Jack breaks his silence on Oliver TV6 broadcast

The Independent Labour Party leader called Oliver’s broadcast “a low” for the country saying that as things unfold in the coming months he expects “us to go even lower than that.” The decision to air the broadcast was an attempt to sell the nation short for a few advertising dollars, he said.

Warner was dismissive of the British comedian Oliver, and repeatedly referred to him as “an American” during his taped response, but his wrath was directed at TV6 for selling the air time to Oliver.

“It is really incomprehensible how a local TV station, a national TV station, could allow a foreigner, more so an American foreigner, to come into this country to embarrass its citizens,” Warner said as music played in the background.

Oliver, he said, embarrassed locals by being critical of “the way we speak, the way we look... our culture.” This was in reference to Oliver’s use of local slangs such as, “Family watch me for a minute, nah!’ ‘What’s the scene?’ ‘I know you getting tabanca right now.”

Condemning the TV6 decision to air the Oliver broadcast, Warner said, “If that is what a local TV wants to propagate on our local TV station, I say heaven help us.” He then called on the country to unite against outsiders.

Newsday made efforts to contact Rhonda Ottley, TV6 Station Manager yesterday, but was unsuccessful. Oliver, host of HBO’s news satire Last Week Tonight, purchased the air time to directly address Warner after the embattled politician released a broadcast of his own, also on TV6 threatening to release information on the FIFA corruption scandal.

During his broadcast -The Mittens of Disapproval Are On - aired on June 9 Oliver ripped into Warner and urged him to release whatever information he has.

“The point is Mr Warner, do not blue-ball the entire planet by promising spectacular FIFA revelations, and not delivering,” the comedian said. He followed this up with a plea. “I am begging you. Release everything because here is my argument. Why the hell not?”

In dismissing Oliver, Warner called him a “fool” and charged that he does not take instructions from Americans.

“I don’t need any advice from any comedian fool who doesn’t know anything about this country, to tell me what files to release and what not to release, that is none of his business.”

Further, Warner said it was time to unite. “However much we may disagree and fight among ourselves...we have to stand united against outsiders,” he pleaded.