meyer (Comedy Central)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!: "Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan, and Musical Guest Bartees Strange" – Andy Fisher (ABC)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "India Elections" – Paul Pennolino (HBO)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: "David Oyelowo, Finn Wolfhard, Special Appearance by Alan Cumming, Performance by Ok Go" – Jim Hoskinson (CBS)

This is the last award today predicted by Gold Derby, where the experts and editors disagree, with all the experts expecting The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to win, while all the editors anticipate Last Week Tonight with John Oliver will earn a third Emmy in this category. Electorates matter in miniature! The users break the deadlock with 80.7% aligned with the experts and 11.1% allied with the editors. The Daily Show is in third with 5.9% of users supporting it, and 2.2% of users choosing Jimmy Kimmel Live! I'll look at this category again on Thursday before I decide whether to go with the editors or experts.

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety or Reality Series

• The Daily Show: "Jon Stewart & The News Team Live at The Chicago DNC" – Dave Edwards, Lauren Browning (Comedy Central)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!: "December 11, 2024", "December 12, 2024", "February 13, 2025" – David Ellis, Hillarie Brigode, and Heidi Miller (ABC)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Mass Deportations" – Eric Morrell, Hugh Zeigler, and Amanda Carzoli (HBO)
• RuPaul's Drag Race: "RDR Live!" – Jen Chu, Gavin Smith (MTV)
• Saturday Night Live: "Host: Lady Gaga" – Akira Yoshimura, Keith Ian Raywood, Joe DeTullio, Andrea Purcigliotti, Patrick Lynch, and Sara Parks (NBC)

SNL has won this award four of the past five years, including last year, while RuPaul's Drag Race won this the year before last, so I am again handicapping this category in that order.

Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment)

• The Daily Show: "The Dailyshowography of Kamala Harris: Just Normal" – Lauren Beckett Jackson (Comedy Central)
• The Daily Show: "The Dailyshowography of Stephen Miller: What He Does in the Shadows" – Storm Choi (Comedy Central)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "Facebook Content Moderation" – Anthony Miale (HBO)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: "That Stuff's American" – Ryan Barger (HBO)
• SNL50: The Anniversary Special: "Physical Comedy" – Ryan Spears, Paul Del Gesso, Christopher Salerno, Daniel Garcia, Sean McIlraith, and Ryan McIlraith (NBC)

The Daily Show won this award last year and would normally be my pick to repeat. The fly in the ointment is that both The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver have two nominations each, so they run the risk of vote splitting, and the sentiment is likely to be with SNL's 50th anniversary specials, which I think will win this award.

That's a wrap for this installment. Stay tuned to see if I cover a category like game shows tomorrow or take a break from Emmy Awards nominees tomorrow.

Previous posts about the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards

• No PSAs among nominees for Outstanding Commercial plus winners for Outstanding Promotional Announcement at the Emmy Awards
• 'I Am: Celine Dion,' 'Patrice: The Movie,' and 'The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,' Emmy nominees for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking
• 'Asia' and 'The Americas' lead nature documentaries at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards
• 'Pee-wee as Himself' vs. 'Will & Harper' for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special on Tequila Day
• '100 Foot Wave' leads Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series in nominations, but could lose to 'SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night'
• 'The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse: MAGA: The Next Generation' plus the Emmy nominees for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
• Emmy nominee 'Desi Lydic Foxsplains the Epstein Files' plus the rest of the short form nominees at the Emmy Awards