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“Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver and actor Will Ferrell partnered for a parody video on what they believed is a better representation of America than Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless The U.S.A.”
While closing his show Sunday night, Oliver mocked the use of Greenwood’s song at naturalization ceremonies, calling him “a tacky Bible salesman with views completely at odds with everything a naturalization ceremony represents.”
“I’m not sure why it’s being played at ceremonies at all, not just contractually or even musically but because Greenwood’s past comments about immigrants have been, to say the least, off-message,” Oliver said.
LEE GREENWOOD ON AMERICA’S VETERANS AND PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY: ‘I HAVE GREAT FAITH’
“Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver mentioned how Lee Greenwood’s song has been used in naturalization ceremonies. (Lee Greenwood)
He continued, “All of this is to say, for multiple reasons, I’d argue Lee Greenwood’s song should never again be played at citizenship ceremonies, because they deserve one genuinely unique to this country. A song that celebrates the nation new Americans are about to join, and the process that they’ve been through, while also not soft-pedaling some hard truths about it.”
The show then aired a video taking place at a local bar with Ferrell beginning a new song.
“You studied hard/You did your best/Filled out the forms, and passed the test/Now you’re part of a land that’s so God blessed/And starting today, you’re American,” Ferrell began.
He continued, “There’s corn dogs and apple pie/Fireworks lighting up the sky/Nascar, rodeo, barbecue/That stuff’s American/Now so are you.”
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Actor Will Ferrell dressed up as cowboy in a parody video for “Last Week Tonight.” (John Phillips/Getty Images)
He later transitioned to describing the country’s “flaws” being “a real big country with real big problems.”
“Televangelists and fossil fuels/Metal detectors in all our schools/Private prisons and Mountain Dew/That stuff’s American/Now that’s your problem too,” Ferrell sang, while also adding, “Ted f—ing Cruz.”
Another verse included, “Nowadays it’s harder to be free/Hard to be the country we ought to be/You weren’t born here, you volunteered/To join your fate to the great and just plain weird.”
Before the song ended, a figure dressed as the “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley with a horned costume and an American flag ran behind Ferrell.
“Holy s— just remembered the coup/That stuff’s American,” Ferrell added.
Oliver attacked using Greenwood’s song as a whole at events. (FilmMagic/FilmMagic for HBO)
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Greenwood’s song gained more attention earlier this year after he performed it at the Republican National Convention in July.
