John Oliver Slams the “Genius” Who Keeps Changing HBO Max’s Name, Admonishes Parent Company Exec for Anticipating His “Hot Take”

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On Sunday evening, John Oliver didn’t fail to speak about the recent reversion of HBO Max’s name – just one more alteration among many that the streaming platform has undergone recently.

In his prime-time segment on Last Week Tonight, John Oliver discussed President Trump’s frequently contentious interactions with the media. He mentioned that the current administration prohibited the Associated Press from entering the Oval Office due to their refusal to call the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” a name change made early in Trump’s term.

In defense of AP’s action, Oliver pointed out: “They have clients spread across the globe, many of whom still refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, altering its name isn’t just a straightforward matter, considering it might take some time for people to adapt to a new and potentially inconvenient label.”

Oliver defended AP’s choice by explaining: “They cater to clients worldwide, and many of them continue to call that body of water the Gulf of Mexico. Changing its name isn’t as simple as it seems, given the time needed for people to get accustomed to a new, possibly awkward moniker.

Later on, he addressed the latest move by Warner Bros. Discovery, who own HBO and HBO Max, where Last Week Tonight is aired. Displaying different logos/names on screen, Oliver commented humorously: “Occasionally, if one could imagine, before we’ve barely gotten accustomed to one perplexingly named service [HBO Go], someone comes along and makes it more confusing [HBO Now], then manages to make it even more puzzling [HBO Max], and against all logic, it somehow gets worse [Max], only to inexplicably revert back to the confounding thing it initially was [HBO Max].

Recently, Shauna Spenley, the head of streaming marketing at Warner Bros. Discovery, expressed eagerness about Oliver’s thoughts on the company’s name change. Known for his bold critiques, Oliver often targets corporations that own his network (ranging from Time Warner to AT&T to Warner Bros. Discovery) in his show.

Spenley expressed eagerness about his upcoming opinion on the rebrand, stating this during the company’s recent meeting with advertisers. He believes it’s going to generate quite a buzz.

Oliver acknowledged her remarks, responding: “Coincidentally, my corporate entity expressed their eagerness for my perspective on this rebranding just this week — they seem to think my opinion will be quite scorching. So let me make this clear: I don’t appreciate being told what to do. I won’t comply if it’s not my choice. Now, you might have assumed that goading me like that would deter me from acting, but on the contrary, how can a company be so astute when they’re the ones who came up with those silly and confusing names?

At the conclusion of the opening sequence, there was a short visual display that included the different logos the streaming platform has employed over time, accompanied by the phrase “Similarly but with necessary changes.” (This phrase is translated from Latin as “Mutatis Mutandis.”)

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2025-05-19 06:54