While Sunday’s Last Week Tonight focused largely on the depressing truth about the plastics industry, host John Oliver kicked off the episode with a segment about last week’s Atlanta spa shootings, tackling anti-Asian racism and hate crimes against the Asian and Asian American community in the United States. Following the tragedy, in which eight people were murdered, six of whom were Asian women, many people posted the hashtag #StopAsianHate to their social media, including The View’s own Meghan McCain. Which Oliver thought was pretty rich, considering McCain had publicly defended former President Trump over his insistence on calling COVID-19 “the China virus,†“the Wuhan flu,†or any number of variations thereof. On Monday, McCain tweeted an apology for her defense of Trump’s anti-Asian bombast, acknowledging that “there is no doubt Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric fueled many of these attacks.â€
“I condemn the reprehensible violence and vitriol that has been targeted towards the Asian-American community,†The View co-host wrote on Twitter. “There is no doubt Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric fueled many of these attacks, and I apologize for any past comments that aided that agenda.â€
“I think if the left wants to focus on PC labeling this virus, it is a great way to get Trump reelected,†said McCain in the clip of The View that aired on Last Week Tonight. “I don’t have a problem with people calling it whatever they want. It’s a deadly virus that did originate in Wuhan.†The View co-host concluded, “I don’t have a problem with it, and I think China, had they acted right away, and we had more access to information, maybe it wouldn’t have gotten to the place that it is.â€
“Oh good, Meghan McCain doesn’t have a problem with it,†the Last Week Tonight host declared in mock gratitude. “Listen not to the scores of Asian Americans telling everyone that the term is dangerous and offensive. Instead, gather around, and take the word of a wealthy white woman who’s dressed like she’s about to lay off 47 people over Zoom … There has to be an understanding that saying, ‘I don’t have a problem with the China virus,’ is very much giving space for that hate to grow.â€