The Lowe’s robot, lampooned on 'Last Week'

John Oliver has deep thoughts about the role of the hardware store employee. 

Each week, the Internet reliably repurposes clips from Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” in which he “eviscerates,” “takes down” or “blasts” an aspect of our government or society.

This time, Lowe’s announced that it was launching customer service robots at an Orchard Supply Hardware location, playing right into Oliver’s hands with an easily mocked automaton drone that makes Siri sound like a Scarlett Johansson voiceover.

The “eviscerating” was the easy part. In what universe is a robot better than a human for home improvement interaction? You can practically hear the blunt objects flying off the shelves already: “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand your request. Let’s try again." 

But more than man vs. machine, Oliver also had an interesting philosophical take on the role of hardware store sales associates, who have the added responsibility of playing couple’s counselor in addition to paint guru: “Sales associates at home improvement stores are not there to help people find things,” he says. “They’re there to stop couples from tearing each other apart.” 

In a retail landscape where customer service is an increasing point of leverage for independents, it’s probably fair to say that Oliver got at least one thing wrong in his comic video: a big-box employee would be hard-pressed to be that good at his job.