‘Last Week Tonight’: Lori Loughlin and Her Daughter Olivia Jade Blasted by John Oliver Over Bribery Scandal

John Oliver took aim at Lori Loughlin and Olivia Jade this Sunday in an episode of Last Week Tonight about public shaming.

Oliver’s late night show is known for its lengthy, in-depth segments on complicated issues. This week, he dove into the burgeoning trend of public shaming — particularly as it pertains to social media. Oliver used a few examples in his monologue, including a break-down of how Loughlin and her daughter were treated in the aftermath of the college admission bribery scandal this month.

“That is such a weird story,” he marveled. “I don’t think anyone guessed that the next big celebrity scandal would be ‘Aunt Becky from Full House allegedly spends half-a-million dollars so a guy will pretend her daughters are good at boats.’ And, incidentally, it that’s all true, Worst Aunt Ever.”

On a more thoughtful note, Oliver invited viewers to take a closer look at how Loughlin’s daughters, especially social media star Olivia Jade, was treated for her parents’ alleged crimes.

“The truth is, I’ve got no problem making fun of the parents accused of doing that, or the guy who ran that service” Oliver said of the sprawling bribery network. “Where it gets more complicated is with the kids. How much is it fair to make fun of them? Well, I would argue that one of them, Olivia Jade, is a public figure.”

Oliver pointed out Olivia’s successful career online, including her massive social media following, her endorsement deals and her profits from that notoriety. In his eyes, she was accountable, especially since she had capitalized on “her brand as a fun, relatable college student.”

Oliver threw a few light jabs at Olivia Jade, calling her posts “tone deaf” and reveling in some jokes at her expense, but he also questioned how severely she deserved to be punished in the court of public opinion. He felt that it was not fair for her to receive death threats, or for this scandal to “define her forever.”

“The window for making fun of her is probably closing,” he argued. “When joining in a pile-on there is a lot to take into account, and when millions of people all feel the need to weigh in and do it… The punishment can be vastly disproportionate to the offense.”

From there, Oliver’s segment steered away from Olivia Jade, Loughlin and the college bribery scandal. He examined the case of Monica Lewinsky, culminating in an interview with Lewinsky herself. Oliver concluded that public shaming is natural, but it is a tendency that people should look at more closely, especially in the context of the internet.

Last Week Tonight airs on Sundays at 11 p.m. ET on HBO.