John Oliver Spotlights Imaginative ‘I Voted’ Stickers from Kentucky Kids on ‘Last Week Tonight’
Last night, my husband and I skipped our usual mindless sitcom before bed to watch the VP debate. Our daughter, grounded from TV, politely declined the offer to witness democracy in action. After about 30 minutes, my husband had enough—no debate would change his mind—so he headed to the bedroom. I agreed; it had been a long day, and despite it being the best presidential debate I’ve seen in a decade, I too was tempted by the comfort of a warm bed and mind-numbing TV. But instead of sitcoms, he turned on John Oliver.
If you’re not familiar, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is a NSFW satirical news show on HBO that combines humor with a deep dive into current events. Oliver excels at taking seemingly mundane topics and showing why they deserve our attention. We watch it right before bed, which means I end up having nightmares about issues like trash and insurance. He starts each episode with an overview of the week’s events, and last night’s included a couple of creative kids from Kentucky.
Oliver kicked off the show by highlighting contests where kids submitted designs for “I Voted” stickers. He showcased a Michigan winner that featured a wolf dramatically ripping off its shirt in front of an American flag while exclaiming, “I VOTED!” Oliver praised it, joking that he’d commit voter fraud for extra stickers.
Then he turned to Kentucky’s stickers, highlighting a winning design by 11-year-old Lillian Bonczkiewicz—a majestic bay horse galloping in front of a shredded American flag. She said her design represented “Kentucky’s unbridled spirit” and “freedom.” I almost put my hand over my heart and recited the Pledge of Allegiance like I was a Griswold at Christmas dinner.
But the real showstopper was a runner-up design featuring The Lizard from “The Amazing Spider-Man,” submitted by a student named Cash Litzler. Cash thought, “if lizard man can vote, you can too.” Oliver pointed out how powerful that message is—lizard men don’t secretly run the government; they get one vote, just like everyone else!
I agree with Oliver—creativity matters. Even though I'm in Indiana and can't get a Kentucky “I Voted” sticker, there’s nothing stopping me from bribing my parents for one.
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