John Oliver on coronavirus: 'We’re going to need to look out for one another'

“Well, well, well, um … this is weird, isn’t it? This is definitely weird,” said John Oliver on the last episode of Last Week Tonight for the foreseeable future, as coronavirus shuts down production of late-night television. “As you can clearly tell, this isnotgoing to be our usual show this week.” For one, there was no studio audience. Oliver wasn’t in his usual studio, either, as the place where he normally tapes confirmed cases of coronavirus last week. Instead, he taped from an undisclosed location, with a “white-void set” that looked like “where movie characters go when they’ve just died”.

It was a fittingly surreal cap on an unnerving week in America, the week in which, said Oliver, “the coronavirus, for many people here in the US, seemed to go from an abstraction to a very real threat”.

Ten minutes of news in the past week could be the chorus of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire – the NBA abruptly suspended, all sports canceled, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson test positive for the virus, Trump bans travel from European countries except the UK, then bans travel from the UK. There have been more than 164,000 cases of coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, and over 6,400 deaths.

“We are clearly in the midst of a rapidly escalating outbreak,” said Oliver, “and it’s very difficult to say exactly where things stand – especially because, despite Trump repeatedly claiming otherwise, tests for this virus are still not available in most places to those who need them, which means that we can’t properly track the virus, or know how quickly it’s spreading.

“That is not only catastrophic, it’s also deeply frustrating, especially when you see how quickly other countries, including South Korea, ramped up their testing capabilities,” Oliver continued.

Still, Trump tried to assuage the public with a speech on Wednesday

that Oliver described as “a complete mess – despite the fact he was reading from a prepared statement, he managed to mistakenly claim that imports from Europe were being cut off – which they were not – that insurers would waive co-pays not just for testing but for treatment, which at present, they won’t. And he seemed to imply that Americans in Europe could not get back into the country, which they can.”

“Nothing is fine here. The president’s response has sadly been characterized by disorganization and lies, and the all-time low so far came in his Rose Garden press conference on Friday,” in which Trump paraded CEOs manufacturing coronavirus tests, defied public health advisories by shaking hands and touching the microphone over 30 times, and pretended to forget disbanding the White House’s pandemic response team in 2018.

“That is a level of dodging responsibility that Trump has been perfecting ever since he was very much not in Vietnam,” Oliver said of the performance.

Trump’s conduct and downplaying of the outbreak has been “both frustrating and extremely unnerving, and is actively contributing to a sense of confusion in the country at the moment”, said Oliver. So he recommended temporarily setting the president aside, at least mentally. “Don’t worry, there is going to be ample time to be utterly furious with him later. But the fact is, even though this should not be the case, it seems we’re going to be a little bit on our own here.”

Oliver recapped some basic rules encouraged by health experts: wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, make sure you cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow, not your hand. Wear masks only if you have symptoms or if you are caregiver. And most importantly, STAY HOME. Social distancing is “absolutely crucial right now”, said Oliver. It’s obviously not feasible for everyone, so if you do go out, maintain a distance of six feet between other people – “Basically, pretend you’re a British parent and everyone else in the world is your child,” said Oliver. “Keep as much distance as you can, avoid physical contact at all costs, and if any one of them tries to give you a hug, reject it.

“Yes, proper social distancing involves some sacrifice, but this is a critical thing that we should all do for the more vulnerable among us and the healthcare workers who are going to be in the shit for some time to come.”

Ultimately, “we’re going to need to look out for one another – not just in terms of containing the transmission of this virus, but also in terms of the economic impact that this is going to have on people who may well not be able to weather it.”

Oliver recommended calling elderly neighbors or relatives who might be lonely, donating to your local foodbank and to “try your best to tune out and not pass on misinformation in the coming weeks from sources like, sadly, the president. And instead pay attention to trustworthy information from the CDC, experts like Anthony Fauci, and of course TikTok hamsters. Always, TikTok hamsters.”

“Take care of yourself,” he said, signing off for now, “take care of each other, and we will be back in some form, sometime in the future. Until then, stay safe.”

