In his latest episode, comedian and political commentator John Oliver didn’t hold back in mocking Elon Musk and his controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Oliver drew a sharp and hilarious comparison between DOGE’s chaotic operations and the now-infamous Willy Wonka immersive experience in Glasgow, U.K.—a viral fiasco that many have called the biggest event disaster since the Fyre Festival.
“No Idea What They’re Doing”: Oliver’s Take on DOGE’s Failures
Oliver kicked off his critique by calling out DOGE as an organization that seems to have “no idea what they’re doing.” His main target was Musk’s inflated claim that DOGE had saved the U.S. government $55 billion by cutting jobs, slashing contracts, and trimming federal spending.
However, reporters quickly found that this number was wildly exaggerated. According to NPR, the real savings were closer to $2 billion—a far cry from the figure Musk boasted about. Oliver humorously pointed out the gap between reality and Musk’s claims:
“That’s a lot of numbers away from what was originally touted.”
A Willy Wonka-Level Disaster
In one of the episode’s funniest moments, Oliver compared DOGE’s misleading promises to the Glasgow Wonka Experience—a supposed immersive adventure that turned into a viral disaster earlier in February 2024.
The experience, which was advertised as a magical journey into Willy Wonka’s world, turned out to be a poorly executed event featuring cheap props, a sad-looking set, and underwhelming performances.
Flashing an image of a green-haired woman surrounded by smoke and beakers from the event, Oliver joked:
“In fact, there hasn’t been such a stark disconnect between marketing and reality since the Wonka Experience. Right now, we are all her.”
The comparison struck a nerve, perfectly capturing the sense of public disappointment over DOGE’s chaotic policies.
Musk’s Chainsaw Stunt: A Cutting Metaphor
Adding fuel to the fire, Oliver also took aim at Musk’s bizarre chainsaw display during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Musk, celebrating DOGE’s aggressive job cuts, waved a chainsaw around on stage—an image that Oliver found both ridiculous and darkly fitting.
“A chainsaw might actually be a pretty apt metaphor for DOGE,” Oliver quipped. “Musk’s cutting hastily and without a lot of precision.”
Oliver highlighted how this reckless cost-cutting had already backfired:
- The government had to rehire over 300 employees who were essential to managing America’s nuclear weapons program.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) accidentally fired staff responsible for handling the avian flu outbreak response.
The Bigger Problem with DOGE’s Cuts
While Oliver’s jokes landed well with his audience, his criticism pointed to a larger issue: DOGE’s rapid cost-cutting efforts are leading to serious operational failures within the federal government.
By hastily eliminating positions and funding without assessing the long-term consequences, Musk’s DOGE could be compromising:
- National security
- Public health programs
- Essential federal services that citizens rely on
Oliver’s take suggests that cutting for the sake of efficiency, without a clear strategy, could lead to more chaos than savings.
