Whatever. I've seen him do stand-up and I think he's funny, but it's not like Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert or Conan O'Brien write/wrote all or even most of their own material.
Yeah I got the tone right away. It is something John Oliver would say. And there is some truth to it. I loved the Daniel O'Brien Cracked videos (like After Hours) and he works for John Oliver now. There's some bits Oliver does that's just so Daniel O'Brien.
I don't think of Jon as all that funny. I listen to him for his honest and intelligent takes. He could be the least funny person in the world and I'd still listen to him.
I agree the show has mastered this technique. But counterpoint, empathize with an audience that isn't liberal. As a leftist, I'm rarely learning from this show. But this method helps me laugh at, rather than get angry at, our enemy. Leftists need to have fun.