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Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Scientific Studies (HBO)

Cheshire

Senior Member
Messages
1,129
John Oliver discusses how and why media outlets so often report untrue or incomplete information as science.

Very interesting... He explains amongst other things how a chocolate study with no positive results was spun into the media. I'd love to see him question the PACE trial...

 
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Snowdrop

Rebel without a biscuit
Messages
2,933
Brilliant. I found him hilarious while being right on point.
He made some very relevant statements that apply to PACE without mentioning it.

I think with this style of delivery it would have been difficult to include the actual PACE trial and that also PACE is a British trial while his reference points are American.

I think it showed clearly not only science study problems in general but much that directly links to PACE--again without direct mention.

Anyway, JO delivers thoughtful content in a way I find hilarious.
Thanks for posting this.

And as for PACE getting this kind of treatment--our day will come.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
Hysterical! John Oliver is brilliant!. He makes some very important points that a lot of people aren't aware of but in a way that's understandable. A great way to learn.

I think his points were too general to go into detail about PACE. Nevertheless, a great starting point for people to understand why a study like PACE is full of errors. PACE would almost be laughable if weren't for the impact on us.

I would love to get eight hugs a day, though having a cat helps!.:hug:

Thanks @Cheshire for posting this! :thumbsup:
 

Snowdrop

Rebel without a biscuit
Messages
2,933
What also blows me away is his delivery. How does he say all that without a break and with just the right tone/inflection.
Or maybe there are breaks and it's then sewn together? A lot of work goes into these segments and I liked the poke at TED talks too.
Initially very good thoughtful content now TED has become so big --creating so much new content means getting some pretty dodgy material.
Also loved the Rat photo with the bubbly. :lol:
 

Mary

Moderator Resource
Messages
17,321
Location
Southern California
I wish he were not limited to HBO. He is brilliant, and I think he's a more than worthy successor to Jon Stewart and unfortunately I don't get to see him regularly because he is on HBO..
 

TiredSam

The wise nematode hibernates
Messages
2,677
Location
Germany
Initially very good thoughtful content now TED has become so big --creating so much new content means getting some pretty dodgy material.
I love this TED spoof:

I wish he were not limited to HBO. He is brilliant, and I think he's a more than worthy successor to Jon Stewart and unfortunately I don't get to see him regularly because he is on HBO..
They upload the main segment of the show to youtube every week:
https://www.youtube.com/user/LastWeekTonight/videos
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
I wish he were not limited to HBO. He is brilliant, and I think he's a more than worthy successor to Jon Stewart and unfortunately I don't get to see him regularly because he is on HBO..

You can also see videos on his show webpage but not necessarily the complete show.
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
I adore John Oliver, my favorite British export! One thing he mentioned in the scientific study talk is Oxytocin. The guy advocating it (Dr. Love, if I'm remembering correctly) sounded absurd.

However, I take a sublingual form of Oxytocin every other night because it helps me with sleep. That is the only effect I notice. But I understand that the effect a supplement may have on a particular person is a separate consideration from the scientific studies for that supplement, and that John was talking about the studies.
 
Messages
2,087
What a shame -- we campaigned to get him to mention PACE as a community. This was the perfect opportunity!

-J

He could probably do a whole segment on PACE. This type of campaigning might actually be our best weapon, if we could get a witty 10-15 min video outlining the nonsense of the PACE trial it could go viral and probably create as much awareness as anything else. ( Delivered by a celebrity would of course be even better )
 

JaimeS

Senior Member
Messages
3,408
Location
Silicon Valley, CA
He could probably do a whole segment on PACE. This type of campaigning might actually be our best weapon, if we could get a witty 10-15 min video outlining the nonsense of the PACE trial it could go viral and probably create as much awareness as anything else. ( Delivered by a celebrity would of course be even better )

For sure!
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
For sure!
I hope everyone has seen the eight or so videos we have already made, thanks to @Graham. Most of those are serious, but one is a satirical song. We also have dancing research mule video that was posted all over a few months ago, specifically on PACE. We might try other ways to create new videos. At least one more is being considered, but I am not in a position to speak about it.
 

Graham

Senior Moment
Messages
5,188
Location
Sussex, UK
Ducks-1.jpg


I gave the hen a course of CBT.
 

msf

Senior Member
Messages
3,650
I loved the guy´s delivery of ´chocolate, mmm...it will kill you.´

Making fun of TEDtalks is like shooting fish in a barrel though.