John Oliver mocks Mike Johnson's GOP retreat venue as he calls location Wes Anderson's remake of ‘The Shining'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: John Oliver delivered another comedic jab at the Republican Party during his show on March 17, targeting House Speaker Mike Johnson's decision on the location for this year's GOP retreat. 

Describing the venue as resembling "the Wes Anderson Remake of ‘The Shining'", Oliver couldn't help but poke fun at the peculiar choice.

The retreat is expected to have notably low attendance this year as Axios reported that fewer than 100 members will be present.

John Oliver's hilarious take on low attendance and odd excuses at the GOP retreat

Oliver found amusement in the reasons provided by some for their absence, with one member going so far as to quip, "I’d rather sit down with Hannibal Lecter and eat my own liver".

He added another layer of humor by highlighting another member's excuse for missing the retreat, citing that he had already purchased cleaning materials for his boat and needed to tend to it over the weekend.

"We all know how important it is to use boat cleaner before it expires," Oliver quipped, injecting his signature wit into the observation.

A significant factor contributing to this reluctance appears to be the location change, as the retreat is typically held in Florida. This year, however, House Speaker Mike Johnson opted for The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia.

Oliver was swift to highlight the less-than-glowing online reviews of the resort, describing them as "at best, mixed."

He then seized upon the resort's website itself, likely finding humorous fodder in its presentation or content.

The host humorously remarked, "There is also this photo on their website right now, which looks like the last thing that you see before being brutally murdered in an abandoned Cadbury factory," while displaying a photo of someone in an Easter Bunny costume, peeking around a wall and waving.

Mike Johnson's mediation efforts amid GOP retreat tensions

To add context to Oliver's recent episode, it was reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson was occupied during the House GOP retreat in West Virginia last week playing the role of peacemaker amid rival factions within his divided caucus.

One particular matter emerged as a focal point for the novice Republican leader -- preventing House members from engaging in contentious primary races by targeting their colleagues, CNN reported.

In an interview released by the network on March 17, Johnson addressed the inter-party conflicts, stating, “I’ve asked them all to cool it.” He added, “I’m telling everyone who’s doing that to knock it off. And both sides, they’ll say, ‘Well, we didn’t start it, they started it"'. 

Despite Johnson's genuine efforts, members hinted that the trend is poised to worsen in the coming months as the 2024 election edges closer.