John Oliver Stunt Puts Fake Medical Product on Local TV for $1,750

LastWeekTonight

Local television stations forfeit viewer trust by selling unvetted, sponsored lifestyle segments for trivial sums, generating broadcast clips that dubious promoters repurpose to bypass consumer skepticism.

AI-assisted summary of Sponsored Content: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2021-05-24

Key ideas

Local television stations routinely sell airtime to corporate sponsors through disguised lifestyle segments with minimal FCC-mandated disclosures lasting as little as two to six seconds. (2:02)
Advertisers utilize paid local news segments primarily to acquire permanent digital video assets that lend trusted journalistic credibility to unvetted or dubious medical treatments. (12:35)
To expose the lack of basic vetting, Last Week Tonight successfully paid between $1,750 and $2,800 per station to air segments promoting the 'Venus Veil,' an entirely fabricated sexual health blanket. (20:13)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube on May 24, 2021, by LastWeekTonight, this segment features host John Oliver investigating the commercialization of local television news. According to the page description, the episode explores the vital importance of local news integrity, how sponsored content jeopardizes that credibility, and why the so-called Venus Veil is far from the revolutionary health device it claims to be.

## TL;DR John Oliver investigates how corporate broadcast groups compromise journalistic credibility by selling daytime lifestyle segments to commercial advertisers with minimal, fleeting disclosures. The segment highlights how pay-to-play programming lends unearned legitimacy to questionable financial advisors, unvetted stem cell clinics, and dubious medical devices like the Phoenix acoustic wave wand. Advertisers routinely repurpose these broadcast appearances as digital marketing assets, exploiting the public's institutional trust in local news. To prove how easily station gatekeeping can be breached, the show orchestrates an undercover sting with the 'Venus Veil'—a completely fabricated sexual health blanket that successfully purchased uncritical airtime on multiple local news affiliates for under $3,000 per segment.

## Atmosphere & style The presentation blends John Oliver's rapid-fire comedic satire with the sharp, indignant edge of an investigative exposé. Viewers are guided through an emotional arc that begins with amused nostalgia for local news quirks, transitions into jaw-dropping alarm at predatory medical infomercials, and culminates in the gleeful absurdity of an undercover sting. The resulting experience feels equal parts hilariously mischievous and sobering, underscored by genuine frustration at how cheaply broadcast integrity is surrendered.

## Bulletin - [02:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=122s) Local television stations routinely sell airtime to corporate sponsors through disguised lifestyle segments with minimal FCC-mandated disclosures lasting as little as two to six seconds. - [12:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=755s) Advertisers utilize paid local news segments primarily to acquire permanent digital video assets that lend trusted journalistic credibility to unvetted or dubious medical treatments. - [20:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1213s) To expose the lack of basic vetting, Last Week Tonight successfully paid between $1,750 and $2,800 per station to air segments promoting the 'Venus Veil,' an entirely fabricated sexual health blanket.

## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=0s) Local television news remains a primary source of community trust while serving as an indispensable revenue driver for major broadcast conglomerates like Nexstar Media Group. - [02:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=122s) Broadcasters bypass traditional church-state boundaries between news and advertising through 'brandigration,' seamlessly weaving commercial pitches into daytime lifestyle broadcasts. - [04:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=296s) FCC regulations require disclosure of paid commercial programming, but lack strict standards on visibility or duration, resulting in warnings obscured in fast credits or brief two-second on-screen flashes. - [04:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=296s) Major station groups have systematized sponsored content through syndicated lifestyle templates like Scripps's 'The Morning Blend,' Tegna's 'Great Day,' and Nexstar's 'Day Time.' - [04:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=296s) Viewers routinely mistake paid commercial guests for vetted experts, illustrated by a North Carolina financial planner who lost millions of clients' retirement savings after buying regular station appearances. - [07:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=457s) Sponsored content deals have infiltrated hard news operations, including Sinclair Broadcast Group's settlement with the FCC over more than 1,000 uncredited cancer center segments. - [10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) Morning shows broadcast uncritical interviews touting high-priced, questionable medical devices like 'The Phoenix,' an $879 wand registered with the FDA only as a therapeutic massager. - [10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) Lifestyle hosts have promoted unapproved medical procedures like the MonaLisa Touch vaginal laser despite prior FDA safety warnings regarding severe burns, scarring, and chronic pain. - [12:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=755s) Stations air dubious medical claims suggesting stem cell therapies can treat neurological disorders like MS and Parkinson's, despite a lack of FDA regulatory approval. - [12:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=755s) Broadcasters sell daytime airtime as 'video file cakes'—marketing assets created specifically for clients to clip and embed on external websites to bypass public skepticism. - [14:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=878s) Journalistic integrity is further compromised when news personalities perform dual roles, such as serving simultaneously as a chief medical correspondent and a lifestyle show co-host. - [14:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=878s) Last Week Tonight created a fake sexual health blanket called the Venus Veil to test whether stations would vet bizarre scientific claims regarding vaginal 'microdeath' and 1940s German technology. - [16:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1004s) Three local broadcast affiliates in Utah, Texas, and Colorado aired paid segments for the Venus Veil without challenging its medical validity or dubious historical origins. - [20:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1213s) The undercover sting demonstrated that station gatekeepers willingly sold their journalistic credibility for surprisingly modest airtime fees ranging from $1,750 to $2,800.

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=0s) The Tension Between Local News and Advertising

John Oliver begins the main story by celebrating the unique cultural value of local television news—a trusted source for traffic, weather, and legendary broadcast moments, such as veteran New York anchor Sue Simmons dropping an exasperated, on-air “The fuck are you doing?” during a 2012 teaser. Beyond its community role, local news is also a financial powerhouse for station groups. For instance, Nexstar Media Group, one of the nation's largest station owners, has reported generating nearly half of its advertising revenue from commercial spots running during local news broadcasts.

Reconciling public interest reporting with the relentless need to turn a profit has always been an awkward tightrope walk. To illustrate this perennial tension, Oliver plays an archival clip from Baltimore's Channel 11 in the 1960s, where an anchor reads a sobering dispatch about white mobs throwing rocks and bottles at civil rights demonstrators in Chicago, only to pivot instantly to a live commercial for Mash's Hams featuring a man sensually stroking a cured pork leg. Oliver notes the absurdity of jumping directly from racial violence to an ad depicting someone who appears to be intimately romancing a ham—joking that such affections should be reserved for Honeysuckle White ground turkey, “the only ground turkey that's 93 percent lean and 100 percent fuckable.”

[02:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=122s) “Brandigration” and the Rise of Paid Lifestyle Segments

Maintaining an ironclad separation between newsrooms and corporate advertisers has traditionally been treated as sacred, frequently referred to in journalism as the “church-state war.” While Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations mandate that broadcast stations disclose whenever on-air content has been paid for or sponsored, stations routinely bend or circumvent these rules through sponsored content that blends commercial messaging directly into standard programming. Oliver highlights the burgeoning industry of professional “lifestyle experts” who facilitate this practice through what is known in marketing jargon as “brandigration”—integrating a brand, its messaging, and its product seamlessly into daytime talk segments.

In promotional materials pitched to prospective corporate clients, media strategist Michelle Yarn demonstrates how easily brands can secure morning-show interviews across the country with a literal snap of her fingers. Oliver compares her ability to summon local morning anchors out of thin air to having the limited power to summon George Clooney, cutting to a sketch where Clooney appears via video feed, mildly annoyed, and tells him: “I'm eating dinner. I gave you that power in a limited capacity, John.”

Once booked, these lifestyle experts use their access to enthusiastically pitch bizarre consumer products. Segments feature items such as French's Crispy Jalapenos blended into cheeseburger dip, a life-sized liquid cheese fountain for Velveeta shells and cheese, and Doritos Loaded—a discontinued snack resembling deep-fried cheese bites that Oliver compares to a deep-fried fidget spinner. These segments are not standard journalism: the brand pays the expert, and the expert pays the local station to air the segment.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Paid Lifestyle Content Ecosystem accDescr: Diagram illustrating the flow of money and scripted product promotions from brands to viewers through lifestyle segments.

subgraph CommercialSponsors["Commercial Sponsors"] Brand["Commercial Brand"] Agency["Lifestyle / PR Expert"] end

subgraph StationNetwork["Broadcast Station"] Station["Local TV Station"] TemplateShow["Lifestyle Program (e.g., 'Morning Blend', 'Day Time')"] end

subgraph AudienceImpact["Viewers"] Viewer["Local News Audience"] end

[04:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=296s) Minimal Disclosures and the Pay-to-Play Template

Although federal rules require stations to inform viewers that these lifestyle segments are paid promotions, the FCC does not specify the size, prominence, or duration of the disclosures. Consequently, stations minimize warnings as much as possible. During the Doritos Loaded segment, the required sponsor disclosure flashed on screen for a mere two seconds at the conclusion of the interview, paired with an obscure four-second mention buried in the program's final credits. Oliver remarks that six seconds of notice is roughly the same duration that Doritos Loaded remain in the human body before being violently expelled.

Rather than treating these deals as one-off novelties, major broadcasting conglomerates have built entire franchise templates dedicated to packaging and selling sponsored content across their regional networks: - **The E.W. Scripps Company:** *The Morning Blend* - **Tegna:** *Great Day* - **Nexstar Media Group:** *Day Time* - **Sinclair Broadcast Group:** A network Oliver mockingly suggests would produce a show titled *The Muslims Attack at Dawn*

This pay-to-play model extends to local professionals who purchase on-air time to present scripted infomercials disguised as helpful expert advice. In Charlotte, North Carolina, financial advisor Jim Heafner was routinely featured on WBTV’s *Morning Break*, where hosts praised him as an author, certified planner, and “just an all-around great guy.” Oliver points out that viewers treat these enthusiastic endorsements as genuine journalistic vetting, comparing the illusion to someone receiving a paid Cameo message and believing the celebrity is genuinely their best friend.

