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John Oliver Trolls Disney With Steamboat Willie Promo: ‘What Are They Gonna Do, Sue?’
Jon Oliver promoted his HBO show by posing next to Steamboat Willie, the 1928 version of Disney's Mickey Mouse that is now in the public domain.
In a teaser for the Feb. 18 return of “Last Week Tonight With Jon Oliver” for its 11th season, the host posed next to someone dressed in a suit resembling Steamboat Willie, the 1928 version of Mickey Mouse that entered the public domain on Jan. 1 after Disney’s copyright on the character expired. In an episode of “Last Week Tonight” that aired in April 2023, he discussed the looming expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright — and then introduced a Mickey Mouse-like character as the show’s new mascot, daring Disney’s lawyers to take action. “But if you know anything about this show by now, we do like to take a risk every now and then.” The host also held a mock interview with an animated version of Steamboat Willie, who among other things told Oliver, “I hope Henry Kissinger dies soon.”
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