A convincing case could be made that “Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver is the biggest fan of “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” and he definitely wants Jen Shah to return to the show once she gets out of prison. If she doesn’t, Oliver might lose a little faith in Bravo’s Andy Cohen.
Stopping by “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on Tuesday, the HBO host raved about the reality show, telling Colbert point-blank that “it’s better television than both of our shows.” Oliver praised the antics, the drama and the fact that there have been literal crimes committed on-camera.
Specifically, he was referring to Shah, who is currently serving a six-and-a-half-year sentence for wire fraud, after she pleaded guilty to defrauding hundreds of people (many of them elderly) in a telemarketing scheme. Naturally, Colbert wondered if Shah would return to the show after serving her time.
“If she does not get to go back on the show when she comes out, Andy Cohen is not the super producer that I think he is,” Oliver replied. “I think she walks straight back onto that show saying, ‘I’ve had a more interesting life than you. Sit down ladies, your tequila sales can come later. Jen’s got some stories.’”
Among those stories, Oliver figured, would be her encounters with fellow inmates, which include convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell and convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes (apparently, Shah and Holmes have bonded during their stay).
“You don’t think she’s coming out with stories about Theranos and Epstein?!” Oliver bellowed.
When Colbert asked whether Oliver has discussed Shah’s possible return with Cohen, the comedian said he’s mostly just told the Bravo host about his general love for the show.
“I’ve said to him that I think this show is amazing, because it is. They’re both intentionally funny and unintentionally funny,” Oliver explained. “They think they’re self aware. They’re not. They’re hawking products that are various degrees of a disaster. Everyone’s got a solid grift.”
You can watch Oliver’s full tangent about “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” in the video above.
