Danbury Mayor Accepts John Oliver's Offer 'With One Condition'

DANBURY, CT — Mayor Mark Boughton accepted comedian John Oliver's offer of $55,000 for local charities in exchange for naming the local sewage plant after him, but the agreement came with strings attached.

In a video released on social media Sunday, Boughton said he would accept the donation with "one very specific condition: You must come here to Danbury and be physically present when we cut the ribbon."

Failing that, Boughton said he would add signage to a portable toilet, naming it "The 'JOHN' Oliver (expletive bleeped) House."

Standing before the porta-potty in the video, the mayor extended this invitation to the comedian: "So Mr. Oliver, come up to Danbury, and sit on your throne."

Echoing Oliver's own warning to Boughton on his show last week not to "Danbury this up," the mayor cautioned the HBO host: "Now look: don't Oliver this up."

Since the offer was made on the Aug. 30 edition of "Last Week Tonight" on HBO, the comedian and the mayor have traded barbs on social media. Along the way, the local professional hockey team, child video bloggers, and even the Danbury Animal Welfare Society have all gotten into the act.

In conditionally accepting Oliver's offer, the mayor took another jab, suggesting that the satirist's largesse might not be as generous as it appears: "And I gotta tell ya: $55,000 is a little light for somebody in the 'one percent.' But, a deal is a deal."

Oliver said the funds he would donate would be earmarked as $25,000 to the Connecticut Food Bank, $25,000 to a Donors Choose fund for Danbury teachers and $5,000 to ALS Connecticut. The comedian said he would even foot the bill to have the sign bearing his name made.