In reality, Heafner and his firm were subsequently ordered to pay $1 million in arbitration over allegations of losing retirees' savings, and 22 plaintiffs filed lawsuits seeking damages for $2.7 million in lost retirement funds. Describing the misplaced credibility local broadcasts provide, Oliver underscores a tragic quote from a defrauded investor who placed his life savings with Heafner purely because the advisor was featured on his trusted local station: “And, yeah, of course you would believe that, people trust their local station, that's the point here!”

[07:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=457s) Infiltrating the Newsroom and Peddling Dubious Medicine

The rot of sponsored content has expanded beyond midday lifestyle hours directly into standard evening news programming. In 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a settlement with the FCC over more than 1,000 uncredited segments promoting the Huntsman Cancer Institute that were aired across Sinclair-owned stations without any disclosure of sponsorship. Rather than critical journalism, the segments featured news anchors like Mark Koelbel delivering absurdly sunny promotional reports about cancer treatments, highlighted by one patient claiming, “If you're gonna have prostate cancer, this is the time to have it.” Oliver questions whether Koelbel was reporting at all or simply acting as a corporate mouthpiece echoing “the absurdly sunny cancer propaganda of his business, Daddy's Favorite Money Friend.”

Even when stations manage to comply technically with bare-minimum FCC disclosure guidelines, Oliver argues that they forfeit their integrity when they accept money to promote dubious medical treatments. Local morning programs regularly air uncritical, pay-for-play interviews advertising high-priced health gadgets with questionable credentials. On a morning broadcast in Utah, hosts enthusiastically introduced Stephanie and Dustin Wolff, creators of an acoustic shockwave therapy wand intended to treat both erectile dysfunction and cellulite at home: - The device was originally marketed on air as **The Rocket** before being rebranded as **The Phoenix**. - Promoters claimed the handheld device utilized European soundwave therapy and was “FDA recognized.” - Oliver calls the intimidating handheld device a “vibrating taint missile” and points out that marketing a product as “FDA recognized” carries no actual regulatory weight, bearing zero equivalence to being cleared or approved by the FDA.

[10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) Questionable Medical Devices: The Phoenix and the MonaLisa Touch

Local lifestyle shows frequently give airtime to bizarre, unvetted medical products without subjecting them to basic journalistic scrutiny. A prime example is the Phoenix, an acoustic wave device heavily marketed for men. While the manufacturer legally maintains they make no explicit claims about treating erectile dysfunction, their marketing tells a very different story: their website promises “proven technology to make your penis harder” and assures customers that “you can complete this innovative ED treatment in the privacy of your home.” The Food and Drug Administration confirmed that the Phoenix is only registered as a therapeutic massager, not as a cleared or approved treatment for erectile dysfunction. Nevertheless, the company uses this veneer of legitimacy to justify an eye-watering $879 price tag. Rather than challenging these discrepancies, a local morning host simply wrapped up a sponsored interview by endorsing the device wholesale: “You get that help you need for whatever ailment you’ve got, right there.” As John Oliver pointed out, the device is especially effective if your specific ailment happens to be having roughly $879 too many dollars.

The Phoenix is hardly an isolated case. On Denver’s *Mile High Living*, a local medical spa owner appeared on air to promote the MonaLisa Touch, a laser procedure pitched to treat vaginal atrophy. When the host gently asked whether the procedure was painful, the guest casually brushed off potential side effects with an astonishing rationalization: “I tease, the next day you might feel like you have a sunburned vagina, but it’s just healing.” Oliver marveled at the uncritical acceptance of what amounted to an everyday, laser-charred vagina, observing that anyone alarmed by the idea of using a laser as a medical pseudo-dildo has good instincts. In reality, more than a year before that segment aired, the FDA had issued an explicit safety alert warning that it had not cleared or approved laser devices for vaginal rejuvenation or cosmetic vaginal procedures due to serious risks of burns, scarring, and chronic pain.

- The Phoenix acoustic wave device retails for $879 and is registered with the FDA strictly as a therapeutic massager, despite being promoted as an at-home erectile dysfunction therapy. - Over a year before Denver’s *Mile High Living* ran a segment touting the MonaLisa Touch, the FDA had warned the public that energy-based laser devices had not been cleared for vaginal rejuvenation procedures.

[12:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=755s) Unchecked Stem Cell Claims and the "Video File Cake"

Dubious medical claims on morning television extend far beyond pelvic gadgets into dangerous, unproven therapies. Although the FDA has repeatedly warned that unapproved stem cell treatments can cause serious harm, local lifestyle programming routinely treats them as miracle cures. A segment on Dallas’s *Good Morning Texas* featured a physician who had been repeatedly disciplined by the state medical board for unrelated issues, yet was invited on air to claim stem cells could treat complex conditions like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease—despite stem cells never having received regulatory approval to treat any neurological disorder. Similarly, an Arizona station invited a naturopathic doctor who boldly asserted that stem cells could treat severe heart failure and Crohn’s disease, claiming patients were “feeling great and improved to almost normal” within a week. The station accompanied the interview with an unvetted graphic listing Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Autism, MS, and ALS under the garbled header “conditions can stem cell therapy benefit.”

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: The Sponsored Content Monetization Loop accDescr: Flowchart showing how advertisers pay local TV stations to create video files that are subsequently used as credible digital marketing assets.

subgraph TV_Broadcast["Stage 1: Broadcast Generation"] A["Advertiser Pays Station"] --> B["Uncritical Lifestyle TV Segment"] B --> C["Airs to Modest Daytime Audience"] end

subgraph Digital_Repurposing["Stage 2: The Core Asset"] C --> D["Station Delivers Digital Video File ('The Cake')"] D --> E["Advertiser Embeds Clip on Website & Socials"] E --> F["Video Confers Trusted Local News Credibility"] end ```

The true danger of these broadcasts is not merely the daytime audience watching live at home; it lies in how the footage is repurposed. A marketing executive at Nexstar Media Group explained the business model with unvarnished honesty to prospective clients: “At the end you’re gonna have a four or five minute video file, and you’re gonna do what with it? Post it everywhere.” The broadcast itself is merely the icing; the permanent digital video file is the real cake. Advertisers pay stations to lend them institutional trust, cut the broadcast into social media clips, and embed the footage on their websites as proof of medical legitimacy. Oliver mocked the Nexstar executive’s bizarre, graphic hand gestures during the presentation—comparing his hand movements to giving a Mash’s ham an orgasm via “the old wiggle and squeeze, and then a twist and a snap”—while affirming that the executive’s underlying marketing calculus is completely accurate.

- Stem cells have never received FDA clearance or approval to treat any neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s, or MS. - Advertisers treat local television appearances primarily as digital asset generation, embedding station footage onto personal websites to bypass medical skepticism.

[14:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=878s) Blurring News Integrity and the Creation of the Venus Veil

