John Oliver Breaks News to ‘Fox & Friends’ That Julia Roberts Isn’t Actually Erin Brockovich
Last Week Tonight, the late-night program hosted by John Oliver, usually sticks to adding context to complicated news stories — breaking down bills, the implications of different political decisions, the fallout from structural failures. But this week, Oliver had to strip the show down to an elementary level to explain to Fox & Friends Weekend hosts Jesse Watters and Rachel Campos-Duffy that Julia Roberts playing an environmental activist in a movie does not make her an actual environmental activist.
“Think about the environmental activists and corporate America, they weren’t there,” Campos-Duffy said on Fox News, referring to the site of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “This is an Erin Brockovich moment. There was a blockbuster Oscar-winning movie written about something like this.”
More from Rolling Stone
Fall Out Boy, Now a Trio, Debut New Single 'Love From the Other Side' on Kimmel
Aubrey Plaza Knows What Harper and Cameron Really Did in That 'White Lotus' Hotel Room
Jimmy Kimmel Says Elon Musk is Filling Trump's 'Troll Hole' After 'Terrible' Pronouns Joke
And, sure, there was. In 2000, Roberts starred in the titular role of Erin Brockovich. The tagline on the film’s poster even read: “Julia Roberts is Erin Brockovich.” It wasn’t meant to be taken literally. Still, despite the actual Brockovich’s presence, Watters couldn’t help but notice the actress’ absence, asking: “But where is Julia Roberts?”
“You realize Julia Roberts is an actor, right?” Oliver asked in perplexed disbelief. “She was pretending, she’s not actually Erin Brockovich.” Shocking.
As Fox & Friends would believe it, Roberts has lived an impossible life. “I can’t believe I’m the one that has to break this to you,” Oliver continued, ready to burst their bubble. “She didn’t actually ruin her best friend’s wedding (My Best Friend’s Wedding), she’s not a sex worker (Pretty Woman), and she did not die in a small Louisiana town in 1989 (Steel Magnolias). What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Best of Rolling Stone
