Skip to main content

It's official! Connecticut city names a sewage plant after John Oliver as part of tongue-in-cheek feud with mayor who told British comedian that the facility was 'full of cr*p like you'

It's official. Every time residents of Danbury, Connecticut, flush the toilet, they will be sending their special deliveries to the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant.

The City Council voted 18-1 Thursday night to rename the sewage plant after the comedian, who began a tongue-in-cheek battle with Danbury when he went on an expletive-filled rant against the city on HBO's 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' in August.

The friendly fued stemmed from when Oliver called out racial disparities in the state's jury selection process.

Mayor Mark Boughton didn't waste any time responding on social media. He posted a video of himself at the sewage plant saying the city was going to name it after Oliver. 

'Why?' the Republican mayor asked. 'Because it's full of cr*p just like you, John.'

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton stands in front of the Danbury Wastewater Treatment Plant in as he announces a tongue-in-cheek move to rename the facility after John Oliver. The video above was posted on August 22

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton stands in front of the Danbury Wastewater Treatment Plant in as he announces a tongue-in-cheek move to rename the facility after John Oliver. The video above was posted on August 22

The mayor's video was a response to a segment that Oliver did on his HBO program which called out Danbury and other cities for racial disparities in jury selection. Oliver addressed the matter on his August 30 show (above)

The mayor's video was a response to a segment that Oliver did on his HBO program which called out Danbury and other cities for racial disparities in jury selection. Oliver addressed the matter on his August 30 show

That drew a delighted response from Oliver, but he went off against the city again because Boughton later said he was just joking.

Oliver upped the stakes on his August 30 show by offering to donate $55,000 to local charities if Danbury actually followed through with renaming the plant.

'I didn't know that I wanted my name on your f****** factory but now that you floated it as an option, it is all that I want,' Oliver said.

Boughton said on Friday that the feud has been a good distraction from the coronavirus and other troubles of the times. 

Oliver lobbied the city to officially go through with the renaming of the sewage plant - offering to donate $55,000 to local charities

Oliver lobbied the city to officially go through with the renaming of the sewage plant - offering to donate $55,000 to local charities

He also said Oliver's promised donations have helped spur local fundraising efforts for area food banks that could end up collecting a few hundred thousand dollars to feed needy families.

The mayor added he will be offering tours of the sewer plant for $500 donations to local food pantries.

'I think it's been a home run. It's been a lot of fun,' Boughton said of the spat. 

'If I can put food on people's table for Thanksgiving by naming a sewer plant after a very popular comedian, we'll do it all day long.'

Oliver has offered to provide the new sign for the plant that includes his name, as well as attend the ribbon-cutting, Boughton said. 

A timeline has not been finalized.

Representatives for Oliver and HBO had no immediate comment Friday.

It's still not clear why Oliver singled out Danbury for a tongue-lashing. 

He first brought up the city during an August segment on racial disparities in the jury selection process, citing problems in a few Connecticut towns from decades ago. 

He noted Danbury's 'charming railway museum' and its 'historic Hearthstone Castle.'

'I know exactly three things about Danbury,' he said. 

'USA Today ranked it the second-best city to live in in 2015, it was once the center of the American hat industry and if you're from there, you have a standing invite to come get a thrashing from John Oliver - children included - you.'


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EXCLUSIVE: From a $US13million mansion to a caravan: How the Australian wife of Il Divo singer has been 'forced' to live in a dodgy trailer park after a wildfire burned down their house during a bitter divorce battle

'Forced' into a 'mobile home park': Renee Izambard (nee Murphy) with her estranged husband, the suave Il Divo opera singer Sebastien Izambard An Il Divo opera singer's estranged Australian wife claims she was 'forced' to live in a caravan park after their $US12.95million Malibu mansion burned down in a wildfire days just after she filed for divorce.  Details of one-time Sydney Sony Music executive Renee Izambard's new life after her messy split with French tenor Sebastien Izambard were laid bare in a lawsuit filed with a Californian court this week. Ms Izambard (nee Murphy) is suing insurer State Farm, her estranged husband, an insurance agent and up to 20 others, over an allegedly 'inadequate' policy which covered the couple's destroyed former Malibu home.  Their five bedroom residence - described as a 'no expense spared ... oasis' - and its two guest houses went up in flames on November 8, 2018 during California's devastating Wo...

The HS2 money pit: Ministers are told first stage of high-speed rail line may cost another £800m... six months after a budget increase saw total costs soar by £20.6bn to £43billion

Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. It comes just six months after a budget increase saw total predicted costs for the first stage of the high-speed line soar by £20.6billion to £43billion. In a written statement to Parliament, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said half of this figure is due to preparation of the route for construction involving 'more significant challenges than anticipated'. This includes the need to remove more asbestos than expected. Another 'significant cost pressure' worth £400 million has also been identified during the development of designs for Euston station. Mr Stephenson warned that further investigation is being carried out which 'could identify further pressure'. Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. Pictured: HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson The HS2 route would initially link London and...

Tests may spare school bubbles from isolating: Children could avoid disruption to lessons by being screened for Covid more often under new proposal

Ministers will explore whether children could take more Covid tests instead of self-isolating to minimise disruption to their schooling. Sajid Javid said he was seeking ‘fresh advice’ on the current policy, which sees up to 250,000 pupils miss school every day. He revealed he would discuss the subject with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson after MPs expressed concerns about children being kept at home for ten days – even after a negative PCR test – because a member of their classroom bubble has been infected. It came as the Children’s Commissioner told how pupils had experienced ‘real trauma’ during successive lockdowns. Sajid Javid said he was seeking ‘fresh advice’ on the current policy where children self-isolate, which sees up to 250,000 pupils miss school every day Dame Rachel de Souza described the class bubble system as ‘very very restrictive’, adding: ‘I think everybody would like it if we could get back to normal, as soon as possible.’ Former health minister Steve Brine tol...