John Oliver is back with another fake gimmick — this time, a church.
After a lengthy segment in which Oliver detailed Health Care Sharing Ministries (HCSM), non-profits with common religious beliefs that share medical bills, and how they regularly exploit morality clauses to deny coverage to queer people, the obese or even people who smoke or drink, the host decided to bring the hammer down on the hypocritical organizations by starting one of his own.
Oliver founded Our Lady Of Perpetual Exemption, a bogus church, in 2015 to expose U.S. tax laws that allow preachers to get away with saying almost anything on television. In the bit, Oliver and his fake wife, played by Rachel Dratch, promised viewers that great things would happen to them if they sent them real money.
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In the renewed schtick, Oliver and Dratch reprise their roles as televangelist with a slightly different message. This time they went on air to peddle memberships to their own HCSM that includes a first aid kit with just 3 Band-Aids, all for $1.99.
“We know that sometimes in life accidents happen, but if they happen more than three times it just stops being our problem,” Dratch said.
“Let me be clear. When you sign up for a membership you’re not paying for your own first aid kit, you’re paying for someone else’s and they are paying for yours,” Oliver said.
“And that gives you freedom from insurance. And us from responsibility!” Dratch quipped.
Oliver continues, “Whatever it is we’re going to reject it. No deductibles, no claims and no contracts except for the one written on our hearts.”
The host encouraged viewers to go to the website to see if they qualify, send them money and get almost nothing in return.
“As close to nothing as we can get away with!” Dratch ended with.
Check out the real website for the fake church here.
