Within the lengthy historical past of mankind, maybe no particular person has wielded the identical quantity of energy and affect that Elon Musk does. Love him or hate him, the embattled CEO has confirmed to be a power in contrast to few others. Whether or not that power is for good or evil is the topic of a John Oliver monologue that lasts greater than half an hour.

Oliver’s Final Week Tonight present on HBO is a mixture of critical journalism, satire, and comedy wrapped up right into a single package deal. It highlighted every part from grifter non secular leaders to the damaged jail system within the USA. This week although, the richest man on the planet was within the crosshairs.

Oliver calls out Musk’s alleged ties to antisemitism, his “bait and change” techniques early on at Tesla, and his a number of product launch foibles just like the glass that shattered within the Cybertruck and the individual in an Optimus robotic swimsuit two years in the past. He additionally highlights how Musk evidently has sufficient private particular person energy to dictate issues of warfare between Ukraine and Russia.

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Extra: Tesla Would possibly Channel Ferrari And Apple Techniques With Restricted Cybertruck Rollout

Most individuals with comparable points could be referred to as out in a heartbeat and probably “canceled” however as Oliver factors out, many imagine that Musk is a “internet constructive.” The great issues he does like push for cleaner power and superior area journey know-how have, within the opinion of some, given him a type of ‘corridor cross’ to behave badly in any other case. Like many others in Hollywood, Oliver calls to account Musk’s takeover of Twitter.

The comic and host goes so far as to indicate a brief clip of two white supremacists who brazenly discuss how significantly better issues are for his or her motion since Musk’s takeover. That’s solely a tip of the iceberg on the subject of what Musk finally controls. Over half of the energetic satellites within the sky are these of SpaceX.

Oliver quotes one report that states day by day “Musk’s corporations management extra of the web, the ability grid, the transportation system, objects in orbit, the nation’s safety infrastructure, and its power provide.” Ultimately Oliver’s personal emotions possible echo many within the inhabitants “I’m in all probability now extra impressed by what he’s doing however extra frightened by the truth that he’s the one doing it.”

The Tesla CEO, in his normal Musk trend, responded to Oliver’s takedown on his X platform, previously referred to as Twitter, saying, “Oliver was nice a number of years in the past, however stopped being humorous when he offered his soul to wokeness the place humor is mainly unlawful”.

Historian Lord Acton as soon as famously mentioned, “Energy tends to deprave; absolute energy corrupts completely.” That assertion may apply to Elon Musk extra so than some other human in historical past. Right here’s to hoping that Lord Acton acquired it fallacious however Oliver makes a case that maybe he didn’t. 

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