John Oliver

John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British comedian, political satirist and actor. He is best known in America for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the satirical comedy podcast, The Bugle. He plays a recurring character, Professor Ian Duncan, on the television series Community. He has worked extensively with Andy Zaltzman; their body of work includes hundreds of hours of satirical podcasts and radio broadcasts, including series such as Political Animal, The Department, and The Bugle. In 2013, it was announced that Daily Show host Jon Stewart would be taking a three-month leave from the show to direct his first film, titled Rosewater, and that Oliver would be replacing him as host for the summer months. He is a permanent resident of the United States and lives in New York City. --- Oliver was born in Birmingham  and educated in Bedford at the Mark Rutherford School. His parents were teachers from Liverpool and Oliver is a big Liverpool F.C. fan. In 1998 he graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge, where he studied English and was Vice-President of the Cambridge Footlights for 1997–98, when the President was Richard Ayoade. According to Edward Helmore in The Guardian: "His style leans toward the kind that Americans like best from the British - exaggerated, full of odd accents and mannerisms, in the vein of Monty Python." Oliver first appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2001 as part of The Comedy Zone, a late-night showcase of newer acts. He performed his debut solo show in 2002 and returned in 2003. In 2004 and 2005, he collaborated with Andy Zaltzman on a double act and co-hosting Political Animal, with various acts performing political material. Jon Stewart was apparently told about Oliver by a friend, the English comic Ricky Gervais, whom Oliver did not know. After relocating to New York City for The Daily Show, Oliver began performing stand-up in small clubs around the city, later moving on to headline shows in larger venues. Oliver joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as its Senior British Correspondent in July 2006. He says he got interviewed for the show on the recommendation of comedian Ricky Gervais, who had never met Oliver but was familiar with his work. Oliver says that, after the interview, he "pretty much started the next day." As a writer for the show, Oliver has received outstanding writing Emmys in 2009, 2011 and 2012. --- John Oliver currently lives in New York with his wife Kate Norley, an Iraq War veteran who served as an Army medic. Oliver has said that they met at the 2008 Republican National Convention where he was doing a piece for The Daily Show and Norley was campaigning with Vets for Freedom after she and other veterans hid Oliver, the other correspondents, and the camera crew from security. The two married in October 2011.