Water festival (Virginia Beach, 24-26 April) cancelled.13 March: White Denim and Chris Forsyth postpone North American tour (27 March – 18 April) postponed, new dates TBA.13 March: Country Music Hall of Fame (Nashville) to close until 31 March.13 March: Jonas Brothers cancel Las Vegas residency (1-18 April).13 March: Japanese Breakfast postpones March tour, new dates 16-21 June.13 March: Shopping North American tour (13 March to 10 April) postponed, new dates TBA.13 March: Celine Dion postpones North American tour (24 March to 27 April), new dates TBA.13 March: J Cole postpones Dreamville festival (4 April) to 29 August.13 March: Radio 1’s Big Weekend (22-24 May) Dundee cancelled.13 March: Jens Lekman cancels US tour (14 April to 21 May).13 March: Record Store Day postponed until June.13 March: BPM festival (Miami, 22 March) postponed, new dates TBA.13 March: Under the Southern Stars Australia tour (3-19 April) cancelled.13 March: Rage Against the Machine postpone North American tour (26 March to 20 May), new dates TBA.12 March: Snowbombing festival (Mayrhofen, Austria, 13-18 April) cancelled.12 March: Pixies postpone remaining Australian tour dates (12-17 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Avril Lavigne cancels world tour (13 March to 24 May).12 March: Bikini Kill cancel US and Canada tour (13-23 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Underworld postpone Norway and Denmark dates (13-15 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Big Ears festival (Knoxville, Tennessee, 26-29 March) cancelled.12 March: Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Cleveland, Ohio, 2 May) postponed, new date TBA.12 March: Juno awards (Saskatoon, 15 March) cancelled.12 March: LOVR Benefit ft Chris Martin (Los Angeles, 21 March) postponed, new date TBA.12 March: Bob Weir postpones US tour (13-25 March), new dates from 7 October.12 March: C2C festival (London, Dublin and Glasgow, 13-15 March) postponed, new dates TBA.12 March: Lollapalooza Brazil (Sao Paolo, 3-5 April) postponed, new dates TBA.12 March: Tool postpone 16 March concert in West Valley City, Utah; remaining tour dates proceeding.12 March: Dan + Shay postpone US arena tour, new dates from 30 July.12 March: The Who postpone UK tour (16 March to 8 April), new dates TBA.12 March: Iggy Pop reschedules French tour, new dates from 10 September.12 March: Capital One JamFest (Atlanta, 5 April) cancelled.12 March: Billie Eilish postpones North American tour (13-28 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Chelsea Wolfe postpones European tour (13 March to 1 April), new dates TBA.12 March: My Chemical Romance postpone Australia and Japan tour (20-29 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Mumford and Sons Teenage Cancer Trust show (23 March) postponed, new date TBA.12 March: Days of Summer Cruise festival (Miami) postponed to 1-15 July 2021.12 March: Cher postpones US tour, new dates from 8 September.12 March: Mount Eerie postpones North American tour (12-19 April), new dates TBA.12 March: Bonnie “Prince” Billy cancels US tour (12-15 March).12 March: Willie Nelson cancels Luck Reunion festival (19 March).12 March: Best Coast postpones North American tour (14 March to 2 April), new dates TBA.12 March: Pussy Riot postpone North American tour (13 March to 19 May), new dates TBA.12 March: Blood Orange postpone North American tour (12-20 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Wilco postpone certain US tour dates (18 March to 5 April).12 March: TNGHT postpone European tour (16-22 March) to July, new dates TBA.12 March: Maluma postpones European tour (13 March to 4 April), new dates TBA.12 March: Action Bronson cancels US tour (25 March to 21 May).12 March: Kenny Chesney postpones US tour (18 April to 28 May), new dates TBA.12 March: Chris Stapleton postpones US tour (12-21 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Blake Shelton postpones tour (12-21 March), new dates TBA.12 March: Jay Som postpones UK and European tour (17 March to 8 April), new dates TBA.11 March: Pearl Jam postpone first leg of North American tour (18 March to 19 April), new dates TBA.11 March: Berlin club Berghain cancels all self-produced events until 20 April.11 March: They Might Be Giants postpone US tour, new dates starting 8 September.11 March: Poppy postpones European tour (13-30 March), new dates TBA.11 March: Treeford Music festival (Boise, Idaho) postponed until 23-27 September.11 March: Stagecoach festival (Indio, CA) postponed to 23-25 October.10 March: World Tour Bushfire Relief Concert (Melbourne, 13 March) cancelled.10 March: Zac Brown Band postpone US tour (12 March to 25 April).10 March: Coachella festival (Indio, California) postponed to 9-11 October and 16-18 October.10 March: Bans Off My Body benefit with Courtney Love and Melissa Auf Der Maur (New York City, 14 March) postponed, new date TBA.9 March: Madonnacancels Paris dates (10-11 March).9 March: Carlos Santana cancels European tour (14 March to 5 April).9 March: Pearl Jampostpone North American tour (19 March to 19 April), new dates TBA.7 March: SXSW festivalcancelled (Austin, 13-22 March).6 March: Ultra festival (Miami, 20-22 March) cancelled.5 March: Tomorrowland Winter festival (Alpe d’Huez, France, 14-21 March) cancelled.28 February: BTS cancel South Korea tour (11-19 April); US dates (from 4 May) still proceeding.28 February: Green Day postpone East Asian tour (14-28 March).13 February: Stormzypostpones Asian leg of world tour.

