- Last Week Tonight questions why Columbus Day is still celebrated in America
- The holiday commemorates Christopher Columbus's landing in the Bahamas in 1492
- Columbus's actions included kidnapping Native Americans, selling them into slavery, and causing disease and warfare that killed many
- Many states and cities no longer recognize Columbus Day
- Suggestions are made to celebrate other Italian heroes instead
- Overall, the holiday celebrates a murderous egomaniac who got lost and refused to ask for directions

Christopher Columbus did a lot of stuff that was way more terrible than "sailing the ocean blue," but we don't learn about that.

Columbus Day: How is it still a thing?

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And now, last week Tonight Asks, How Is This Still a Thing?

This week, Columbus Day, How Is This Still a Thing?

America has a lot of solemn holiday traditions.

From saluting the quiet dignity of the Irish, to proudly celebrating our birth as a nation to just spending quality time with family at Thanksgiving.

But next week brings perhaps the strangest of American holidays, Columbus Day, which brings with it the beloved annual traditions of cheesy local commercials.

In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue to celebrate Mattress Depot.

And Americans turning up to an unexpectedly closed post office and going, Oh Yeah, it's Columbus Day.

This proud holiday commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492, beginning a long tradition of obnoxious white people visiting Caribbean islands and acting like they own the place.

In school, American children learn about Christopher Columbus's life.

We'll call this part of India San Salvador.

Of course, what they tend not to learn are the parts of Columbus's life where he kidnapped Native Americans and sold them into slavery, had his men slice them to pieces, and through disease and warfare killed roughly half the population of Haiti.

But in fairness, none of that rhymes with, in 1492.

Nevertheless, Columbus became famous for his discoveries, specifically the discovery that you can discover a continent with millions of people already living on it that had also been visited by Vikings around 500 years earlier.

States and cities no longer recognize Columbus Day, raising the question, why do the rest of us still do it?

Sure, it's a chance for Italians to celebrate their heritage, but there are so many other heroes they could celebrate.

He killed no Native Americans that we know of.

Or Al Pacino Day, a day that will probably start well and end as an overblown parody of itself.

So America's least favorite holiday commemorates a murderous egomaniac whose most famous discovery was a case of getting lost and refusing to ask directions.

All of which is enough to make you wonder, Columbus Day, how is this still a thing?


Speaker 0: And now, last week Tonight Asks, How Is This Still a Thing? This week, Columbus Day, How Is This Still a Thing?

Speaker 1: America has a lot of solemn holiday traditions. From saluting the quiet dignity of the Irish, to proudly celebrating our birth as a nation to just spending quality time with family at Thanksgiving. But next week brings perhaps the strangest of American holidays, Columbus Day, which brings with it the beloved annual traditions of cheesy local commercials.

Speaker 0: In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue to celebrate Mattress Depot.

Speaker 1: And Americans turning up to an unexpectedly closed post office and going, Oh Yeah, it's Columbus Day. Shit. This proud holiday commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Bahamas in 1492, beginning a long tradition of obnoxious white people visiting Caribbean islands and acting like they own the place. In school, American children learn about Christopher Columbus's life.

Speaker 0: I will discover a shortcut to India. We'll call this part of India San Salvador.

Speaker 1: Of course, what they tend not to learn are the parts of Columbus's life where he kidnapped Native Americans and sold them into slavery, had his men slice them to pieces, and through disease and warfare killed roughly half the population of Haiti. But in fairness, none of that rhymes with, in 1492. Nevertheless, Columbus became famous for his discoveries, specifically the discovery that you can discover a continent with millions of people already living on it that had also been visited by Vikings around 500 years earlier. In fact, many U.S. States and cities no longer recognize Columbus Day, raising the question, why do the rest of us still do it?

Sure, it's a chance for Italians to celebrate their heritage, but there are so many other heroes they could celebrate. Why not Frank Sinatra Day? He killed no Native Americans that we know of. Or Al Pacino Day, a day that will probably start well and end as an overblown parody of itself. So America's least favorite holiday commemorates a murderous egomaniac whose most famous discovery was a case of getting lost and refusing to ask directions.

All of which is enough to make you wonder, Columbus Day, how is this still a thing?

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Columbus Day - How Is This Still A Thing: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)