John Oliver gets his sewerage plant

John Oliver has finally got his sewage works.

The town of  Danbury, Connecticut, has agreed to officially rename its waste water treatment unit the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant after the comedian picked a random fight with the town's mayor.

Council members voted 18-1 in favour of the change, prompting mayor Mark Boughton to post on social media: ‘Yup.. It's official the Danbury Sewer Plant is now the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant. - Your move John. Bam!’

Officials had officially announced plans for the dubious honour as a joke in retaliation for Oliver mocking their city on his HBO show Last Week Tonight, apparently at random,  Boughton told the comic he wanted to rename the facility ‘because it’s full of crap just like you, John.’

But Oliver challenged the mayor to  follow through, dangling a £40,000 donation, to local charities as incentive.

Most residents enjoyed the back-and-forth, except John Esposito, the one council member who voted against the move as reported by the Connecticut Insider.

He said: ‘While I appreciate the humour during a time when we could all use a laugh, I personally don't find anything funny about insulting our community or least of all threatening violence to our children. Sorry to be a party pooper here’.

Mr Esposito seems to taken offence at Oliver’s taunt about the town: ‘If you’re from there, you have a standing invite to come get a thrashing from John Oliver - children included.’

But even children saw the funny side, with eight-year-old Caio P Leaf challenging Oliver to a duel ‘any time, any place’

Council member Roberto Alves: ‘This was a much-needed laugh If John Oliver wants a poop factory named after him, in his own words, "cool".’

The mayor, above, has invited  Oliver to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Published: 12 Oct 2020