The line between legitimate journalism and paid promotion becomes perilous when local stations blur news personalities with commercial programming. On ABC 4 Utah (KTVX), Surae Chin serves as both the station's Chief Medical Correspondent and the co-host of its sponsored daytime show, *Good Things Utah*. When trusted reporters switch effortlessly between reporting the evening news and pitching paid commercial products, viewers cannot be expected to recognize where objective reporting ends and sponsored infomercials begin. Ideally, stations would avoid these conflicts of interest altogether, implement unmissable sponsorship disclosures, and thoroughly vet paid guests to ensure they are not peddling total nonsense.

```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: Last Week Tonight's Venus Veil Sting Operation accDescr: Flowchart tracing the fake company Venus Inventions, the actress, and the three local TV stations that broadcast the product.

subgraph Sting_Setup["The Hoax Creation"] G["Venus Inventions (Fake Company)"] --> H["The Venus Veil (Blanket)"] H --> I["Hired Actress (Erica Hernandez)"] end

subgraph TV_Placements["Purchased Airtime"] I --> J["ABC 4 Utah (Good Things Utah)"] I --> K["KVUE Austin (Post-10 PM News)"] I --> L["Denver 7 (Mile High Living)"] end ```

To demonstrate how shockingly simple it is to slip completely fabricated medical claims past station gatekeepers, *Last Week Tonight* launched an undercover experiment. The show created a shell company named Venus Inventions and developed a completely fake product: the Venus Veil, billed as the world's first “sexual health blanket.” In reality, it was just an ordinary, off-the-shelf blanket wrapped in completely fictitious pseudo-scientific jargon. Oliver’s team built a slick website, concocted claims based on “magnetogenetics” and technology allegedly pioneered in Germany 80 years ago, and hired an actress named Erica Hernandez to pitch the blanket across various local media markets to see if anyone would verify the product.

[16:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1004s) The Venus Veil Hits the Airwaves: Utah, Texas, and Colorado

The Venus Veil sting quickly succeeded in penetrating local television broadcasts across multiple states with zero journalistic pushback. The product made its broadcast debut on ABC 4 Utah’s *Good Things Utah*, interviewed by none other than the station’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Surae Chin. Hernandez pitched the blanket without interruption, explaining: “The Veil is being designed with the hope that it will precisely draw out the natural alkaline undercurrents of the vagina, and initiate a low-grade state of what we call microdeath, which sounds incredibly scary but that’s actually just restarting that area’s natural lifecycle.” Chin failed to question any of these assertions, nor did she challenge Hernandez’s bizarre claim that the blanket relied on technology “pioneered in Germany about 80 years ago”—a historical window during the Third Reich that Oliver noted should have raised immediate alarms.

The product's media tour continued unchecked in Texas on Austin's KVUE, an ABC affiliate that allowed Venus Inventions to purchase a sponsored segment directly trailing its 10:00 p.m. local newscast. The paid segment shared the same hour of programming as serious journalistic reports on a Middle East ceasefire, local public pool lifeguard shortages, and criminal justice reform. On air, the host listened placidly as Hernandez claimed proprietary magnetic fibers could manipulate iron in the bloodstream to boost sexual wellness, responding only with: “Very interesting.” Finally, Hernandez secured an in-studio appearance on Denver’s *Mile High Living*, where the host happily validated the blanket's appeal by emphasizing that consumers would not even need a prescription. When the actress thanked the host for “making it so easy,” the host cheerily concurred that the whole process was indeed “super easy.”

- The Venus Veil was pitched on air as utilizing “magnetogenetics” and 1940s German technology to induce vaginal “microdeath” to stimulate blood flow. - Paid segments for the blanket were successfully purchased and broadcast on ABC 4 Utah (*Good Things Utah*), KVUE Austin, and Denver's KMGH (*Mile High Living*). - None of the hosts or medical correspondents raised objections or asked challenging follow-up questions during the paid segments.

[20:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1213s) The Dangerously Low Price of Local News Integrity

John Oliver reflects on how alarming the entire stunt was, emphasizing that getting a completely fabricated product like the Venus Veil onto actual broadcast television was “way too easy.” Nothing about the process presented any real barrier to entry, nor was it prohibitively expensive. Breaking down the receipts, Oliver reveals just how little it cost to buy airtime: one segment cost just $2,800, another was $2,650, and a third cost a mere $1,750. He calls the ad buys “shockingly affordable” and laments that, on several stations, the bogus product showcase did not even look out of place next to the surrounding coverage.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Costs of Local News Sponsored Content accDescr: Diagram showing the low dollar amounts paid to get the fake Venus Veil product onto broadcast television stations. subgraph Stunt["The Venus Veil Prank"] A["Fake Product: The Venus Veil"] end subgraph StationCosts["Airtime Costs per Station"] B["Station A: $2,800"] C["Station B: $2,650"] D["Station C: $1,750"] end subgraph Consequence["Result"] E["Airtime on Local News"] end A --> B A --> C A --> D B --> E C --> E D --> E ```

Oliver stresses the serious implications of stations trading their credibility for such minor sums. As the show has argued for years, the public's trust in local news is essential, and eroding that trust harms viewers and communities alike. Addressing the station owners directly for selling out their broadcasts at such a depressingly cheap rate, Oliver closes by quoting an incredulous news anchor seen earlier in the episode: “The fuck are you doing?” He wraps up the show by thanking the audience and directing anyone who wants to watch the unedited Venus Veil segment in its entirety—describing it as “the whole cake”—to check it out online before signing off for the night.

- Station airtime prices to air the sponsored product segment: $2,800, $2,650, and $1,750. - Oliver warns: “And there is real harm for everyone if that integrity is damaged.”

## Mentioned John Oliver, Sue Simmons, Nexstar Media Group, Channel 11 (Baltimore), Mash's Hams, Honeysuckle White, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Michelle Yarn, George Clooney, French's Crispy Jalapenos, Velveeta, Doritos Loaded, The E.W. Scripps Company, The Morning Blend, Tegna, Great Day, Day Time, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Jim Heafner, WBTV, Morning Break, Cameo, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Mark Koelbel, Stephanie Wolff, Dustin Wolff, The Rocket, The Phoenix, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Mile High Living, Denver 7 (KMGH), MonaLisa Touch, Good Morning Texas, ABC 4 Utah (KTVX), Surae Chin, Good Things Utah, Venus Inventions, Venus Veil, Erica Hernandez, KVUE Austin

## Video description John Oliver explains why the integrity of local news is so important, how sponsored content could damage that integrity, and why the Venus Veil is so much more than a blanket! (It’s not.)

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[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM)

中文简报

约翰·奥利弗搞测试：仅花1750美元就让假冒医疗产品登上地方电视台地方电视台为了微薄的费用出售未经审核的赞助生活类板块，从而透支了观众信任，而可疑的推广人员则利用播出的片段消除消费者的疑虑。约翰·奥利弗调查了商业广播集团如何通过向商业广告商出售日间生活类板块，并仅提供极少且稍纵即逝的赞助声明，从而损害新闻公信力。节目揭露了这种付费播出模式如何为可疑的财务顾问、未经审核的干细胞诊所，以及像 Phoenix 声波棒这类可疑的医疗器械赋予虚假的合法性。广告商往往会将这些播出画面重新包装为数字营销素材，利用公众对地方新闻的信任进行宣传。为了证明电视台的把关审核有多么形同虚设，节目组策划了一场卧底测试，利用一款完全捏造的性健康毯“金星之纱”（Venus Veil），以每段不足3000美元的价格，成功在多家地方新闻联播台买到了不加批判的播出时段。地方电视台经常通过伪装的生活类板块向企业赞助商出售播出时段，而符合FCC规定的赞助声明最短仅持续两到六秒。 (2:02) 广告商利用付费的地方新闻板块，主要是为了获得长期的数字视频资产，从而为未经审核或存疑的医疗手段披上可信的新闻公信力外衣。 (12:35) 为了揭露电视台缺乏基本审核，《上周今夜秀》向每家电视台支付了1750至2800美元不等的费用，成功播出了推广“金星之纱”（一款完全虚构的性健康毯）的赞助片段。 (20:13)

Reading summary

