I get nostalgic for British negativity. There is an inherent hope and positive drive to New Yorkers. When you go back to Britain, everybody is just running everything down. It's like whatever the opposite of a hug is. John Oliver backbritainbritish share on social
Southern people are bigger-hearted and kinder than I had any right to expect. John Oliver bigexpecthearted Change image and share on social
There's never any time I think I'm a real journalist, because I don't have any of the qualifications or the intentions for that. John Oliver intentionjournalistqualification Change image and share on social
I do one accent - my own. I can make it louder or quieter. That is the sum total of my vocal range. I thought I could do an American accent until I tried it in front of an American - the expression of horror is still burnt onto my retinas. John Oliver accentamericanburn share on social
I have occasionally - if ever I do interviews that are difficult or nerve-wracking - I take my wife's dog tags and have them in my pocket because it's a very quick way to realize that what I'm doing is not that important. It's not really worth getting stressed about because it's not, you know, war. John Oliver difficultdogimportant share on social
My family is from Liverpool, so I have some of those vowel sounds, I've got the slack tone of someone from Birmingham, and then I was raised in Bedford, which is just north of London. So my accent, if it's possible, makes even less sense to a Brit than to an American. John Oliver accentamericanbedford share on social
We invented words; we'll tell you how they're supposed to sound. John Oliver inventsoundsuppose Change image and share on social
I have exactly as much rhythm as you think I have. John Oliver rhythm Change image and share on social
Australia turns out to be a sensational place, albeit one of the most comfortably racist places I've ever been in. They've really settled into their intolerance like an old resentful slipper. John Oliver albeitaustraliacomfortably Change image and share on social
There is so much cross-pollination between the U.S. and Britain in terms of comedians. British TV comedies work well in the U.S. American stand-ups make it big in Britain. John Oliver americanbigbritain Change image and share on social