Megyn Kelly launched a scathing critique of John Oliver’s recent Last Week Tonight segment defending transgender athletes in women’s sports, calling his arguments “absurd” and “offensive” to female athletes like Riley Gaines and Payton McNabb. Kelly accused Oliver of dismissing biological reality and minimizing the physical risks posed by allowing males to compete against females.
Kelly mocked Oliver’s claims that biological males don’t hold inherent physical advantages over females, stating: “John Oliver thinks he’s Walter Cronkite and decided he’ll be the final arbiter on whether men should be allowed to play in women’s sports.” She emphasized that common sense and observable reality—not “leftist” studies—prove males retain athletic advantages post-puberty.
Oliver targeted Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer who competed against transgender athlete Lia Thomas. Kelly defended Gaines’ advocacy, slamming Oliver for portraying her as part of a “made-up right-wing catnip” issue. “Riley Gaines is fighting for women’s rights,” Kelly said, criticizing Oliver’s “ridiculous arguments” as detached from the experiences of female athletes.
Kelly highlighted Oliver’s “disgusting” skepticism toward Payton McNabb, a volleyball player who suffered a concussion and neck damage after being spiked by a transgender athlete. Oliver downplayed McNabb’s injuries by noting she later played softball, prompting Kelly to counter: “A concussion is genuinely traumatic… The fact that she overcame it doesn’t erase the unfairness”.
Kelly framed Oliver’s stance as emblematic of “woke” ideology sacrificing women’s safety for political correctness. She urged conservatives to reject such narratives, predicting continued electoral victories for those defending women’s sports. The segment has sparked outrage among conservatives, with commentators like Jason Whitlock echoing Kelly’s criticisms.
Kelly concluded by mocking Oliver’s physical stature, quipping: “His entire monologue is told from the point of his own physical weakness. Shockingly, John Oliver, there are men out there who go through normal male puberty… Not in your mirror, but elsewhere”.
