John Oliver Throws Major Shade at Jay Leno’s Comedy Advice: ‘Hard Pass’ first appeared on Parade on Aug 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared. The rock goddess just proved some voices only get better with time.

John Oliver isn’t interested in Jay Leno’s advice about what today’s late-night hosts are doing wrong. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter out Tuesday, the Last Week Tonight host was asked about Leno’s take that late nights hosts like Oliver,

John Oliver will not be taking Jay Leno's "comedic advice" after the former Tonight Show host slammed current late-night hosts for their political comedy.

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“I’m going to take a hard pass on taking comedic advice from Jay Leno ,” the 30-time Emmy Award winner told The Hollywood Reporter in a Q&A published Tuesday. When probed further about the former “Tonight Show” host ‘s belief that comedy on late-night TV should cater to the widest audience possible, he poo-pooed that as well.

John Oliver and Jay Leno have differing opinions when it comes to political comedy on late-night TV. In a recent interview with David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation,

According to Leno, today's hyper-politicized late-night shows aren't what audiences want to see. “I like to think that people come to a comedy show to kind of get away from the things, you know, the pressures of life,