Local television stations are increasingly compromising journalistic integrity by selling daytime and news segments to commercial advertisers, often using minimal disclosures. By blurring the line between reporting and paid promotion, broadcasters allow unvetted and potentially harmful financial advice and medical treatments to borrow the credibility of trusted local newsrooms. Franchising Sponsored Content and Bypassing FCC Intent (2:02) Local television news represents a primary revenue driver for station groups; for instance, Nexstar Media Group has reported generating nearly half of its advertising revenue from commercials during local news broadcasts. To maximize earnings, major broadcasting conglomerates—including Nexstar, The E.W. Scripps Company, and Tegna—have packaged sponsored lifestyle shows under franchise formats such as Day Time, The Morning Blend, and Great Day. These programs rely on "brandigration," where PR strategists book paid promotional interviews that integrate corporate products directly into daytime segments. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations mandate that stations disclose when on-air content is sponsored, but rules do not establish strict standards for size, duration, or prominence. Consequently, stations often minimize notices to fleeting on-screen text or brief mentions in end credits, such as a six-second total disclosure during a paid Doritos segment. The lack of clear boundaries has also crept into regular programming; in 2017, Sinclair Broadcast Group settled with the FCC after airing over 1,000 uncredited segments promoting the Huntsman Cancer Institute without disclosing commercial sponsorship. Lending Unearned Authority to Risky Medical Claims (10:15) When stations sell broadcast access without rigorous journalistic vetting, viewers frequently interpret paid commercial segments as trusted editorial endorsements. In Charlotte, North Carolina, financial advisor Jim Heafner regularly appeared on WBTV’s Morning Break; he and his firm were later ordered to pay $1 million in arbitration and faced lawsuits over $2.7 million in lost retirement savings after viewers invested based on his station appearances. This pay-to-play model also promotes dubious health therapies. Local shows have heavily promoted the Phoenix—an $879 acoustic wave device registered with the FDA solely as a therapeutic massager—as an at-home erectile dysfunction cure. Similarly, Denver’s Mile High Living featured the MonaLisa Touch laser procedure for vaginal atrophy, with the guest dismissing side effects as feeling like a "sunburned vagina," despite a prior FDA safety alert warning that energy-based lasers were unapproved for vaginal rejuvenation and posed risks of burns, scarring, and chronic pain. Other broadcasts have uncritically aired claims that unapproved stem cell therapies could treat complex conditions such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and heart failure. Manufacturing Digital Credibility and Newsroom Conflicts (12:35) The commercial incentive extends beyond the immediate daytime television audience. As a Nexstar marketing executive explained to prospective clients, the ultimate goal of purchasing airtime is securing a four- to five-minute video file to embed across websites and social media platforms. By repurposing broadcast footage, advertisers exploit institutional news trust to neutralize consumer and medical skepticism online. This commercialization is further enabled by blurring staff responsibilities. On ABC 4 Utah (KTVX), Surae Chin served concurrently as the station's Chief Medical Correspondent and as co-host of its sponsored daytime show, Good Things Utah. Oliver argues that when trusted news figures transition seamlessly between objective evening journalism and unvetted morning commercial segments, viewers cannot reasonably distinguish between independent reporting and paid advertorials. The Venus Veil Sting Exposes Lax Vetting (14:38) To test whether broadcast gatekeepers conduct basic vetting, Last Week Tonight fabricated a company named Venus Inventions and a fake product called the "Venus Veil." Marketed as a sexual health blanket, the product was an ordinary blanket promoted with nonsensical pseudo-scientific claims, including the use of "magnetogenetics" and technology allegedly pioneered in 1940s Germany to induce vaginal "microdeath" to restart natural lifecycles. An actress hired by the show successfully booked and aired segments across multiple markets without facing scrutiny. The pitch was accepted uncritically on ABC 4 Utah's Good Things Utah by Chief Medical Correspondent Chin, on Denver’s Mile High Living, and on Austin's KVUE, where the sponsored segment aired directly adjacent to the 10:00 p.m. news broadcast alongside coverage of international ceasefires and criminal justice reform. The airtime cost just $1,750, $2,650, and $2,800 across the stations, showing that access to trusted television platforms can be purchased cheaply with virtually no institutional oversight. Oliver concludes that local television stations are sacrificing essential public trust for modest advertising fees. By selling uncritical broadcast access to commercial actors for a few thousand dollars, station owners damage the institutional integrity of local news and leave viewers vulnerable to financial exploitation and misleading medical practices.

精炼阅读摘要

John Oliver指出，美国地方电视台正系统性地将日间生活节目甚至新闻栏目出卖给付费赞助商，通过模糊新闻与广告界限来谋取利益。这种付费播出模式不仅缺乏有效审核和醒目披露，更被用于兜售未经证实的医疗设备与伪科学，严重透支公众对地方媒体的信任。商业植入与模糊的监管合规 (2:02) 传统新闻界将新闻采编与广告营销之间的严格分离视为不可逾越的红线。然而，美国联邦通信委员会（FCC）虽要求电视台披露赞助内容，却未对披露标识的尺寸、显著度或屏幕停留时间作出明确标准。各大广播电视财团借此漏洞，开发了诸如Scripps的《The Morning Blend》、Tegna的《Great Day》以及Nexstar的《Day Time》等专门的软文栏目模板，通过所谓“品牌整合”（brandigration）将付费内容无缝嵌入节目中。在这种操作下，电视台的合规声明往往流于形式。例如在推销Doritos Loaded油炸芝士小吃的植入环节中，赞助标识仅在访谈结尾闪现2秒，并在片尾字幕中出现4秒。公关代理人与所谓“生活方式专家”在这些时段大肆推广食品及消费品，而电视台几乎未对推广内容的实质进行把关。权威光环下的财务与医疗风险 (4:56) 地方电视台积攒的公信力使付费宣传极具误导性。北卡罗来纳州夏洛特市WBTV的《Morning Break》栏目长期邀请财务顾问Jim Heafner出镜并盛赞其专业资质，观众误以为这是经过严格新闻调查背书的建议而投入养老储蓄。事后Heafner及其机构因涉嫌导致退休人员资金受损，在仲裁中被勒令支付100万美元，并面临22名原告追索270万美元损失的诉讼。软文植入随后蔓延至医疗健康领域。Sinclair广播集团在2017年曾因旗下电视台播出1000多次未标明赞助的亨茨曼癌症研究所宣传片段而与FCC达成和解。更有甚者，售价879美元、在FDA仅注册为理疗按摩器的声波治疗仪The Phoenix，在地方早间节目中被作为治疗勃起功能障碍的家用仪器推销；丹佛电视台《Mile High Living》还宣传用于阴道年轻化的MonaLisa Touch激光疗法，而FDA早在一年前就曾发出公开警告，指出该类激光器未获批准用于此类医疗手术，并存在灼伤、疤痕和长期疼痛风险。达拉斯与亚利桑那的电视台甚至邀请受过处分的医师或自然疗法师，宣称未经批准的干细胞疗法能治疗帕金森病、多发性硬化症、严重心力衰竭等神经及严重疾病。数字营销闭环与新闻边界消解 (12:35) 电视台向赞助商出让的不仅是有限的日间播出时段，更是可供二次分发的数字信任资产。Nexstar的一位营销高管向潜在客户直言，品牌购买节目的核心在于最终获得一段4至5分钟的高清视频片段；直播播出只是表象，真正的“蛋糕”在于广告主可以将带有地方新闻包装的视频切片发布在社交媒体与官方网站上，借此规避公众与患者对医疗有效性的怀疑。与此同时，电视台的主持人和采编人员身份发生严重重叠。在犹他州ABC 4（KTVX），首席医疗记者Surae Chin同时担任赞助生活节目《Good Things Utah》的联合主持人。当同一位记者在前一刻报道严肃晚间新闻，后一刻即在商业栏目中推销付费产品时，普通受众根本无法分辨客观调查与商业说辞的界限。钓鱼调查：假冒医疗毯顺利过审 (14:38) 为验证地方电视台对付费内容的审核机制是否存在漏洞，《Last Week Tonight》团队展开了一次卧底测试。节目组虚构了一家名为Venus Inventions的外壳公司，推出毫无医学依据的所谓“性健康毯”（Venus Veil），并编造了诸如“磁遗传学”、诱导阴道“微死亡”以重启细胞周期，以及源自80年前德国技术（即二战纳粹时期）等伪科学说辞，随后雇佣演员Erica Hernandez前往各地电视台洽谈付费播出。调查结果显示，该虚构产品在没有任何有效资质审查的情况下顺利登上了三家电视台。在犹他州ABC 4的《Good Things Utah》中，身兼首席医疗记者的Surae Chin对荒诞的伪科学术语未提出任何质疑；在得克萨斯州奥斯汀的KVUE（ABC附属台），该赞助片段被安排在紧随晚间10点严肃新闻报道之后播出；在丹佛KMGH的《Mile High Living》中，主持人更直接附和该产品无需处方的便利性。整个测试中，没有一名主持人或采编人员提出反驳或求证。 Oliver揭示，涉事电视台播出这套完全虚构的伪科学产品，收取的播出费用分别仅为2800美元、2650美元和1750美元。地方新闻原本是维系社区信任的重要基石，但广播电视网为了极其低廉的商业收益，正将自身的新闻信誉与公众健康安全拱手相让。

Detailed notes — zh

## Background 本期视频由 YouTube 频道 LastWeekTonight 于 2021 年 5 月 24 日发布。视频简介指出，John Oliver 在节目中探讨了地方新闻公信力的重要性、赞助内容对新闻独立性的侵蚀，并借由虚构的“维纳斯面纱”（Venus Veil）揭示了所谓神奇毛毯背后的荒谬推销真相。 ## TL;DR 节目深入揭露了全美各大广播传媒集团如何利用日间生活节目甚至晚间正规新闻播报，大肆推销未获监管部门批准的医疗器械、虚假干细胞疗法等赞助内容（Sponsored Content）。电视台不仅以含糊的免责声明规避 FCC 的披露规定，还常让新闻采编记者与商业主持身份混淆，助长商家将播出片段作为权威报道二次传播。为了彻底检验地方台的审核底线，节目组成立空壳公司虚构了一款号称利用纳粹磁遗传学原理的性健康毛毯，结果以仅数千美元的花费便顺利买通三家电视台出镜背书，揭示了地方新闻在商业利益面前轻易出卖公信力的严重危机。 ## Atmosphere & style 全片充斥着 John Oliver 标志性的辛辣讽刺与快节奏幽默，在播放荒唐的早间生活秀剪辑与恶搞短片时现场爆笑不断。然而，随着调查从猎奇零食推销层层深入到危害公众健康的可疑医疗骗局，节目的叙事基调逐渐转向严肃与愤怒。整个观看过程既令人对伪科学话术的荒谬捧腹，又让观众在目睹正规媒体把关防线彻底失守后感到背脊发凉与深切沉重。 ## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=0s) 地方新闻成为广播电视集团的吸金利器，全美最大地方台业主之一 Nexstar 旗下近半数广告收入均来自地方新闻播出时段，但追求盈利与新闻公信力之间存在严重冲突。 - [02:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=160s) 原生广告和赞助内容（Sponsored Content）正加速侵蚀新闻独立性，部分企业甚至因在地方台购买专业人设背书而引发百万美元级的欺诈索赔诉讼。 - [10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) 大量未获 FDA 批准用于宣传适应症的医疗器械（如声波仪 The Phoenix、MonaLisa Touch 激光）及干细胞疗法，通过赞助生活类专栏堂而皇之进行虚假背书，并被剪辑成“新闻报道视频文件”进行二次传播欺骗公众。 - [16:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=974s) 节目组虚构了一款号称源自纳粹磁遗传学概念的“Venus Veil 性健康毯”，仅花费 1,750 至 2,800 美元便成功买通并登上了包括 ABC 4 Utah 在内的三家地方主流电视台播出时段。 ## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=0s) 地方新闻长期是社区民众最信任的资讯渠道，但也是商业电视台的吸金支柱，Nexstar 近半数广告营收皆依赖新闻时段。 - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=0s) 新闻采编与商业营销历来要求保持“政教分离”，但广播电视台正利用原生广告绕过或架空 FCC 的赞助披露规定。 - [02:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=160s) 公关机构将推销包装为“品牌整合”（Brandigration），地方台流水线般推出模版化赞助生活节目（如 Morning Blend、Great Day 等）进行变现。 - [02:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=160s) FCC 虽然要求公开赞助背景，但缺乏严格的时长与形式规范，部分赞助免责声明在节目中仅一闪而过数秒（如 Doritos Loaded 仅公示 6 秒）。 - [02:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=160s) 商家可通过付费自拟采访问题购买专业形象背书，例如夏洛特理财顾问 Jim Heafner 借此诱导观众投资，最终因巨额亏损被判赔偿并面临诉讼。 - [07:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=457s) 隐形赞助正入侵硬新闻领域，辛克莱广播集团曾因旗下电视台违规播送逾千次未标明赞助的 Huntsman 癌症研究所宣传报道而遭重罚。 - [10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) 电视台缺乏对医疗器械宣传的把关，以模糊的“FDA 认可”话术推广仅登记为按摩器、实际未获 FDA 批准治疗勃起功能障碍（ED）的仪器 The Phoenix。 - [10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) 地方台在 FDA 早已发布警告的情况下，依然为声称能治疗阴道萎缩但未获批准的 MonaLisa Touch 激光技术提供宣传平台。 - [12:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=754s) 未经科学验证的干细胞疗法在地方台大行其道，被包装为能治愈帕金森、MS 及 ALS 的神药。 - [12:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=754s) 根据 Nexstar 高管的“蛋糕理论”，上电视直播只是“糖霜”，赞助商真正购买的是能放到官网充当“权威新闻报道”背书的四五分钟视频文件。 - [12:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=754s) 地方台采编人员与商业节目主持人身份高度重叠，例如 ABC 4 Utah 首席医学记者同时主持收费赞助节目，严重混淆了公众视听。 - [16:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=974s) 节目组通过虚构产品“Venus Veil 性健康毯”进行暗访测试，编造充斥伪科学和纳粹历史暗指的话术，却依然被三家正规电视台照单全收。 - [16:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=974s) 奥斯汀台 KVUE 甚至将荒诞的伪科学毛毯商业推介，无缝衔接在严肃的晚间 10 点正规新闻之后播出。 - [20:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1213s) 地方电视台出卖公信力的门槛和成本极低，节目组仅以 1,750 至 2,800 美元的微小代价便成功购买到了播出时段。 - [20:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1213s) 地方新闻公信力一旦被廉价出卖并破坏，将给依赖这一信任基石的整个社会公众带来实实在在的危害。 ## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=0s) 地方新闻的公信力与商业利益的天然冲突节目开场，John Oliver 指出今晚的主题聚焦于地方新闻（Local News）。地方新闻向来是社区民众获取路况、天气以及真实资讯的最受信任来源；在纽约，它甚至贡献了本市有史以来最精彩的十秒电视画面——传奇主播 Sue Simmons 在 2012 年退休前直播预告超市物价调查时，由于镜头切错，当场脱口而出的经典爆粗。John Oliver 感叹，地方新闻对社区至关重要，节目组平时也频繁引用地方调查记者的报道；但它不仅关乎公民责任，更是电视台的吸金利器。例如全美最大的地方台业主之一 Nexstar 就曾公开表示，旗下近半数的广告收入都来自于地方新闻节目的广告插播。然而，向公众传播信息与为电视台盈利这两项目标，在历史上向来极难平衡。节目播放了一段 1960 年代巴尔的摩第 11 频道的档案镜头：主播面色凝重地报道“今天在芝加哥，白人暴徒向民权示威者投掷石块和瓶子”，话音未落，镜头直接无缝切入桌上摆着赞助商火腿标志的商业广告，广告旁白甚至深情宣称一名男子是“火腿的情人（Ham Lover）”。Oliver 调侃这种从种族暴力瞬间转到近乎猥亵火腿的转场简直荒唐至极。新闻采编与广告营销之间的界限至关重要，在行业内部历来被喻为不可逾越的“政教分离之战”（Church-State War）。美国联邦通信委员会（FCC）明文规定，广播电台在播放赞助或付费内容时必须向观众公开说明；然而，许多地方电视台却通过“原生广告/赞助内容”（Sponsored Content）这一操作，彻底打破或架空了这些规则，将商业广告悄然融入日常新闻节目中。 - **Nexstar 广告营收**：旗下电视台近半数的广告收入直接来自于地方新闻播出时段的广告位。 - **FCC 赞助披露规则**：明确要求广播机构在任何内容涉及赞助或金钱报酬时向观众进行提示，但缺乏对提示形式与时长的严苛执行标准。 --- ### [02:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=160s) “品牌植入”产业链与地方生活节目的流水线变现赞助内容最常见且看似无害的形式，是一整套由所谓“生活方式专家”（Lifestyle Experts）构成的电视推销产业链。公关人员将其包装为“品牌整合”（Brandigration），即在节目内容中提前策划并无缝植入品牌、产品及其核心公关说辞。公关代理人 Michelle Yarn 在宣传片中吹嘘，只需打个响指，全美各大地方电视台就会立刻连线开门迎客。Oliver 嘲弄道，自己打响指能召唤出的只有在吃晚饭的 George Clooney，并播放恶搞片段展示 Clooney 不耐烦地提醒他“我给你的特权是有限的，John”。但更荒谬的是电视上所推广的商品本身。Michelle 曾在各大地方台推介各类猎奇零食，比如倒在汉堡肉酱里的法式脆洋葱、Velveeta 品牌的“等身大小融化芝士黄金喷泉”，以及油炸起司玉米片卷（Doritos Loaded，一种长得像油炸指尖陀螺且现已停产的怪异零食）。在这类合作中，不仅品牌专家出场拿酬劳，电视台播放这些植入内容同样能向品牌方收取高额费用。尽管 FCC 要求对此进行赞助标注，但并没有规定具体的时长和醒目程度——例如在 Doritos Loaded 的片段中，赞助免责声明仅在片尾一闪而过 2 秒，片尾滚动演职员名单时再出现 4 秒，全片仅公示 6 秒。这套圈钱模式极其丰厚，导致各大电视传媒巨头纷纷为旗下地方台打造模版化的日间赞助生活节目： ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: Major Local TV Chains and Their Sponsored Programs accDescr: Diagram showing major broadcast groups and the branded lifestyle shows they use for sponsored content. subgraph CorporateChains["大型广播电视传媒集团"] A["Scripps 集团"] B["Tegna 集团"] C["Nexstar 集团"] D["Sinclair 集团"] end subgraph TemplateShows["模版化赞助内容日间秀"] E["Morning Blend"] F["Great Day"] G["Day Time"] H["保守政治议程节目（讽刺）"] end A --> E B --> F C --> G D --> H ``` 除了远程连线专家，本地中小商家也可以花钱购买演播室专访，甚至自己写好采访问题，确保主播全盘照念并给予无底线的赞美。北卡罗来纳州夏洛特的理财顾问 Jim Heafner 此前是当地地方台节目《Morning Break》的常客，主播每次都将他吹捧为“畅销书作家”、“全方位的好人”和“指导观众财务健康的专家”。Oliver 指出，观众很容易被这种背书蒙蔽，殊不知电视台完全是拿钱办事。事实上，Heafner 及其公司后来因导致退休人员巨额亏损而在仲裁中被判赔偿 100 万美元，随后又有 22 名原告对其发起诉讼索赔 270 万美元投资损失。其中一名受害者明确表示，自己之所以信任 Heafner，正是因为“他在电视上看起来很值得信赖”。John Oliver 直言： > “人们信任他们的地方电视台，而这正是问题的核心所在！”（“People trust their local station, that's the point here!”） - **合规模棱两可的披露时长**：Doritos Loaded 植入片段全长仅在正片末尾公示 2 秒、片尾字幕公示 4 秒，合计仅 6 秒。 - **Jim Heafner 欺诈纠纷**：在地方台长期作为专业财务顾问出镜，后因让退休老人投资受损被仲裁判定赔偿 100 万美元，并面临追讨 2.7 百万美元的联合诉讼。 --- ### [07:37](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=457s) 渗透进硬新闻的隐形赞助与荒唐的医疗推销赞助内容的渗透并未止步于白天的轻量级生活节目，它已经长驱直入侵蚀晚间正式的新闻播报。2017 年，辛克莱广播集团（Sinclair Broadcast Group）因在旗下地方台播送推广犹他州 Huntsman 癌症研究所的专题报道超过 1000 次且从未标注赞助性质，遭到了监管机构的重罚。这批在晚间新闻播出的内容充斥着异乎寻常的乐观语调，主播 Mark Koelbel 在盐湖城的新闻画面中吹嘘免开刀放疗技术，并宣称对癌症患者而言是天大喜讯，甚至在报道中引用受访者的话：“如果你非要得前列腺癌不可，现在正是得病的大好时机。”Oliver 讽刺道，这根本不是什么独立新闻调查，而完全是在复述金主爸爸的癌症宣传通稿。更令人担忧的是，许多电视台即便在形式上完成了打卡式的“赞助披露”，也依然在为完全不具备医疗资质的产品背书以换取广告费。犹他州早间新闻节目中曾堂而皇之地请来所谓的联合发明人 Stephanie 和 Dustin Wolff，推销一款号称世界上首个用于“家庭治疗勃起功能障碍（ED）和消除脂肪团（橘皮组织）”的低强度声波设备——“火箭”（The Rocket，后改名为“凤凰”/The Phoenix）。发明人在节目中面不改色地吹嘘该震动仪器“安全有效”、“经过临床测试”且“技术获得 FDA 认可”（FDA recognized）。Oliver 吐槽，这个长相骇人的“震动下阴飞弹”改名为把自己在火中烧毁重生的“凤凰”并不代表它更适合贴近男性的隐私部位；更重要的是，发明人含糊其辞所谓的“FDA 认可”，在真正的医疗器械监管语境下，根本不等于获得了严谨的 FDA 审批通过（FDA cleared）。 - **辛克莱癌症报道丑闻**：在旗下地方电视台以新闻形式播放赞助的 Huntsman 癌症研究所宣传报道超 1000 次，全程隐瞒商业赞助背景。 - **“The Rocket”（现名 The Phoenix）**：以治疗勃起功能障碍为名在早间新闻露面的家用声波仪器，商家利用“FDA recognized”等模糊话术误导电视机前的患者。 ### [10:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=615s) 可疑的医疗器材与地方台的“无脑背书” 针对男性勃起功能障碍（ED）宣传的医疗设备 The Phoenix，其实根本没有获得美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）的批准。FDA 明确告知节目组，该设备仅作为“理疗按摩器”登记在册，绝非治疗勃起功能障碍的医疗器械。更耐人寻味的是法律免责声明：生产厂商坚称他们“从未明确宣传该产品能治疗 ED”；然而在官方网站上，他们却写着 Phoenix 采用“经过验证的技术让阴茎更坚挺”，并宣称用户“可以在家中隐私环境中完成这一创新的 ED 治疗方案”。厂商显然认为这一套说辞足以支撑其高达 879 美元的售价。更令人震惊的是地方电视台在接受赞助后的态度。主播不仅没有准备任何针对性的尖锐质询，反而像销售员一样帮忙推销。在节目结尾，主播甚至热情引导观众前往网站购买：“去那儿解决你的任何病痛吧。” John Oliver 讽刺道，如果观众的“病痛”正好是钱包里多出了 879 美元没处花，那这个东西确实能派上用场。 ```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: 医疗赞助内容传播链条 accDescr: 展示赞助商如何将未获批准的医疗产品通过地方电视台包装并二次传播给大众的过程。 subgraph Sponsor["赞助商端"] A["灰色医疗产品/未获批准疗法"] --> B["规避监管/模糊医疗声明"] end subgraph Station["电视台端"] C["地方台赞助专栏/生活类节目"] D["记者/主持身份重叠，缺乏审查"] B --> C C --> D end subgraph Output["传播与背书"] E["在正式新闻时段附近播出"] F["剪辑为独立视频文件（'蛋糕'）"] D --> E D --> F F --> G["赞助商官网长期挂载 冒充权威新闻背书"] end ``` 紧接着出现的是针对女性生殖健康的荒谬疗法。丹佛的地方台节目《Mile High Living》曾邀请一位水疗中心老板宣传所谓的“MonaLisa Touch”激光阴道治疗，声称这是“首款获得 FDA 批准用于治疗阴道萎缩症状的激光”。在被问到治疗是否疼痛时，该老板轻描淡写地表示可能会有轻微震动感，“第二天你可能会觉得阴道像被晒伤了一样，但这只是愈合过程”。John Oliver 严厉指出，早在该节目播出的前一年多，FDA 就已经发布安全警告，明确表示从未批准任何激光设备用于此类阴道“年轻化”或治疗相关症状的商业营销。在正规电视台将激光当成“医疗伪假阳具”般推介，完全是对观众健康极不负责的危险误导。 --- ### [12:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=754s) 泛滥的干细胞神话与“蛋糕理论” 除了激光设备，毫无科学根据的干细胞疗法在地方赞助节目中也大行其道。尽管 FDA 多次警告未经批准的干细胞疗法可能造成身体伤害，且从未批准其用于任何神经系统疾病，但地方台为了赞助费仍全面放行： - 在《Good Morning Texas》中，一位曾因多项违规被州医疗委员会多次纪律处分的医生登上节目，公然宣称干细胞疗法可以治疗多发性硬化症（MS）和帕金森病。 - 亚利桑那州的一家电视台则请来一位自然疗法医生，在镜头前夸夸其谈，声称克隆氏症和严重心力衰竭的患者在接受注射后一周就恢复正常；演播室屏幕上的字条更列出了帕金森、阿尔茨海默病、自闭症、MS 和肌萎缩侧索硬化（ALS）。许多人或许会认为早间或午后生活节目的收视率有限，产生不了多大影响，但 Nexstar 集团的一位营销主管在向潜在广告客户推销时道破了玄机。这位主管向客户直言，上电视直播仅仅是表面功夫：“当你真正去录节目时，那根本不是蛋糕本身。那只是糖霜。你知道真正的蛋糕是什么吗？是那个视频文件。”赞助商最终会拿到一段四五分钟的高清视频，随后就能将其上传至互联网、社交媒体以及公司官网，包装成“权威新闻报道”来给虚假宣传背书。这种操作最恶劣的地方在于新闻公信力的混淆。电视台不仅用赞助内容模糊了广告与新闻的界限，甚至还让新闻采编人员与赞助节目主持人相互穿梭。例如在 ABC 4 Utah，Surae Chin 既是该频道的“首席医学记者”，同时又是收费赞助节目《Good Things Utah》的主持人。双重身份让观众根本无法分辨眼前的医疗推荐究竟是专业新闻调查，还是金钱买来的虚假广告。 --- ### [16:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=974s) “维纳斯面纱”卧底行动：骗过三家电视台为了证明地方台在金钱面前彻底丧失了把关底线，John Oliver 的团队成立了一家名为“Venus Inventions”的虚假公司，并炮制了一款名为“Venus Veil”（维纳斯面纱）的伪科学产品。这块成本低廉的普通毛毯被他们包装成“全球首款性健康毯”，其宣传文案全是由毫无根据的伪科学黑话胡拼乱凑而成。团队随后聘请了一位女演员作为产品代言人，向多家地方电视台购买赞助时段。 ```mermaid flowchart LR accTitle: 维纳斯面纱（Venus Veil）电视台渗透测试 accDescr: 展示节目组虚构的毛毯产品成功买通并登上三家主流地方电视台的历程。 A["虚构产品 Venus Veil 性健康毯"] --> B["虚构原理：纳粹时期磁遗传学 + 微死亡"] B --> C["ABC 4 Utah (首席医学记者无脑附和)"] B --> D["KVUE Austin (紧跟10点晚间新闻播出)"] B --> E["Mile High Living (进棚实拍，主持人赞其方便免处方)"] ``` 测试结果令人触目惊心，三家正规电视台轻而易举地全盘接受了这套毫无根据的伪科学产品： - **ABC 4 Utah（《Good Things Utah》）**：接待代言人的正是该台的首席医学记者 Surae Chin。在访谈中，代言人信口雌黄，称该毛毯“旨在精准析出阴道内天然的碱性潜流，并引发一种我们称之为‘微死亡’（microdeath）的低度状态……这是利用了磁遗传学领域的技术，也是一种大约80年前在德国首创的成熟技术”。面对这套融合了荒诞生理学术语和二战纳粹德国历史暗指的说辞，这位首席医学记者全程点头微笑，毫无质疑，反而惊呼“我太好奇了！” - **KVUE Austin（奥斯汀台）**：该台收钱后，直接将这个伪科学毛毯的付费赞助专栏安排在晚上 10 点正规晚间新闻之后紧接着播出。在同段节目里，前脚还在报道严肃的中东停火协议、公共泳池救生员短缺以及刑事司法和保释制度改革的深度调查，后脚就无缝切入“纳粹时期磁力性爱毛毯”的商业推介。 - **丹佛《Mile High Living》**：代言人直接将毛毯带到了演播室现场。面对实物，主持人没有任何审视，反而极力帮腔，盛赞这是一款“不需要处方就能提高生活质量”的非侵入式家庭必备单品。代言人在访谈结束后由衷感谢节目组：“感谢你们让一切变得如此简单，这太棒了。”而主持人随声附和道：“是啊，超级简单。”正如 John Oliver 所强调的，这不仅是简单，更是地方新闻媒体在商业利益驱使下，对自身行业底线与公众信任的彻底弃守。 ### [20:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM&t=1213s) 地方新闻廉价出卖公信力的代价 John Oliver 指出，把这样一款纯属捏造的荒谬产品（Venus Veil）推上正规电视台的早间或日间新闻节目，其过程“实在太容易了”。事实上，整个审核与播出流程完全没有设置足够的门槛，更令人咋舌的是其低廉的花费。将这类赞助内容（Sponsored Content）硬塞进电视广播的报价便宜得惊人：其中一家电视台仅收费 2,800 美元，另一家收费 2,650 美元，而最便宜的一家居然只要 1,750 美元。以如此微不足道的代价就能堂而皇之地买下播出时段，在某些地方台甚至毫无违和感，这才是最令人沮丧和担忧的现状。 John Oliver 严肃强调，多年以来节目组反复重申的一点，就是地方新闻的独立性与公信力至关重要。如果公众对地方新闻的信任基石被这种伪装成报道的广告彻底侵蚀，所造成的实际危害将波及所有人。面对那些为了区区几千美元就廉价出卖节目公信力的新闻台所有者与高管，John Oliver 援引了一位“极其睿智的新闻主播”的名言直接质问：“你们他妈的到底在干什么？”