VIDEO: ‘Last Week Tonight’ covers WWE independent contractor status

As their biggest media week of the year began, WWE was again a subject on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver.

WWE and Vince McMahon were the focus of the main segment on Sunday night’s episode. The 23-minute segment covered how wrestlers have been treated by WWE, them being classified as independent contractors instead of employees, and the benefits they don’t receive because of that.

Old clips of Bret Hart, Jesse Ventura, CM Punk, Vince, and Roddy Piper were shown on the episode.

The segment ended with Oliver saying fans have a strong, independent voice in WWE. Oliver said Vince occasionally listens to them, bringing up “#GiveDivasAChance” and WrestleMania being headlined by a women’s match for the first time ever this year. The episode showed how fans have contributed to fundraising campaigns for healthcare and funeral expenses for wrestlers.

Oliver said there’s potentially an opportunity for fans to chant and make signs at WrestleMania about wanting WWE to pay for wrestlers’ long-term healthcare or for them to be classified as employees.

WWE’s relationship with Saudi Arabia and the company going on with Crown Jewel as scheduled were featured on two “Last Week Tonight” episodes in October 2018 as part of the show’s coverage of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

This week’s segment is available to watch below: