John Oliver Fires His Agents After ‘Throwing a Tantrum’ Because They Couldn’t Secure Him a Raise From $1 Million Per Episode in Negotiations With HBO
HBO's 'Last Week Tonight' host John Oliver has fired his agents because they couldn't secure him a raise from $1 million per episode in negotiations for a new deal with the network.
Jun. 7 2024, Published 8:55 a.m. ET
HBO's Last Week Tonight host John Oliver has fired his agents at WME because they couldn't secure him a raise from the $1 million per episode he was already earning in negotiations for a new deal with the network, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Oliver renewed his contract with HBO for another three years at the end of 2023, three sources familiar with the conversations confirmed to Puck. "But given the overall contraction in TV and the fiscal restraints at HBO parent Warner Bros. Discovery, the new Oliver deal actually penciled out to about the same salary or even a slight reduction, depending on how you look at it," the outlet reports.
With a salary of around $30 million for 30 episodes a season, Oliver was already among the highest-paid talents on television — but he still wanted a "big raise."
With a salary of around $30 million for 30 episodes a season, Oliver was already among the highest-paid talents on television — but he still wanted a "big raise."
"Oliver thought he deserved more… and maybe he did. But more likely, this seems like another recent example of a top-tier talent punishing his representatives for the new realities of the marketplace," Puck's Matthew Belloni writes.
"There’s probably a good joke to be made about a TV host who positions himself as a man of the people yet privately throws a tantrum when his own insanely high salary isn’t quite high enough for his liking, but John would do that joke way better, so I’ll pass."
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Oliver's work on the show has even been credited with inspiring real-world action and legislative change regarding issues including net neutrality and bail reform in what has been referred to as "the John Oliver effect."
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After serving as a correspondent and occasional guest host on The Daily Show for years, Oliver began hosting his own political satire talk show, Last Week Tonight, in 2014.
The series has garnered widespread critical acclaim and received numerous accolades, including 61 Primetime Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards.
Oliver's work on the show has even been credited with inspiring real-world action and legislative change regarding issues including net neutrality and bail reform in what has been referred to as "the John Oliver effect."
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