Stay Up Late

Stay Up Late was painted in 1992 by Brian Swords (also known as Biohazard), a furry fandom artist living in York, Pennsylvania.[1] It was one of several of Swords's paintings, such as The Smell of Wet Fur and Sheets and Pillowcases, that depict anthropomorphic rats named Alice and Bob in sexually suggestive poses.[2] Between 1988 and 1993, Swords donated his paintings to "Gallery 33", WITF-TV's yearly auction. His pieces sold well, but the donated paintings steadily became more explicit.[2] Out of fear of alienating their audience and losing their FCC licence, erotica was banned from the auction in 1993.[1]

The painting was sold for $80 to an unknown buyer in 1992.[1]

In the 29 March 2020 episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver offered to buy the painting for $1,000 and a $20,000 donation to a local food bank of the owner's choice.[3] Two weeks later, on 12 April 2020, Oliver was shown with the painting as part of his closing monologue of the episode.[4] The seller remains anonymous, but did receive the $1,000, and Oliver did not mention which food bank received the donation, except that it was in Pennsylvania.[5]

The point of Oliver's stunt was to show how much easier it is to buy a particular painting from an unknown artist than it is to get tested for COVID-19.[6] Emily Chambers, writing for politics blog Pajiba, referred to the extended joke as "greatest story of the past century."[7] Virginia Streva, writing for Philly Voice, called the quest for the painting a "comedic victory."[8]

In the 4 October 2020 episode, which included a segment on the difficulties that small museums were having as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oliver offered the painting, alongside two other pieces (a portrait of broadcaster Wendy Williams eating a lamb chop, and a painting by Judith Kudlow of her husband's assorted ties), as a travelling exhibit on a national tour. Museums were invited to apply to display the paintings, with the five chosen not only allowed to exhibit them for two weeks, but also receiving $10,000, plus a matching donation to a local food bank.[9]

In the 8 November 2020 episode, Oliver displayed Stay Up Late again in reference to alleged voter fraud in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and the Trump campaign's creation of a fraud report hotline. Oliver noted that ratfucking is a slang term for electoral fraud, and joked that anyone with "images of Pennsylvania-based ratfucking" should submit them to the hotline's website immediately.[10] The painting also appeared briefly on the 19 June 2022 episode covering high rent prices in the United States.[11]