British-born comedian John Oliver studied English at Christ's College, Cambridge, before pursuing a career as a stand-up comedian. He gained increasing success with his live act, eventually scoring a big break in 2006 when he became a writer and correspondent on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. He soon became a popular member of the news-parody show's cast, and explored other projects, as well, making his motion-picture debut in the 2008 comedy The Love Guru. In 2009, he was cast in the comedy series Community, alongside Chevy Chase and Joel McHale. In 2011 he voiced the part of Vanity Smurf in the family-friendly big-screen comedy The Smurfs, a role he reprised in later sequels. In 2014, he began hosting his own late-night talk show, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, on HBO.
John Oliver
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- Was vice president (under Richard Ayoade as president) of the Cambridge Footlights theatrical club in the late 1990s.
- Moved to New York to become a writer and correspondent on the Daily Show With Jon Stewart in 2006.
- Met his wife, Iraqi war vet Kate Norley, at the 2008 Republican national convention, where he was filming and she was attending as part of a veterans' advocacy group.
- Received a green card in 2009; staffers at Comedy Central celebrated by giving him apple pie, Budweiser and an American flag.
- Sat in as a guest host of The Daily Show during the summer of 2013 while Stewart was off directing Rosewater (2014).