Classical

16 March: The Wigmore Hall is to close until Tuesday 14 April. The entire building in Wigmore Street, London – its restaurant and box office too – will be fully closed during this period.16 March: The Royal Opera House, London has cancelled all performances and closed its doors to the public with immediate effect. 16 March: The International Opera Awards, due to take place at Sadler’s Wells, London on 4 May, have been postponed until 21 September. 16 March: A day of celebrations that included a public concert in Leeds on 22 March in honour of the 100th birthday of Dame Fanny Waterman, the founder of the Leeds Piano Competition, has been cancelled.13 March: Paris Opera cancels the concert of Monteverdi, Rossi and Handel on 18 March, Don Giovanni from 21 March to 24 April.12 March: London Philharmonic Orchestra cancels tour of Luxembourg, Germany and Austria (13-19 March).12 March: Salzburg Easter festival cancelled.12 March: LA Philharmonic cancels all performances until end of March.12 March: New York Philharmonic cancels all performances until end of March.12 March: Washington Ballet reschedules Swan Lake to June 2020.12 March: Philadelphia Orchestra cancels all events and rehearsals until 23 March.12 March: LA Opera cancels Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux.12 March: Seattle Opera cancels all events until end March.12 March: Metropolitan Opera cancels all performances and rehearsals until end of March.12 March: André Rieu and Johann Strauss orchestra cancels remainder of US tour.11 March: Yuja Wang cancels European tour.11 March: Bavarian State Opera cancels all performances until 19 April.11 March: San José Opera cancels The Magic Flute.11 March: Lang Lang cancels Freiburg concert; new date TBA.10 March: San Diego Opera cancels March performances.10 March: Paris Philharmonic cancels March performances.10 March: Cleveland Orchestra cancels European and Abu Dhabi tour (16 March to 4 April).6 March: Edinburgh International Harp festival (3-8 April) cancelled.28 February: Venice Teatro la Fenice cancels all events until 5 April.28 February: Lausanne Chamber Orchestra cancels March concerts.27 February: National Symphony Orchestra cancels Japan tour.

Stage

16 March: Dozens of major West End and UK theatres (SOLT and UK Theatre member venues) to close and remain closed until further notice. 16 March: Sadler’s Wells cancels all performances with immediate effect for up to 12 weeks.16 March: Royal Court theatre in London cancels Shoe Lady and upcoming productions.16 March: Indecent at the Menier Chocolate Factory – all performances suspended until 12 April.16 March: Festival theatre, Kings theatre and the Studio in Edinburgh cancel or postpone all performances until end of April.16 March: La Cage aux Folles cancels all remaining performances (until 21 March) at Park theatre, London16 March: Finborough theatre in London postpones Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad (originally scheduled for 31 March-25 April) until 2-27 February 2021, and Women Without Men (originally scheduled for 28 April-23 May) until 11 August-5 September 2020.15 March: Bunker theatre in London postpones Power Share week (scheduled for 16-21 March)15 March: Endgame at the Old Vic theatre, London, cancels last two weeks of its run.15 March: Arcola theatre in London suspends all public performances until further notice.15 March: Turbine theatre in London cancels all performances until 18 April.14 March: The Glass Menagerie, starring Isabelle Huppert, at the Odeon in Paris cancelled until further notice. Other French theatres including the Moulin Rouge cabaret also closed.14 March: Seven Deadly Sins by Tanztheater Wuppertal at the Châtelet, Paris (24-29 March), cancelled.13

March: Jenna Friedman at Soho theatre (17-28 March) cancelled. To be rescheduled.13 March: Melbourne comedy festival cancelled.13 March: Odeon theatre in Paris cancels performances until further notice.13 March: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Charing Cross Theatre. To be rescheduled.13 March: Steve Martin and Martin Short cancel shows in Dublin and London (13-15 March).13 March: Paris Opera cancels all performances of Manon until 3 April and George Balanchine until 10 April.13 March: Lifeboat (Catherine Wheels production) at East Linton Community Hall, Scotland, on 14 March is cancelled.12 March: Greek theatres closed until 28 March.12 March: Larger theatres in Ireland including the Abbey and Gate in Dublin closed until 29 March.12 March: Broadway theatresclosed until 12 April.11 March: Berlin’s larger theatres, operas and concert halls including Schaubuhne and Volksbuhne closed until 19 April.8 March: Italian theatres closed, including the Scala until 3 April.6 March: Chester Storyhouse postpones Brewster’s Millions and Antigone. New dates not yet announced.5 March: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella postponed from September 2020 to 9 October, now at Gillian Lynne theatre, London.

