John Oliver is taking a bold step to support public broadcasting by auctioning off 65 props from his show, Last Week Tonight. This initiative aims to raise funds for public television and radio stations that have been significantly impacted by recent federal funding cuts. The auction, titled “John Oliver’s Junk,” was announced during the final episode of 2025 and will remain open until November 24, 2025.
In his episode, Oliver highlighted the dire financial situation facing public media, particularly after the Trump administration made cuts totaling $1.1 billion to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. These reductions have left many smaller stations struggling to operate. Oliver’s auction was inspired by the success of the Bob Ross estate, which recently sold three original paintings for $662,000 in support of public broadcasting.
Among the auction items is a standout piece: an original 1987 Bob Ross painting titled “Cabin at Sunset,” which was valued at over $51,000 when the auction opened. Oliver remarked on the assortment of “weird” artifacts collected during the show’s run, stating, “We’ve actually accumulated a bunch of weird artifacts on this show over the years that we could definitely auction off to raise some much-needed money.”
Notable items include Russell Crowe’s jockstrap, which Oliver purchased during Crowe’s “Art of Divorce” sale, and a gold-plated replica of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s testicles from a comedic segment. Other offerings consist of golden Adidas sneakers, wax figures of five former U.S. presidents, VIP tickets to show tapings, and a wine collection humorously titled Cabernet SauvignJohn.
Oliver dedicated a significant portion of his episode to discussing the importance of public broadcasting. He emphasized that these stations provide crucial services such as multilingual programming, emergency alerts, and local investigative journalism. He warned that reduced funding would lead to a reliance on national content predominantly from larger cities, diminishing local voices.
The proceeds from the auction will go directly to the Public Media Bridge Fund, designed to help local stations maintain their operations amid financial challenges. Oliver’s initiative not only shines a light on the struggles of public broadcasting but also encourages fans and supporters to contribute through the auction.
As the deadline approaches, many are eager to see how much money this unique auction will raise for public media, reinforcing the critical role these institutions play in communities across the globe.
