Yesterday on Last Week Tonight, John Oliver took on the multi-billion dollar payday loan industry also known as the art of screwing over financially unstable people. And Oliver got by with a little help of his friend, Sarah Silverman.
Oliver highlighted some of the more ridiculous aspects of the loan industry from interest rates that can reach 1900% to political involvement and protection of lenders to the lack of regulation to various loopholes that lenders use to avoid attempts at regulation. He then went on to offer his own counter-campaign, complete with a celebrity spokesperson: Sarah Silverman. It’s called “Anything Else,” and it’s what you should do when considering a payday loan. As Silverman says, “…if you’re thinking of getting a payday loan, just simply pick up the phone, and then put it down again and do literally anything else.”
Her bit comes right at the end of the 16-minute clip, though you should probably watch the whole thing if you’re aching for some hair-pulling informed frustration with that morning cup of joe.
