John Oliver understands the internet. Like, IMO it’s clear he likes it because he posted more exploitable images of himself, but even if he felt ambiguously about it, the best path forward isn’t to fight the internet, it’s to say nothing, or make a joke of it.
Someone else could learn a lesson from John Oliver.
He and his team are also probably loving this just because it gives them content to talk about on the show. It’s a win-win.
The writers’ strike is still a thing, so who knows when the next episode will be. But hopefully they cover this when they come back.