John Oliver closed out the eighth season of “Last Week Tonight” with a little help from his friends – or, perhaps more accurately, George Clooney’s friends.
In the show’s final segment, Oliver reviewed some of the season’s highlights, including an appearance from Clooney. Discussing how filming the show in isolation sometimes got him down, Oliver said, “I think I know someone who could make me feel better.” At the snap of his fingers, Clooney appeared beside him in a split screen.
“I was hoping you might be able to cheer me up a bit,” Oliver said to Clooney.
“I’m not supposed to do this, but you seem more pathetic than usual,” the actor deadpanned. “For the next few minutes, I’m going to give you the power to summon any celebrity with that snap.”
A string of celebrity cameos followed, starting with Jennifer Coolidge. The “White Lotus” actress sipped champagne while mistaking Oliver for every other late-night host. “Oh, Jimmy, I love your show,” she said at one point, referencing Jimmy Kimmel . “Do you want me to do a ‘Mean Tweet’?”
Next up was Will Ferrell, midway through sewing a self-portrait on an embroidery hoop. “He gives that power away to anyone,” complained the comedian. “Last week I got summoned by a guy who sold Clooney a pack of Trident.”
RuPaul appeared at Oliver’s next snap with a famous line from “RuPaul’s Drag Race”: “I’m sorry my dear, but it’s time for you to sashay away.” When Oliver explained who he was, RuPaul hilariously shot back, “I thought it was one of the queens dressed up as a marionette doll.”
Rapper Cardi B showed up and thought Oliver was a voice coming from her phone: “Alexa? FBI?” she asked.
And Brian Baumgartner, best known for playing Kevin on “The Office,” addressed Oliver as if he were recording a Cameo for him.
Finally, “SNL” alum Leslie Jones dropped by, only to say, “I don’t wanna be part of this…alacazam!”
At the end of the sequence, Clooney regrouped with Oliver to ask how he enjoyed his experience. “Just because this year didn’t work out like you thought it would, that doesn’t mean that shamelessly bringing in celebrities for the finale wouldn’t cheer you up,” he remarked.
Oliver and Clooney closed out the show with a cheeky message: “Celebrities make everything better except in the many situations in which they do not.”
Before saying goodnight, Oliver wished his viewers good health and said “We’ll see you next year.”
In 2020, HBO renewed “Last Week Tonight” for three more seasons, taking the late night show through to 2023. The show will likely return for its 9th season in February 2022.