John Oliver wasted no time in declaring that last week was “one hell of a week,” which included not only the RNC but the unfolding situation in Kenosha, Wisconsin after police shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back. In the midst of subsequent protests, Tucker Carlson jumped to the defense of white vigilante teen Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot and killed two protesters after supposedly entering the scene to help “defend property.” This led people to call for Carlson’s firing from Fox News, given that he had managed to top himself while asking, “How shocked are we that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would?”
Oliver joined in with everyone else who’s aghast at the Carlson situation, and he ripped into the Fox News host. “Well, you don’t seem to be shocked, and that alone should be pretty fucking shocking, because let’s be clear. A 17-year-old vigilante with a rifle cannot maintain order, because a 17-year-old vigilante with a rifle trying to maintain order is himself the definition of disorder. Except, of course, if you’re a regular viewer of Tucker Carlson, a show that exists to teach its viewers precisely three things: Property damage is violence, homicide is order, and pillows are for sale.”
Oliver pointed out that Rittenhouse, a noted MAGA fan who sat front-row at a January Trump rally, may very well have watched the McCloskeys speak at the RNC about their right to bear arms and defend property. Even if Rittenouse didn’t catch that segment, Oliver observes, it really doesn’t matter, since Tucker Carlson’s so accustomed to picking up the subject that he immediately tried to justify Rittenhouse’s actions. This left much of the nation aghast, including Trevor Noah, who takes extreme issue with Rittenhouse being treated better by police than Jacob Blake.
Rittenhouse has since been charged with first-degree intentional homicide. Watch the Tucker Carlson/Kenosha segment beginning at 8:00 above.