Books

16 March: Strand bookstore in New York closed until further notice.16 March: Huddersfield Literature Festival (19-29 March) cancelled.16 March: Sydney Writers Festival (27 April-3 May) cancelled.16 March: Oxford Literary Festival (27 March-5 April) cancelled.16 March: Stoke Newington Literary Festival (5-7 June) cancelled.16 March: Bristol Women’s Literature Festival (28-29 March) cancelled.13 March: Rathbones Folio prize ceremony cancelled, winner will be announced 23 March.13 March: International Booker prize shortlist ceremony cancelled (was 2 April).12 March: Jenny Offill’s UK book tour for Weather, scheduled 12-19 March, cancelled.11 March: John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston closed until further notice.11 March: rescheduled Bologna Children’s Book Fair cancelled.10 March: Windham-Campbell prize ceremony, scheduled for 19 March in London, cancelled.10 March: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, scheduled for April, postponed to October.4 March: Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, scheduled for 15-21 April, cancelled.4 March: London Book Fair, scheduled for 10-12 March, cancelled.3 March: Leipzig’s book fair, scheduled for 12-15 March, cancelled.1 March: Paris Book Fair, scheduled for 20-23 March, cancelled.24 February: Bologna Children’s Book Fair, scheduled for 30 March to 2 April, postponed until May.

Art & Design

16 March: National Gallery in London announces that its exhibition on the life and work of Artemisia Gentileschi is postponed16 March: The Modern Institute, Glasgow, closes until further notice. 16 March: Royal Academy in London stays open but cancels its Festival of Ideas, due to have taken place 29 April–3 May16 March: The ICA in London closes its whole building, including galleries, cinemas and restaurant, for the forseeable future16

March: Wellcome Collection in London announces it will close from 6pm 16 March. 16 March: Photographers Gallery in London reduces its opening hours from 11am to 5pm with staggered entry to reduce the risk of infection. 16 March: London Original Print Fair, due to take place 1-3 May, cancelled. 14 March: South London Gallery closes at 6pm and announces that it will not reopen until further notice – the first British publicly funded art gallery to take this step. Others, including Tate, remain open13 March: San Francisco shuts the Asian Art Museum, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) until the end of the month.13 March: Sadie Coles makes London galleries appointmentonly until further notice.13 March: BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels closes until 3April.12 March: All major New York museums including the Whitney, the Metropolitan, SculptureCenter, Neue Museum, Guggenheim, Brooklyn Museum, the Shed, the Frick and MoMA close to the general public until further notice. 12 March: Gagosian closes all its galleries including London, New York, Los Angeles and Rome until further notice. Most private galleries also announce closure.12 March: The Broad and J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles announces closure until further notice; LACMA stays open but cancels public events of more than 50 people.12 March: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC closed until at least 4 April.12 March: Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam closed until at least 31 March.12 March: All cultural institutions (including theatres and nightclubs) closed in Berlin, Germany until at least 20 April.12 March: Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin closes until at least 29 March.11 March: In Madrid, Spain, governmentrun museums including the Prado are closed indefinitely.11 March: La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona limits visitors to 1,000 people.10 March: Dark Mofo music and art festival in Tasmania, Australia, cancelled.9 March: In Paris, the Louvre announces that only visitors with pre-booked tickets will be admitted. Musee d’Orsay caps visitors at 1,000.9 March: The Photography Show, Birmingham moved from March 14–17 to September.8 March: Museums and heritage sites closed throughout Italy.4 March: Venice architecture biennale postponed, due to open 29 August.28 February: Japan closes all museums until 17 March.23 February: South Korea closes all museums until further notice.26 February: Milan Furniture Fair postponed until June.28 January: All museums in Hong Kong closed until further notice.23 January: Museums closed throughout China.

Games

28 February: Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, scheduled for March 16-20, cancelled11 March: E3 in Los Angeles, scheduled for June 9-11, cancelled13 March: Insomnia66 gaming festival in Birmingham, scheduled for April 10-13, cancelled13 March: EGX Rezzed in London, scheduled for 26-28 March, postponed until summer