John Oliver Forks Over $7,000 For Russell Crowe's Jockstrap To Send It To Alaska's Last Blockbuster
Last Week Tonight host John Oliver reveals that he bought a whole bunch of Russell Crowe memorabilia, including his leather jockstrap from Cinderella Man.
The Academy Award winning actor had a surprising "Art of Divorce" auction for his film memorabilia several weeks ago, and it turns out a famous super-fan is among his best clients: Oliver. Don't worry, though, because it's for a noble cause.
Oliver Tries To Save Blockbuster Video
Sunday's Last Week Tonight segment begins with Oliver talking about the rapidly dying Blockbuster video rental shops. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2010, but there are four stores still left standing, all of which almost have a mythical presence in the age of online streaming. Three of the remaining four are in Alaska, Oliver notes, which makes sense due to the internet quality in the state.
Still, he adds, the improvement of internet coverage means the life of Blockbusters are in danger.
"If only there were a fun, movie-themed way for them to draw people in," Oliver muses, adding that Planet Hollywood lets people dine with precious movie artifacts. "The problem is, there is no way for a Blockbuster in Alaska to get memorabilia like that. Or is there?"
The HBO show found an unconventional way to help save Blockbuster shops, and Crowe's "Art of Divorce" played a huge role in their plan.
Oliver reveals that Last Week Tonight purchased Crowe's jockstrap from Cinderella Man for a whopping $7,000. He triumphantly pulls out the famous jockstrap — set on a mannequin piece in a glass display box — to cheers from the audience.
"Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?" he shouts Crowe's famous Gladiator line and then adds that his team decided to buy other items at the auction.
Oliver chalks it up to the allure of late-night online shopping, proceeding to walking the crowd through their purchases.
"We didn't just get a jockstrap. We got a bunch of pointless Russell Crowe memorabilia, and I can think of no more fitting place for them to reside than an Alaskan Blockbuster."
Among the items Oliver acquired were Crowe's director's chair from American Gangster, Denzel Washington's chair from the same film, Crowe's vest from Les Misérables, his hood from Robin Hood, and the robe and shorts from Cinderella Man.
Oliver tells the remaining Blockbuster stores in Alaska to reach out, and all the items are theirs for display.
Hey, @blockbuster! Come and get it! pic.twitter.com/C8Cd85pWD8 — Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) April 16, 2018
Crowe's Valuable Loot
It might seem strange for a jockstrap to sell for $7,000, and even Crowe himself didn't think it would rake in that much.
"I put it in the collection as a piece of whimsy and a bit of a gag," Crowe tells Good Morning Britain, according to People. "Funny enough, it's garnered a lot of attention."
Crowe, 54, had the "Art of Divorce" auction to mark the end of his nine-year marriage to Danielle Spencer. Over 200 items were up on sale, and the actor previously revealed that he made $3.7 million in the first five hours alone.
