Sunday night at 11, a most surprising program aired. John Oliver scored what can only be described as a coup of significant proportion by doing an interview with Edward Snowden. And it wasn’t the usual interview, where Little Eddie is either being bashed or adored. LE was bashed, humored, chastened, laughed at, laughed with, and embarrassed. Notice adored isn’t on that list. Nonetheless, I came away with a couple of observations I’d like to share.

First, and foremost: John Oliver has now taken Jon Stewart’s place as the one person that can have real impact on the current culture. He’s shown it before: remember “I am not a dingo”? If you missed it, go to HBO-GO and seek it out. Big impact on the FCC, of all institutions…but back to the point.

John’s weekly series on HBO called Last Week Tonight takes on issues that others either ignore or just gloss over with no real substance in the effort. John Oliver – who is a Brit, by the way – takes on American issues with the media, with government, and just plain sacred cows – and lambasts, skewers and drubs them. He is almost always a person I find myself agreeing with, and sometimes throwing kisses at through the TV screen when he’s really said or done something notable. But interviewing Little Eddie Snowden? Who’d a thunk it?

But here’s the main point I’d like to make: John Oliver has hit on a reality that had, frankly, eluded me. The best way to fight the NSA and their terrifying excess – is to make them look outrageously sad, pathetic and ridiculous – all at the same time. And how did John Oliver manage that? With “men & women on the street” interview snippets, and subsequent techno-geek explanations from LE. About what? About sending pictures of one’s privates through electronic means. Yes, beloved, the NSA is seeing your junk, if you’re electronically sharing them with others. Guess that’s maybe how the story about Weiner – the Congressman from NY with the most unfortunate name – got started. But my other observation is that yes, I was right a few centuries ago when I labeled LE a CNA – computer nerd archetype. But the boy has grown – and has the capacity to handle even tricky guys like Oliver with aplomb and good grace. Kudos to LE. I hope he gets to come home soon – and for a less-than-a-lifetime stay in a country club prison. Come on – they gotta give him some kind of punishment, right? Oh, wait – Petraeus got a slap on the wrist for doing the same thing, just on a much smaller scale. Oops – well, we’ll just have to wait and see how that turns out.

So from now on, boys and girls: no pix of junk or pubes. The NSA is watching, and if that upsets you, well at least that’s a good start. And that was Oliver’s point. And it may make a difference with you young folk out there who generally don’t give a flip about the government’s spying. And your caring about it might mobilize you to do something about NSA’s Constitution-violating spying. Remember – Erik’s and my generation’s protests stopped a war. Let’s see what you can do, kids.