John Oliver is known for being one of the most assured and educated voices in Late Night television. While he doesn't have guests on his show, Last Week Tonight, he spent a couple of months covering for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show and that's ultimately what got the English comedian the Sunday night HBO gig.
Last night, Oliver was working a nixer in New York, hosting a 20th-anniversary screening of the satirical classic, Wag the Dog, and used the platform as an opportunity to question star Dustin Hoffman about allegations of sexual misconduct against him from the set of the 1985 television production 'Death of a Salesman', by Anna Graham Hunter - who was 17 at the time and working as a production assistant.
What followed appeared to be extremely uncomfortable.
John Oliver just went after Dustin Hoffman big time on sexual harassment at this Wag The Dog panel. Hoffman grew visibly uncomfortable. "You weren't there," he says to Oliver. "I'm happy I wasn't," Oliver replied.
— Steven Zeitchik (@ZeitchikWaPo) December 5, 2017
All hell has now broken loose on this Wag The Dog panel. The subject seemed over after seven minutes but Hoffman brought it up again, saying Oliver is not keeping an "open mind" and is unquestionably believing accusers, and a testy five minutes followed.
— Steven Zeitchik (@ZeitchikWaPo) December 5, 2017
And now the _ audience _ is arguing volubly back and forth about whether Hoffman is upstanding and Oliver should be asking the questions. Not sure I've ever seen anything like it at a screening panel.
— Steven Zeitchik (@ZeitchikWaPo) December 5, 2017
Oliver just asked people to stop recording his argument with Hoffman on their phone. "That's what I hate about the Internet." But i mean, isn't that why he brought it up? To have a public conversation?
— Steven Zeitchik (@ZeitchikWaPo) December 5, 2017
Oliver cited Hoffman's response to an accuser that his behavior on set was "not reflective" of who Hoffman is. "It's that kind of statement that pisses me off," Oliver said. "It's 'not reflective of who I am.' But it IS reflective of who you were."
— Steven Zeitchik (@ZeitchikWaPo) December 5, 2017
