Boris Johnson,

out of the woods. -Yes. Yes.

-The Queen actually gave an address.

This is very rare. -Yes.

-Was it a tonic for you to see the Queen speak?

-I mean, what kind of tonic?

One of those tonics that you think is going to do something,

you rub it on you, and you realize,

"Oh, no, that didn't do it"?

-Yeah. [ Laughs ]

-Like an expensive tonic,

like something from Goop, where you just go --

-Yeah, or maybe like a gin and tonic,

but the tonic's a little flat.

-[ Laughs ] That's exactly it.

-Okay, gotcha.

-You know, 'cause normally the Queen speaks every Christmas.

And if the Queen is speaking at a time that isn't Christmas,

it's not because things are going well.

-It's because Princess Diana just died,

or the country is at war.

-Right. -That's basically it.

So, the Queen turning up

in itself is not a reassuring thing.

If it's a message from the Queen

and it's not "Happy Christmas, everyone,"

then that's not great.

And so, yeah, I hope, for those whom she could calm down,

I hope she calmed them down.

But I don't know if --

We said on our show, what was more inspiring

was that she was wearing a green dress,

and so everyone in England

just started projecting things onto the green dress.

-Oh, because it was a green screen.

It was a natural green screen. -Yeah, it was a green screen.

So, you should never wear green in front of a television camera

unless you're happy to have things --

unless you're happy to wear

things that people want you to wear.

And that's -- In a sense,

the Queen learned a very important lesson,

which is if you don't want to be dressed like Iron Man,

don't wear a green dress.

-So you don't think this was a case of her knowing in advance,

like, "Let them -- They'll have some fun with this"?

-That would be great. -[ Laughs ]

-I mean, it would be wildly out of character,

but it would be very generous, right?

-Like someone choosing a movie poster

that's begging for a [bleep] to be drawn on it.

-[ Laughs ]

God, I've never been much of a monarchist,

but I would really appreciate,

like, her coming to the nation's time of need.

She goes, "No, I don't want to go with the blue.

Give them the green."

-Yeah. "Let them enjoy themselves."

-"Let them enjoy -- Have at it, Britain."

[ Both laugh ]

"This country is at war with a vicious disease.

Have at it."

-[ Laughs ]

One of the people that's reassuring

or certainly has brought some reassurance to many

is Dr. Anthony Fauci.

-Yeah.

-Some say, "How can you stand there if you're a doctor

and listen to the president say things

that we know are scientifically untrue?"

But you actually have some appreciation

for the tough spot he's in.

-Yeah. I mean, yeah.

I think, when he was asked a question,

that question, by a medical journal,

I think his response was, right, "What would you have me do?"

'cause I get, you could have him

just cough "Bull[bleep]" or into your sleeve,

not into your hand. -[ Laughs ]

-"Bull[bleep]. Bull[bleep]"

But, yeah, but that would mean

that he couldn't do his job anymore,

and I think there's nothing more important

than him doing his job as long as he possibly can.

And so he's going to need

to draw on internal reserves of discipline

that I certainly don't have access to.

-No, we're very lucky not to be in a situation

where we have to nod along with people we disagree with.

-That's right. His biggest tell

is just kind of slightly -- just doing that.

-[ Laughs ]

-Rather than just the full, "What the [bleep]"

-It's like he's slowing down a face slap.

Like a -- -That's right. That's right.

Just --

Not just the full, "Oh, God."

-[ Laughs ]

-"I'm so good at my job. How can he be so bad at his?"

-Thank you so much for making time for us.

I really appreciate it.

Thanks for doing your show through all this.

-Congratulations to Alexi on the flower arrangements.

It's nice to see.

-Thank you.

And I know as soon as this is over

you re-scrub those walls to keep them that way, and you're --

[ Both laugh ]

-Full "Karate Kid." Wax on --

Wipe on. -Thanks, John.

-Wipe off.

-We'll see you back in the studio next time, I hope.

-[ Chuckles ] Sure, I'll see you in 2021.

-[ Laughs ] John Oliver, everybody.