Unless you're a semi-avid viewer of financial news, you probably don't care one way or another about the Brexit, aka the British Exit from the European Union (EU). That's why John Oliver's takedown of the Brexit's proponents last night was helpful to even the most ambivalent of people. He managed to turn a dull, yet important economic event into something funny and slightly interesting.
Oliver explains what it is, why it is and why it should be rebuked by anyone with half a brain, at least the half that isn't tainted by frightening nationalism and bigotry.
On Thursday the UK faces and "in out-referendum" on whether to leave the European Union and incidentally an in-out referendum is also what most English people call sex.
A Brexit...could have wide-ranging implications both for the UK and the world's economy and first, it might help to understand what the European Union actually is. The idea for it came after the Second World War when it was understandably a desire to keep the continent from tearing itself apart yet again. And it has since evolved into an economic union of 28 countries whose citizens can trade and move freely across borders and negotiate international agreements as a block.
Oliver makes it clear that the more erudite and reputable people and organizations are totally against the Brexit. But who's for it? He lets the proponents of the exodus speak for themselves and their, perhaps unintentional, likeness to the American Tea Party makes them appear as absurd as their Republican contemporaries in the U.S.
MICHAEL GOVE: UK JUSTICE SECRETARY: I think the people in this country have had enough of experts with the organization's own acronyms...saying that they know what is best, is getting (things) consistently wrong.
OLIVER: Yes! F*ck these eggheads with their studies and degrees! I get my economic forecast from Clever Otis, the GDP Predictive Horse.
Oliver goes into a detailed take down of the UKIP (UK Independence Party) showing how idiotically racist they are, which eerily parallels the Tea Party movement.
Finally, he combats the irritating EU's theme song, which all Britons inherently find loathsome, by re-entering the contest with what he thinks should be the official song set to Beethoven's 9th. The title of his entry, sung by a young English boy is: F*ck You European Union However, as annoying as the EU may be, they absolutely need each other and the UK leaving the EU would be a catastrophic financial decision. And he's absolutely right.
And by the way, Donald Trump has endorsed Brexit. That tells you all you need to know.
