Talking of the intersection of politics with pop culture, John Oliver adopted his signature satirical style to lay into Katy Perry and her performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” during a last week Tonight segment. Referring to the probable unintended political results of Perry’s rendition, he stretched it as far as blaming the election struggles of Kamala Harris on the performance.
“It wasn’t just an ill-advised performance,” Oliver quipped. “It was a catastrophe of seismic proportions. And somehow, Kamala Harris caught the shrapnel.” The comedian went on to theorize that Perry’s cover, which he described as “bold but misguided,” alienated voters with its lackluster delivery. “Sometimes it’s okay not to have the range,” Oliver added, bringing laughter from the audience.
The joke pokes fun at how cultural moments can sometimes get overanalysed for political impact, especially in the electric atmosphere surrounding elections. Neither Perry nor Harris has responded to Oliver’s remarks yet. The quip, however, started a string of online chatter discussing how public figures are so often held up to a scrutiny that smacks of unfairness for association with a particular event.
Perry, a long-time Democratic party cheerleader, sang the Houston classic at a campaign rally to energize voters of a younger demographic. What was intended as an inspirational move was criticized for coming up short against Whitney Houston’s legendary version. Oliver added some levity to the running debate, pointing out that celebrity performances are often scrutinized far more harshly than warranted.
Twitter, of course, had a big party over Oliver’s comments. Some congratulated him for his quick wit, while some were quick to defend Perry’s artistic freedom to experiment. “She tried, and that’s all that matters,” tweeted one fan, but others were not so kind, with one person labeling the performance as a “generational cringe moment.
By correlating Perry’s performance with the political fortunes of Harris, Oliver masterfully underscored the absurdity in which entertainment and politics often coincide in today’s media space. Whether his theory holds water or not, one thing is sure: John Oliver knows how to keep the conversation going.
For Perry, it’s a reminder that sometimes it’s hard to be the biggest legend of all – like Whitney Houston. Harris perceives it as a lighthearted addition to the otherwise serious process of dissecting politics. Oliver just sees it as another day on the job, serving up sarcasm with a side of cultural commentary.