在节目的尾声，Oliver 感谢了观众的收看，并告知大家如果想看 Venus Veil 植入片段的完整版“全貌”，可以前往专门的网页观看。 - **极低的购买成本**：节目组成功让伪劣产品登上各大电视台的实际花费分别为 2,800 美元、2,650 美元以及最低仅需 1,750 美元。 - **公信力危机**：针对地方新闻台滥卖时段的行为，John Oliver 严厉批评道：“And there is real harm for everyone if that integrity is damaged.”（如果这种公信力遭到破坏，对每个人都会产生实实在在的危害。） ## Mentioned John Oliver, Sue Simmons, Nexstar, FCC, Michelle Yarn, George Clooney, Velveeta, Doritos Loaded, Scripps, Tegna, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Jim Heafner, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Mark Koelbel, Stephanie Wolff, Dustin Wolff, The Rocket, The Phoenix, FDA, Mile High Living, MonaLisa Touch, Good Morning Texas, ABC 4 Utah, Surae Chin, Venus Inventions, Venus Veil, KVUE Austin ## Video description John Oliver explains why the integrity of local news is so important, how sponsored content could damage that integrity, and why the Venus Veil is so much more than a blanket! (It’s not.) Connect with Last Week Tonight online... Subscribe to the Last Week Tonight YouTube channel for more almost news as it almost happens: www.youtube.com/lastweektonight Find Last Week Tonight on Facebook like your mom would: www.facebook.com/lastweektonight Follow us on Twitter for news about jokes and jokes about news: www.twitter.com/lastweektonight Visit our official site for all that other stuff at once: www.hbo.com/lastweektonight [Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIi_QS1tdFM)

Original transcript

[0:00] ♪ ("LAST WEEK TONIGHT" THEME PLAYS) ♪ [0:04] Moving on. Our main story tonight [0:06] concerns local news. The trusted place people go [0:09] to find traffic, weather, and here in New York, [0:12] the single greatest 10 seconds of television [0:13] this city has ever produced. [0:16] At 11, paying more at the grocer, but getting less. [0:18] We'll tell you how to get the most. [0:20] The fuck are you doing? [0:24] Perfect. Absolutely perfect. [0:27] That is Sue Simmons, by the way. [0:29] She sadly retired in 2012, [0:31] and has been missed every day since. [0:33] Because if any city needs a news anchor [0:35] with an ability to say, "The fuck are you doing?" [0:37] it is New York. [0:39] And we've talked about local news a lot on this show. [0:42] Particularly regarding just how important it is [0:44] to any community. [0:45] We are constantly featuring local news investigations [0:48] in our stories, and it isn't just important [0:51] in a civic sense, it's a major money maker [0:53] for stations. [0:54] Nexstar, one of the biggest owners [0:56] of local stations said they earned nearly half [0:59] their advertising revenue from spots aired [1:01] during local news programming. [1:03] But the need to both inform a community [1:05] and make money has always been tricky to reconcile. [1:09] As you can tell from this 1960's clip [1:11] of Baltimore's Channel 11 News. [1:13] In Chicago today, white mobs threw rocks and bottles [1:17] at civil rights demonstrators. That story after this message [1:20] about Mash's Ham. [1:22] NARRATOR: He's a lover. No, not the kind you're [1:26] thinking of, he's a ham lover. And all ham lovers know [1:31] that Mash's Hams are the best you can buy. [1:34] Okay, that is a very awkward transition to have to make. [1:38] To go from teasing a story about a racist mob [1:41] with a Mash's Ham logo on your desk, [1:44] to a man who is, no matter what he says, [1:46] definitely fucking that ham. Which is absurd, [1:49] why would you do that when instead [1:52] you could be fucking Honeysuckle White's [1:53] fresh ground turkey? The only ground turkey [1:56] that's 93 percent lean and 100 percent fuckable. [1:59] Get your fuck fill with Honeysuckle. [2:02] Now, clearly, maintaining journalistic independence [2:05] from advertisers is critically important. [2:08] So important, in fact, it's frequently referred [2:10] to as the "church-state war." [2:13] And the FCC has rules requiring broadcast stations [2:16] to announce when content has been sponsored [2:19] or paid for in any way. Unfortunately, [2:21] many local stations have either completely [2:23] broken those rules, or violated the spirit of them [2:26] through a practice known as sponsored content. [2:29] It's where advertising is blended directly [2:31] into the broadcasts, and it's both more widespread [2:34] and harder to detect than you might realize. [2:37] So tonight, let's talk about sponsored content. [2:40] And let's start with the stuff [2:41] that seems essentially harmless. [2:43] People getting paid to hock products on TV. [2:46] There is an industry of lifestyle experts [2:48] that do this. And here is one of them [2:50] explaining the process to potential clients. [2:52] Brandigration is where a brand, its product, [2:56] and the messaging are all worked together [2:58] within the content of a show, [3:00] in a pre-planned manner. [3:01] With so many shows offering integrated content, [3:04] it can be hard to choose, but let's start with local. [3:07] Okay? We have a method that helps you get interviews [3:09] in a snap. [3:11] -Hi, Michelle. -Hey there, Jear bear. [3:14] -Hi, Michelle. -Hey, girl, how you doing? [3:18] See? In an instant, we have access to shows [3:21] across the nation that are ready [3:22] for your content. [3:23] Wow. I gotta say, [3:25] that is pretty impressive. The only person I can summon [3:28] with a snap of my fingers is George Clooney. [3:30] Watch. [3:32] -There he is. -Hello? [3:34] -Hey, George, how you doing? -I'm doing fine. [3:41] -Mm-hmm. -What are you doing? [3:43] I'm just showing people how I can summon you [3:45] with a simple snap of my fingers. [3:47] Um... I'm eating dinner. (CHUCKLES) [3:50] I gave you that power in a limited capacity, John. [3:54] -Understood, George, bye! -Bye. [3:58] See? The system works. [4:00] But the truth is, Michelle didn't just have [4:02] the power to make people appear out of thin air, [4:04] she also crucially had the power to make them [4:06] play along, as she hocked horrifying products like these. [4:10] MICHELLE YARN: These are the new French's [4:12] Crispy Jalapenos. One fun idea [4:15] is to use it in this jalapeno cheeseburger dip. [4:19] This is seriously everything you love about a cheeseburger [4:21] in dip form. Take a look, is this [4:23] thing gorgeous or what? So this has just hit [4:25] the party scene, it's the Velveeta shells [4:28] and cheese life-size liquid gold fountain. [4:31] Okay, so a few things I love are Doritos, [4:34] melted cheese sticks, and nachos. [4:36] And now, there's a way you can enjoy them all in one. [4:39] These are Doritos Loaded. It is a totally new way [4:42] to experience Doritos. [4:43] That's a really fun twist on a snack idea. [4:45] Isn't it? [4:46] No! No it isn't! [4:49] Now, that product has since been discontinued. [4:52] Probably because it looks less like a snack [4:53] and more like someone deep-fried a fidget spinner. [4:56] And you probably assumed Michelle was getting paid [4:59] to do that, but interestingly, the station was also [5:02] getting paid to have her on. [5:04] And while the FCC requires sponsored content [5:06] like that to be labeled, it has no requirements [5:09] for exactly how, or for how long. [5:12] So for instance, in the case of Doritos Loaded, [5:15] the disclosure came at the very end of the segment [5:17] for just two seconds, with another [5:19] barely visible reference in the credits [5:21] at the end of the program, for four more. [5:23] So, six seconds total. [5:25] Which is, incidentally, about the same amount of time [5:27] Doritos Loaded stay in your body, [5:30] before being forcibly ejected from whatever orifice [5:32] they're closest to. This practice can be [5:35] so lucrative, that many big chains [5:38] have now set up templates for local shows, [5:40] built around sponsored content. [5:42] Scripps has Morning Blend. [5:44] Tegna has Great Day. [5:46] Nexstar has Day Time. [5:48] And Sinclair has what I can only assume is [5:50] The Muslims Attack at Dawn. [5:53] And it's not just brand experts joining by satellite. [5:56] Sometimes, local businesses will pay for an interview [5:59] where they can script the questions [6:00] and make sure that they're presented glowingly. [6:03] Take Jim Heafner. Until recently, [6:05] he was a financial advisor in Charlotte, North Carolina, [6:08] who was on the local show, Morning Break, all the time. [6:11] And always introduced in very positive terms. [6:14] We have Jim Heafner, he is a certified [6:16] financial planner, he's the president [6:19] and CEO of Heafner Financial. He's a best-selling author, [6:22] and just an all-around great guy. [6:24] Thank you so much, Mr. Heafner, for being back. [6:26] You're a regular