John Oliver decimated Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight, tearing into the politician for his “big stunt” to “retaliate” against Disney after the company spoke out against his Don’t Say Gay bill. Oliver bashed the governor for signing a law to end Disney’s self-governance and tax breaks, coming after Desantis, whom he described as having “Green Book vibes.”
While noting that Desantis didn’t fully think through his latest legislation, Oliver explained that Disney “technically functions as a self-contained government, providing essential services.” So, he said, DeSantis’ law “may actually violate the contract clause of the Florida Constitution, and also, the Florida state law requires that the county assumes the district’s debt when it’s dissolved,” according to experts.
Although Orange and Osceola counties — where Disney’s district is located — could inherit around one billion dollars in bond debt, Oliver said, “DeSantis had some reassuring words” despite the “real concerns about all the potential disruption.”
He then cut to a clip of the Florida governor telling a crowd, “We’re gonna take care of all of that. Don’t worry. … Don’t let anyone tell you that somehow Disney is gonna get a tax cut out of this. They’re going to pay more taxes as a result of it.”
Oliver quipped, “Okay, there is just nothing more immediately off-putting than someone starting a sentence with ‘Don’t worry.’ He sounds like a frat boy trying to reason with the cops after a noise complaint: ‘Don’t worry, man. We’re going to take care of all of that. We got everything thought out. You guys want a beer or something? You wanna hang out?’”
The lat night host said he does not think “it’s bad if Disney pays more taxes,” telling his audience, “That would be a good thing.” He continued, “I don’t love that it might happen not through meaningful tax reform, but on the whim of one right-wing dipshit who’s scared of gay people and doesn’t understand the First Amendment. But hey ? ends, means ? what are you gonna do?”
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver airs Sundays at 11/10c on HBO.
