Pop Culture

John Oliver Gets Cicadas Caught Up on Everything That's Happened Since 1999

Billions of cicadas are about to emerge after spending 17 years underground.

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Image via Complex Original
Complex Original

John Oliver is a super nice guy. In fact, Oliver is such a nice guy that he has now tasked himself with catching up a ton of cicadas on the current state of the world after 17 Internet-free years underground. Billions of cicadas are about to descend upon the nation with a 17-year gap in general cultural knowledge, so Oliver's Last Week Tonight catch-up should provide the bugs just what they need to enjoy their stay.

"Welcome to the new millennium, cicadas," Oliver said in a web-exclusive clip, as Last Week Tonight sadly took the week off. "As for technology, we've made a lot of strides since 1999. The internet no longer screams in agony as you dial into it from your phone line. In fact, you might well be watching this on YouTube, a video distribution platform where teenagers become famous for playing video games and opening boxes." Cicadas, however, are probably far more interested in all the things 1999 took for granted that are (with some remorse) no longer a part of 2016 living.

As Oliver astutely summarized, people are no longer into things like carbs, Cosby Show reruns, and the process of actually paying money for music and/or porn. Thankfully, the years since 1999 have also gifted society with our "new queen," a.k.a. Beyoncé. "Enjoy the world while you have the chance," Oliver said in closing, before ingeniously displaying a photo of one Donald Trump while warning cicadas (and humans) that the world may very well initiate a total collapse if this November's election takes a troubling turn.

Enjoy your stay, cicadas.

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