With only three days left until 2026, Bostonians braved the cold on December 28th to watch night two of John Oliver's sold-out stint of shows at MGM Music Hall Fenway. The British-American comedian, writer, actor, and television host drew quite the crowd, who enjoyed taking a moment to catch up amidst the holiday chaos for a night of laughs and connection.

First up was stand-up comedian, actor, and writer Brooks Wheelan, who tested the waters with jokes about family and the New England Patriots. He detailed his shenanigans as a child working at the movie theatre and recalled how much he disliked having to sit through an opener at a Pearl Jam concert, the perfect mix of self-deprecating and relatable humor. He landed some big swings like "F*ck Drake Maye," revealing it was because he is "actually jealous" that New England has a shot of winning again, and the region needs to spend "more time in hell," eliciting laughs and playing into that New England pride. He ended his set trialing new jokes from his notebook, including one about the ambitious 999 challenge, where someone eats 9 hot dogs and drinks 9 beers in 9 innings, recognizing MGM Music Hall was the perfect place to test it out, since the venue is attached to the world's oldest MLB stadium.

Soon after, Oliver strutted out on stage and delivered a coy curtsey to a roaring crowd. He dove into an array of hot takes, political confessions, and his thoughts on current affairs. Just like his witty, jabby, and clever late-night show, Oliver effortlessly weaved a story about his opinions on the current social climate. His self-aware, timely jokes elicited belly laughs all night long, starting with him critiquing those filming with their phones as people who want to enjoy the show...but only later, perhaps when they are in the lavatory.

He shared how dark the state of the world is, noting that the live updates about the French jewel thieves robbing the Louvre Museum were some of his favorite moments of levity this year. His other favorite indulgences include when those who feel "inexplicably entitled" to something experience a mishap, for example, the chaos that ensued when people impersonated brands after X allowed users to purchase verified blue check marks. This shared experience reminded Oliver that while the "faith of human nature has taken a pounding," these unifying moments are "clawing some of it back" before adding a cheeky "so treat yoself" takeaway tagline. His set continued to be full of insightful and tongue-in-cheek humor, a much-needed delight for every fan in the audience who was undoubtedly experiencing some family conversation fatigue. The echo of laughs and happy tears solidified the night as the best way to ring in 2026.