-So, I want to talk about some good news.
Boris Johnson,
out of the woods. -Yes. Yes.
-The Queen actually gave an address.
This is very rare. -Yes.
-Was it a tonic for you to see the Queen speak?
-I mean, what kind of tonic?
One of those tonics that you think is going to do something,
you rub it on you, and you realize,
"Oh, no, that didn't do it"?
-Yeah. [ Laughs ]
-Like an expensive tonic,
like something from Goop, where you just go --
-Yeah, or maybe like a gin and tonic,
but the tonic's a little flat.
-[ Laughs ] That's exactly it.
-Okay, gotcha.
-You know, 'cause normally the Queen speaks every Christmas.
And if the Queen is speaking at a time that isn't Christmas,
it's not because things are going well.
-It's because Princess Diana just died,
or the country is at war.
-Right. -That's basically it.
So, the Queen turning up
in itself is not a reassuring thing.
If it's a message from the Queen
and it's not "Happy Christmas, everyone,"
then that's not great.
And so, yeah, I hope, for those whom she could calm down,
I hope she calmed them down.
But I don't know if --
We said on our show, what was more inspiring
was that she was wearing a green dress,
and so everyone in England
just started projecting things onto the green dress.
-Oh, because it was a green screen.
It was a natural green screen. -Yeah, it was a green screen.
So, you should never wear green in front of a television camera
unless you're happy to have things --
unless you're happy to wear
things that people want you to wear.
And that's -- In a sense,
the Queen learned a very important lesson,
which is if you don't want to be dressed like Iron Man,
don't wear a green dress.
-So you don't think this was a case of her knowing in advance,
like, "Let them -- They'll have some fun with this"?
-That would be great. -[ Laughs ]
-I mean, it would be wildly out of character,
but it would be very generous, right?
-Like someone choosing a movie poster
that's begging for a [bleep] to be drawn on it.
-[ Laughs ]
God, I've never been much of a monarchist,
but I would really appreciate,
like, her coming to the nation's time of need.
She goes, "No, I don't want to go with the blue.
Give them the green."
-Yeah. "Let them enjoy themselves."
-"Let them enjoy -- Have at it, Britain."
[ Both laugh ]
"This country is at war with a vicious disease.
Have at it."
-[ Laughs ]
One of the people that's reassuring
or certainly has brought some reassurance to many
is Dr. Anthony Fauci.
-Yeah.
-Some say, "How can you stand there if you're a doctor
and listen to the president say things
that we know are scientifically untrue?"
But you actually have some appreciation
for the tough spot he's in.
-Yeah. I mean, yeah.
I think, when he was asked a question,
that question, by a medical journal,
I think his response was, right, "What would you have me do?"
'cause I get, you could have him
just cough "Bull[bleep]" or into your sleeve,
not into your hand. -[ Laughs ]
-"Bull[bleep]. Bull[bleep]"
But, yeah, but that would mean
that he couldn't do his job anymore,
and I think there's nothing more important
than him doing his job as long as he possibly can.
And so he's going to need
to draw on internal reserves of discipline
that I certainly don't have access to.
-No, we're very lucky not to be in a situation
where we have to nod along with people we disagree with.
-That's right. His biggest tell
is just kind of slightly -- just doing that.
-[ Laughs ]
-Rather than just the full, "What the [bleep]"
-It's like he's slowing down a face slap.
Like a -- -That's right. That's right.
Just --
Not just the full, "Oh, God."
-[ Laughs ]
-"I'm so good at my job. How can he be so bad at his?"
-Thank you so much for making time for us.
I really appreciate it.
Thanks for doing your show through all this.
-Congratulations to Alexi on the flower arrangements.
It's nice to see.
-Thank you.
And I know as soon as this is over
you re-scrub those walls to keep them that way, and you're --
[ Both laugh ]
-Full "Karate Kid." Wax on --
Wipe on. -Thanks, John.
-Wipe off.
-We'll see you back in the studio next time, I hope.
-[ Chuckles ] Sure, I'll see you in 2021.
-[ Laughs ] John Oliver, everybody.