Watch John Oliver’s Brilliant, Concise Primer On Net Neutrality

If you are a regular reader of TechCrunch, then you are probably up to speed on the issue of net neutrality. If you aren’t, however, SHAME ON YOU. Just kidding. As HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” host (and two-time Crunchies emcee) John Oliver said in a rousing call to action last night, “cable companies have figured out the great truth of America: if you want to do something evil, put it in something boring.”

Part of the problem is the term net neutrality itself and any government hearing on the issue.

“The only two words that promise more boredom in the English language are ‘featuring Sting,'” said Oliver. “I would rather read a book by Thomas Friedman than listen to that hearing. I would rather listen to a pair of Dockers tell me about the weird dream it had.”

But, Oliver pointed out, despite its snore-inducing name, net neutrality is “actually hugely important. Essentially it means that all data has to be treated equally no matter who created it. It’s why the Internet is a weirdly level playing field and startups can supplant established brands.” Ending net neutrality by creating a two-tier system “would allow big companies to buy their way into the fast lane, leaving everyone in the slow lane.”

Other factoids from the segment:

What does Oliver want Americans to do in order to “prevent cable company fuckery?” Hint: it involves leaving a comment at fcc.gov/comments