here. Thank you so much, sir, [6:28] for being back with us. [6:29] -You're welcome. -We like when you're here. [6:31] We're so glad to have you back, 'cause you're gonna help [6:32] our folks get financially fit. [6:34] Welcome back, Mr. Heafner, we love when you [6:36] are here with us, sir. [6:37] This man knows his stuff. [6:39] That level of enthusiastic co-signing seems [6:42] pretty convincing, until you remind yourself, [6:45] the station was being paid to say those things about him. [6:48] It's the reason no one who gets a birthday Cameo [6:51] from Gary Busey thinks, "Wow, Gary Busey hopes [6:54] I make it to 156 years old. He must be my best friend." [6:58] Instead, they think, "Wow, Craig just wasted [7:01] 350 dollars, getting Gary Busey to wish me [7:04] a happy birthday? He must be my best friend." [7:08] And it's worth noting, that Heafner [7:10] and the firm he worked for not only were ordered [7:12] to pay a million dollars in an arbitration case [7:13] over claims he lost retirees money, [7:15] but 22 plaintiffs recently sued him, [7:18] seeking damages related to the loss of 2.7 million [7:21] dollars of their investments with one of them even saying [7:24] that he trusted Heafner because he believed... [7:30] And, yeah, of course you would believe that, [7:33] people trust their local station, [7:35] that's the point here! [7:37] And it doesn't stop at these local lifestyle shows. [7:40] Companies have also bought their way directly [7:42] into local news broadcasts. [7:45] Back in 2017... [7:50] ...over segments promoting the Hunstman Cancer Institute. [7:53] Which were broadcast more than 1,000 times [7:56] on local Sinclair stations with no indication whatsoever [7:59] that they were sponsored. [8:01] Some of these segments aired during the evening news. [8:04] And in hindsight, the tone of the reports [8:06] were suspiciously upbeat. [8:08] MARK KOELBEL: This complex machine is eradicating cancer [8:11] without the invasive procedure. [8:12] For patients like Jeff, this is welcome news. [8:15] If you're gonna have prostate cancer, [8:18] this is the time to have it. [8:19] KOELBEL: In Salt Lake City, Utah, Mark Koelbel reporting. [8:22] That is a hell of a positive spin. [8:24] "No time like the present to have prostate cancer. [8:27] What are you waiting for?" [8:29] And despite how he signed off there, [8:31] is Mark Koelbel actually reporting? [8:33] Because in retrospect it seems more like [8:35] Mark Koelbel is parroting the absurdly sunny [8:37] cancer propaganda of his business, [8:38] Daddy's Favorite Money Friend. [8:40] But I will say this: At least that is an instance [8:43] of a broadcaster acting so egregiously, [8:46] the FCC was able to take action. [8:48] A lot of the time, stations are doing [8:51] just enough to stay the right side of the FCC, [8:54] but that does not mean that they're not doing [8:56] massive harm to their credibility. [8:58] Because even when a sponsorship [9:00] is "properly disclosed," I'd argue that there [9:04] are certain businesses local stations [9:05] should not be selling themselves out for. [9:08] Especially when it comes to medicine. [9:10] Because a surprising number of segments on these shows [9:13] are enthusiastic, uncritical showcases [9:16] for expensive treatments or devices [9:17] featuring claims that are, to put it charitably, [9:20] medically dubious. Like this product, [9:23] which made it on to a regular morning newscast in Utah. [9:26] Today we're talking about technology [9:27] aimed to help men with a serious issue. [9:30] Stephanie and Dustin Wolff, the co-inventors [9:32] of the world's first clinically tested, [9:34] home-use shockwave device to treat erectile dysfunction [9:38] and cellulite. It's called the Rocket. [9:39] This is the Rocket. So the Rocket works [9:42] on the principle of low intensity [9:43] sound wave therapy, which has actually been around [9:47] in Europe for about 25 years. [9:48] It's very effective, it's safe, [9:51] and it's-- the technology is FDA recognized. [9:54] Okay... First, that vibrating taint missile [9:57] looks utterly terrifying. And while it has since [9:59] been rebranded from the Rocket to the Phoenix, [10:02] I'm not sure, "Put this bird that destroys [10:04] itself in fire near your penis" [10:06] is really much of an upgrade. [10:08] But second, what does "FDA recognized" even mean there? [10:12] It definitely does not mean it's FDA cleared, [10:15] much less, approved. And the FDA actually told us [10:18] that the Phoenix is registered with them [10:20] as a therapeutic massager, though, [10:23] not as a device to treat erectile dysfunction. [10:26] And at this point, I legally have to tell you, [10:28] the manufacturer of the Phoenix [10:30] says they make no explicit claims about treating ED. [10:34] Which is a little odd because their own website [10:37] claims the Phoenix offers "proven technology [10:39] to make your penis harder," and that, "you can complete [10:42] this innovative ED treatment in the privacy of your home." [10:45] All of which they presumably feel justifies [10:48] its price tag of... Holy shit, 879 dollars! [10:52] But that is not the point here. [10:54] The point is: If you're going to allow [10:56] that product into the body of your local newscast, [10:59] you might want to have some very pointed questions [11:01] ready, and not end the segment like this. [11:04] Of course, if you want to get more information, [11:06] where will they find it online, guys? [11:07] Oh, they can go to getmyrocket.com. [11:09] There you go. You get that help you need [11:11] for whatever ailment you've got, right there. [11:13] Yeah, use the Rocket for whatever ailment you've got, [11:16] especially if that ailment if having, let's say, [11:19] around 879 too many dollars. [11:22] And the thing is, that is far from [11:24] the only weird medical product [11:26] that's been presented uncritically [11:28] during sponsored segments. [11:29] Denver's Mile High Living featured a spa owner [11:31] promoting this exciting new treatment. [11:34] Monalisa Touch is the first FDA cleared laser [11:37] to treat the vagina, and in doing so, [11:39] it treats the symptoms of vaginal atrophy. [11:40] So the procedure itself, is it painful? [11:43] No, typically what you'll feel are mild vibrations. [11:46] I tease, the next day you might feel like [11:48] you have a sunburned vagina, but it's just healing. [11:50] Oh, that's okay then. It's just your typical, [11:53] everyday sunburned vagina. [11:55] And only caused by a laser, so really just your typical, [11:57] everyday laser-roasted genitalia. [12:00] Which is just healing, from the laser [12:02] you deliberately burned it with. [12:04] It being the inside of your vagina. [12:06] Your run-of-the-mill, laser-charred vagina. [12:09] And if using a laser as a medical pseudo-dildo [12:12] seems like a scary thing to do, [12:14] you have good instincts. Because over a year [12:17] before that segment aired, the FDA issued a safety alert [12:20] making it clear they have not cleared or approved [12:23] for marketing... [12:27] And... [12:34] And the problem is, segments with dicey [12:36] medical claims are just everywhere. [12:39] Recently, the FDA has warned about the use [12:42] of unapproved stem cell therapies, [12:43] which they say can be harmful. [12:45] But you would not know that to watch some of these shows. [12:48] Here is a segment from Good Morning Texas, [12:51] featuring a doctor who's been disciplined [12:53] multiple times by the State medical board [12:55] for separate issues claiming his stem cell therapy [12:58] can treat things like MS and Parkinson's. [13:01] Despite the fact that stem cells have never [13:03] been approved to treat any neurological disorder. [13:06] And it's not just him. Here is a naturopathic doctor [13:09] making similarly baseless claims on a station [13:11] in Arizona. [13:13] So what kind of conditions are you treating with this? [13:15] So, we can treat so many different kinds of conditions. [13:18] We can do it to joints, been doing a lot of that. [13:20] We do a lot of systemic things as well. [13:22] Including we had a patient with Crohn's Disease recently, [13:25] had a patient with heart disease [13:26] who was in severe heart failure. Both of them within a week [13:30] of getting these stem cells are just feeling great [13:32] -and improved to almost normal. -Wow. [13:35] Yeah, wow indeed. That card there suggested [13:39] he can treat Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Autism, [13:42] MS, and ALS. It seems the only thing [13:45] his stem cells can't do is help that station [13:47] proof-read their list of "conditions [13:49] can stem cell therapy benefit." Because other than that, [13:52] got you they covered have. [13:54] And look, while there is no way of knowing exactly [13:56] how many people are watching these shows as they air, [13:59] that's not really the point. As this marketing executive [14:02] at Nexstar explained to potential advertisers. [14:06] Now here's the deal. Most people think, "Okay, [14:08] so I go on the TV show. I'm on TV, great, [14:10] this is awesome, airs at four o'clock, [14:12] I go on and great, people singing, [14:14] okay, so, this is cool." I'm gonna tell you right now, [14:18] when you actually go on and do that, [14:22] that isn't even the cake. That's just the icing. [14:26] You know what the cake is? The video file. [14:32] At the end you're gonna have a four or five [14:34] minute video file, and you're gonna do what [14:36] with it? Post it everywhere. [14:38] Okay, first of all, what is that motion? [14:41] That is unnecessarily gross. This isn't how [14:45] you represent cake and icing. This is how you bring [14:48] a Mash's Ham to orgasm. You give it the old [14:50] wiggle and squeeze, and then a twist and a snap. [14:53] -Oh, shit. -What is it? [14:55] Sorry, George, I'm sorry. That one was genuinely [14:58] an accident. I was just trying [14:59] to show people how to bring a Mash's Ham to orgasm. [15:02] -That's not how you do it. -Oh. [15:06] Hmm... I guess that's good information to have. [15:09] The point is, though, that marketing executive [15:11] is right. The cake is the video file. [15:14] And companies will take that video and run with it. [15:17] Remember that naturopathic doctor who claimed [15:19] stem cells were a treatment for Alzheimer's and Autism? [15:22] Here is his website, which proudly features [15:25] the many times he was given an uncritical platform [15:28] on trusted local TV. [15:30] And you might think viewers should be smart enough [15:32] to approach anything on these shows with skepticism, [15:35] but the thing is, though, many of these stations [15:38] also swap figures between their newsroom [15:40] and their sponsored content shows. [15:43] At ABC 4 Utah, for instance, Surae Chin [15:45] is both the channel's chief medical correspondent [15:48] and a host of the sponsored content show, [15:51] Good Things Utah. [15:52] And it really does feel like a line is getting [15:55] blurred there. And look, ideally, [15:58] stations wouldn't engage in this practice at all. [16:00] Or at the very least, their disclosures [16:02] would be harder for their viewers to miss [16:04] and they do significantly more work [16:06] to make sure that if they are letting someone [16:08] buy their way onto their channel and present something as real [16:12] that it's not, in fact, total nonsense. [16:14] Because right now it's far too easy [16:16] to make a ridiculous product that makes outlandish claims [16:19] and get it onto local TV. [16:22] And the reason I know that is, we did. [16:25] We started a company called Venus Inventions. [16:28] And created something called, The Venus Veil. [16:30] An absurd medical product based on technology [16:33] that absolutely doesn't exist. [16:35] We set up this website, and even hired an actress [16:38] to brandigrate the shit out of the Venus Veil, [16:41] and to shows it had no business being on. [16:44] Did it work? I don't know, you tell me, [16:47] ABC 4 Utah. [16:49] I am so excited to talk with Erica Hernandez [16:52] with the Venus Veil, a revolutionary new product [16:56] on the line. What exactly is it? [16:58] I'm so intrigued. [17:00] I'm so glad you are intrigued. [17:02] So this is the Venus Veil, it is the world's first [17:06] sexual health blanket. [17:07] Yeah, that was on ABC 4 last Friday. [17:11] And I would love to tell you that it was difficult [17:13] to get on, but it really wasn't. [17:15] And remember, that's their chief medical correspondent. [17:19] And it seems striking that she didn't have [17:21] any follow ups on claims we made about the Veil, [17:23] that you would hope a medical correspondent [17:26] would immediately take issue with. [17:28] ACTOR: The Veil is being designed with the hope [17:30] that it will precisely draw out the natural alkaline [17:33] undercurrents of the vagina, and initiate a low-grade state [17:37] of what we call microdeath, which sounds incredibly scary [17:41] but that's actually just restarting that area's [17:44] natural lifecycle. It's using this field [17:46] of magnetogenetics I was talking about, [17:49] and also a technology that's been around [17:50] for a really long time that was pioneered [17:52] in Germany about 80 years ago. So this is full [17:56] of cutting-edge technology, but it just looks like [17:58] a blanket. [17:59] Yeah, it does, and that's because it is. [18:02] It is just a blanket. Also, technology [18:05] that was pioneered in Germany about 80 years ago, [18:08] I would have some questions about that particular period [18:11] in German history. And I know that looks bad, [18:14] but let's be fair here, it's just an isolated example. [18:17] There was no way another station was gonna fall [18:20] for this, right? Absolutely no way. [18:22] Is there, KVUE Austin? Because you wouldn't [18:25] have let us pay to directly follow [18:27] your 10 p.m. local news this Thursday, would you? [18:30] There's no way that happened. [18:32] It includes some pretty interesting technology. [18:35] Yes, it does. So the team behind the Veil [18:37] was inspired by the field of magnetogenetics. [18:39] But basically, your blood is full of iron [18:41] but it's dispersed in such a way [18:43] that it isn't affected by normal magnets. [18:45] So the idea behind the Veil is that with [18:47] the right blend of proprietary magnetic fibers, [18:49] you can create a self-contained magnetic field [18:52] that restimulates blood flow and gets you feeling [18:55] like your normal self again. [18:57] Very interesting. [18:58] Is it? Is it interesting? [19:00] Or is that obvious bullshit that definitely [19:03] shouldn't have been on in the same hour of coverage [19:05] as the ceasefire in the Middle East, [19:07] a shortage of lifeguards at local public pools, [19:09] and an investigative piece on criminal justice [19:11] and bail reform. One of these things [19:13] is not like the others, and it's definitely [19:16] our Nazi-era fuck blanket. [19:18] But surely, if you saw this blanket in-person, [19:21] in a studio, then you would know not to enthusiastically [19:25] cosign on the completely baseless claims [19:28] being made right in front of you. [19:30] You would protect your viewers from that happening... [19:33] wouldn't you, Denver's Mile High Living? [19:36] This is meant to treat sexual conditions, [19:38] but a lot of people are really embarrassed [19:40] to talk about their sexual health, right? [19:43] So it was designed to be something that's [19:44] really discrete, and also really stylish [19:47] so you can have it in your home, [19:48] and it really couldn't look less like a medical product. [19:51] Yeah, no, it doesn't look like that. [19:53] You know, again, I think it's one of those things [19:54] that a lot of people are looking [19:56] to enhance their lives, but they also don't want [19:58] anything too invasive. So this is something, [20:00] where again, you're not needing a prescription [20:02] -or anything like that as well. -Yes. [20:04] Well, thank you, Erica, thanks so much [20:05] for coming in today, we appreciate it. [20:07] Thank you so much for having me, thanks for making it so easy, [20:08] -this was great. -Yeah, super easy. [20:10] Yeah, super easy. You could even argue, [20:13] way too easy. 'Cause the truth is, [20:16] none of this was nearly difficult enough [20:18] to get onto TV. And it wasn't even [20:20] that expensive. That cost just 2,800 dollars. [20:24] This one cost 2,650. And this one [20:27] only cost 1,750 dollars. [20:29] It was all shockingly affordable. [20:32] And sadly, on some stations, didn't even look [20:34] that out of place. And that is not good. [20:38] Because as we have said for years now, [20:40] the integrity of local news is crucially important. [20:44] And there is real harm for everyone [20:46] if that integrity is damaged. So to the owners [20:49] of these stations who were selling them out [20:51] at a depressingly cheap price, I have a simple question: [20:55] If I may quote the words of a very wise news anchor: [20:58] The fuck are you doing? [21:01] That's our show, thank you so much for watching. [21:03] If you want to see our Venus Veil segment in full, [21:05] the whole cake if you will, you can go to... [21:09] Goodnight.