John Oliver's auction closes with over $1.5 million raised for public media

This is per Variety, which reports that the entire auction pulled in $1.54 million for the Public Media Bridge Fund, with the majority of that figure coming from Ross’ “Cabin At Sunset” painting. The painting received 35 bids and closed at $1,044,000, making it one of the more expensive paintings from Ross’ oeuvre. The outlet reports that earlier this month, Bonhams Los Angeles auctioned off three Ross paintings which earned $114,800, $229,100, and $318,000. (That being said, an original Ross from the first episode of Joy Of Painting was listed for just shy of $10 million in 2023.) 

Though the auction is now closed and the listings appear to have been taken down, Variety was able to document a few other highlights. Russell Crowe’s jockstrap from Cinderella Man ultimately fetched $21,000, and the giant prop cabbage that Oliver married in a season 9 episode sold for $11,111. Oliver’s giant golden sculpture of Lyndon B. Johnson’s ballsack pulled over $25,000. Five presidential wax figures were sold, with Bill Clinton nabbing the highest price and William Henry Harrison the lowest. Someone paid over $100,000 for VIP tickets and to have their photo featured in an episode of Last Week Tonight, and a trip to meet Oliver in New York raised $51,600.