Roasting is for the weak. John Oliver believes in straight up burning people. In the latest episode of his YouTube show 'Last Week Tonight', John Oliver decided to take down tobacco giant Phillip Morris International. Having snooped around here and there, Oliver brought to our attention several disturbing facts about the tobacco industry.
According to the episode, Phillip Morris International has so far sent legal notices to Uruguay and Togo for their public health laws and has actually battled 'Australia' (yes, the country) in court against their law to have all cigarette packs made unbranded and plain.
'Last Week Tonight' went so far ahead as to create a new mascot for Marlboro, a Phillip Morris brand. The mascot is a diseased lung in a cowboy costume (a tribute to the iconic Marlboro Man) and his name is 'Jeff'.
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Let’s make Jeff the Diseased Lung the new face of #Marlboro by getting #JeffWeCan to trend worldwide! pic.twitter.com/0tfLVV7YCT
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) February 16, 2015
Furthermore, they created Jeff t-shirts and sent them to Togo and installed Jeff billboards in Uruguay.
They also trended the hashtag #JeffWeCan on Twitter internationally.
#JeffWeCan is currently trending worldwide!
#JeffWeDid!
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) February 16, 2015
A Jeff Twitter account has also come into being but it cannot be said as of yet if it is just a parody, or an official account.
I love the support I am receiving. One day you will see me in your next pack of cigarettes, if you don’t die after that happens. #JeffWeCan
— Jeff the Lung (@MarlboroJeff) February 18, 2015
Tonight’s tweet is sponsored by Marlboros: Marlboros, the company that will die after you do #JeffWeCan
— Jeff the Lung (@MarlboroJeff) February 18, 2015
All in all, this is perhaps one of the most comprehensive studies conducted on tobacco conglomerates and undoubtedly one hell of an initiative taken up. We at IBNLive.com also say #JeffWeCan
