John Oliver aired a years-long grievance he evidently has with Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde — yes, you read that right — on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight.
The HBO host’s major segment focused on the Supreme Court, specifically something called shadow dockets.
“The Court has been repeatedly jumping into ongoing cases to say, ‘You realize what, while this works its way through the courts, Trump should get to do the thing that he desires to do anyway,’” Oliver explained. “It’s principally a football referee saying, ‘Pending a final ruling on the legality of the quarterback having a gun, I’m just gonna stand back and see where he’s going with this.’”
That’s where the shadow docket is available in, Oliver noted, adding that to know what that’s, viewers needs to be reminded how the Supreme Court decides cases.
Oliver then showed a CNN clip where the reporter explained the method, staring out by saying, “Whenever you consider a Supreme Court case, you’re considering of a case on the merits docket.”
The reporter then explained how the case starts in district court, then gets appealed to a circuit court and gets petitioned be heard by the Supreme Court justices, who write briefs, make arguments, ask questions and meet to debate the case before voting on it. After, they write long opinions and dissents based on how they voted.
“Yeah, that could be very principally it,” Oliver said. “Although one small thing there: Saying, ‘Whenever you consider a Supreme Court case, you’re considering of the merits docket,’ excuse me, you don’t know what I’m considering of when I feel of the Supreme Court, especially as what I’m actually fascinated about is how the sequel to Legally Blonde — Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde — dropped the ball by not having Elle Woods argue a case in front of it,” he added of the 2003 movie starring Reese Witherspoon.
“Come on, guys!” he continued his rant. “One of the best a part of the primary movie is the murder trial, and the sequel has no trial scenes? You set the movie in D.C. and don’t let Elle show what she will be able to do in front of the best court within the land? That’s madness.
“Anyway, that’s what I’m at all times considering of when I feel of a Supreme Court case, the one I’m eventually gonna bring against the producers of Legally Blonde 2 for not putting Reese ready to succeed.
“But admittedly, the second thing I’m considering of is that process, the regular established path to the Supreme Court,” he added.