A couple of weeks ago, John Oliver, the host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” spent much of one program going after Amazon and its CEO, Jeff Bezos, accusing the company of “creating a system that squeezes the people lowest on the ladder hard, and all the while the man behind Amazon is now worth $118 billion, more than anyone else in the world.”
Focusing on what he called the low pay and grueling work conditions that Amazon’s warehouse employees endure, Oliver said, “The more you look at Amazon, the more you realize its convenience comes with a real cost.”
Amazon did not let the accusations go unchallenged. (Good thing, too. Oliver has a history of being able to move the needle in terms of public perception.) Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior VP of operations, went on Twitter to call Oliver’s charges “insulting,” and wrote, “As a fan of the show, I enjoy watching John make an entertaining case for the failings of companies, governments and most recently – Mount Everest … But he is wrong on Amazon.”
(Funny. A lot of people think Oliver is right until he trains his sharp and acerbic wit on them.)
I think the Oliver piece is totally worth watching, and I urge you to do so. (Warning: If you are in an open office or at home with little kids, use headphones. Some of the commentary is definitely R-rated.)
- KC's View:
