ACTION ALERT: ME/CFS on "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"

[meadowlark]

The whole point of informing people IS to change their opinion.

Yes, guilt can also be a powerful thing. If anyone on staff at Last Week Tonight reads the ME/CFS posts, they just might feel guilty enough to make amends.

Well, you never know. (After all, I just used the quote function correctly!)

 

[geraldt52]

So... Not to be a Debbie Downer but according to some other posters online, last year John Oliver made a joke (in very poor taste) about "bullshit holidays" and CFS was in that list!!!!

I've always been a huge fan of the Comedy Central programs, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, which spawned John Oliver's show...but, it's my recollection that both of them also have made disparaging comments about CFS over the years. In fact, in general, I have found their treatment of issues that could be related to disability to be as ignorant and ill-informed as any of the networks that they rightfully take to task on other issues. Their recent coverage of the whole measles outbreak, as related to vaccines, was as one-sided and ill-informed as anything on Fox news, the king of one-sided and ill-informed.

It doesn't mean they couldn't be convinced, but be aware of where you're starting from....

 

[Scarecrow]

So... Not to be a Debbie Downer but according to some other posters online, last year John Oliver made a joke (in very poor taste) about "bullshit holidays" and CFS was in that list!!!
http://talk.hbo.com/t5/Last-Week-Tonight-with-John/Chronic-Fatigue-Syndrome-Day/m-p/377430#U377430

I've always been a huge fan of the Comedy Central programs, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, which spawned John Oliver's show...but, it's my recollection that both of them also have made disparaging comments about CFS over the years.

When a government agency renames your condition Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you can pretty much expect it to be open season with comedians, whether they are on prime time and getting paid megabucks or they grace your office and offer you their bon mots for free.

 

[Neunistiva]

When a government agency renames your condition Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you can pretty much expect it to be open season with comedians, whether they are on prime time and getting paid megabucks or they grace your office and offer you their bon mots for free.

Exactly. It's just too easy to make a joke of such ridiculous name. We really need a serious name for this serious illness.

But I still don't think Last Week Tonight putting CFS day on their list of bullshit holidays means they actually have any sort of opinion about it, because Hepatitis Testing Day was also on their list and it's not like anyone thinks hepatitis is not a serious disease.

 

[Neunistiva]

Ok, I just got Twitter. Does anyone have an idea what I should write to official twitter of Last Week Tonight? How do I best use the 140 characters? Should I link to the comment thread? Comments there are really clever and spot on.

 

[LuminousLioness]

I am in Canada and it seems to direct me back to the Canadian site. I will keep trying

 

[meadowlark]

I am in Canada and it seems to direct me back to the Canadian site. I will keep trying

Hi Luminous. Do you mean that HBO.com directs you to HBO Canada when you try to register? That's frustrating. I'm in Ontario. I simply searched for HBO.com on Google and registered, using my gmail address. That gave me the U.S. site "HBO.com." (When I got to HBO.com, I chose "series" on the left, then "Late Week Tonight with John Oliver" and then "Talk.")

I have another email account with Rogers Cable--clearly a Canadian provider. I wonder if I got onto the US site because I used a gmail address. (I don't understand the internet, so maybe this is a boneheaded observation.)

 

[Rich D]

I think a more likely and impactful outlet for this kind of thing is This American Life. If it were well pitched, they might just respond to the story idea.

 

[ricericerice!]

I wish I knew another means of contacting them. Anyone use Twitter?

the show has both a fb account and a twitter feed I believe they are @IamJohnOliver and @lastweektonight. the campaign to get their attention has already begun and there are a number of tweets and wall comments already.

 

[meadowlark]

I think a more likely and impactful outlet for this kind of thing is This American Life. If it were well pitched, they might just respond to the story idea.

It would be an excellent, excellent story for them. That said, I don't think it would have the same sort of impact. This American Life is slower and very thoughtful in presentation. People keep it in their minds and chew it over. But anything on Last Week Tonight holds politicians up to ridicule and goes viral right away. Unfortunately (and this is just my impression) politicians respond to ridicule and a flash flood of negative attention more than they do slow, thoughtful explorations of their misdeeds. So in terms of getting immediate funding, Last Week would give us more bang for our buck. But each one would help us; each show gives a different kind of value.

I have the feeling that This American Life takes pitches from established producers only. (At least, that's how PBS-tv does shows like The American Experience and Frontline.) Maybe some of the people now working on ME/CFS documentaries could pitch them to co-produce and broadcast their films (especially if they're facing financial challenges), or pitch a radio idea to This American Life

 

[Neunistiva]

Ok, I wrote a Tweet to Last Week Tonight and John Oliver. Please like and retweet to gain awareness.

Also, feel free to follow me, I will only tweet about ME/CFS.

 

[Neunistiva]

Just to show the power that Last Week Tonight has: Last Sunday they did a segment on televangelists and how churces are exempt from taxation and just in the few days IRS is already getting pressured by the public.

Please leave a comment on their forum, and/or retweet the tweet because it will increase our chances.

 

[Denise]

On 30 Sept 2015, John Oliver was on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He indicated that they do not cover stories based on the suggestions submitted via the website.
I don't know if they have a different way of handling suggestions made via Twitter.

 

[bspg]

Rebooting this thread.

I think with all that's happened in ME/CFS research over the past couple of years, Last Week Tonight might be more apt to cover this. It's kind of a perfect story for them.

I know @Denise said they don't make shows based on suggestions but if a topic is relevant, fits their reporting profile, and is being brought up by a lot of people, they might consider it.

Due to the political shit storm that's happening right now, they probably have all their topics covered for this season but I think we should still try.

 

[Barry53]

I think you make some really fair points, but in the end I believe the exposure alone would be a good thing. Probably.

Agreed. You have to compromise sometimes else get nothing. And popular awareness like this is by far the most valuable thing because it is invariably the driver of the modern democratic world ... And why non-democracies stamp on it so hard.