# John Oliver Joke on Diana Death Shocks Audience

> John Oliver's joke about Princess Diana's death shocks audience during Last Week Tonight.
- Title: John Oliver Joke on Diana Death Shocks Audience · TheWrap
- Summary: John Oliver's joke about Princess Diana's death shocks audience during Last Week Tonight. John Oliver joked that Princess Diana's death followed the same…
- Keywords: john oliver, last week tonight, princess diana, secret service, olympus has fallen, hbo, entertainment, culture, business, John, Oliver, Joke
- Source: TheWrap — https://thewrap.com/creative-content/tv-shows/john-oliver-princess-diana-joke-shocks-last-week-tonight-audience
- Author: Andi Ortiz
- Published: 2026-10-05T14:26:30+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: john oliver, last week tonight, princess diana, secret service, olympus has fallen, hbo, entertainment, culture, business
## John Oliver's Last Week Tonight
John Oliver earned audible "oohs" from his audience after making an unexpected joke about Princess Diana's death on Sunday night.
## Secret Service Movie Trailers
Oliver highlighted how many movies the Secret Service has been the subject of, including a trailer for "Olympus Has Fallen".
## Olympus Has Fallen Scene
The movie shows the president and first lady getting into a car accident on a bridge, with the first lady falling into icy water.
## Oliver's Joke on Diana
Oliver joked that the movie scene follows a screenwriting rule: if you want to make a man sympathetic, kill his wife in a tragic accident.
## Diana Death Comparison
Oliver quipped that the British royal family used the same strategy in 1997, as a photo of Princess Diana flashed onscreen.
## Audience Reaction
The audience responded with startled laughter and long "ooohhhhs" after Oliver's joke about Princess Diana's death.
## Key takeaway

John Oliver joked that Princess Diana's death followed the same screenwriting tactic as a movie scene where a first lady dies in an accident.