When you think of Connecticut landmarks, a sewage plant probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, but the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant in Danbury is anything but ordinary.
This quirky attraction, born out of a playful feud between the popular comedian and host of the HBO show “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and the Connecticut town, has become a unique point of interest that adds a humorous twist to the state’s rich tapestry of historical and cultural landmarks.
The tale begins in 2020 when John Oliver, the British-American comedian and host of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” launched into a diatribe against the city of Danbury during one of his segments.
During a segment on computer errors in Connecticut’s jury selection system, John Oliver took an unexpected swipe at Danbury, suggesting that if any town in Connecticut were to be forgotten, it should be Danbury. In his words, “If you’re going to forget a town in Connecticut, why not forget Danbury? Because, and this is true, (expletive) Danbury!”
He went on to sarcastically mention local attractions like the Danbury Railway Museum and Hearthstone Castle, calling them “charming,” before adding the now-infamous line, “Danbury, Connecticut, can eat my whole (expletive).”
The reasons behind Oliver’s choice to single out Danbury remain unclear, but his remarks certainly set the stage for what would become a memorable chapter in the town’s history.
The city’s response was equally tongue-in-cheek.
Then-Mayor Mark Boughton posted a video suggesting that the city’s sewage treatment plant should be named after Oliver because it was “full of crap, just like you, John.”
What started as a playful jab quickly escalated when Oliver offered to donate $55,000 to local charities if Danbury actually followed through with the name change.
In a surprising turn of events, the city took him up on the offer.
By October 2020, the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant was officially dedicated, with Oliver himself attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony in a makeshift hazmat suit. Oliver later shared footage of the event on his show.
But the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant isn’t just a humorous footnote in the town’s history. The facility is notable for its environmental contributions, housing the world’s first “fat-to-fuel” biodiesel plant. This cutting-edge technology takes waste products and transforms them into something useful, much like the way the story of the sewer plant turned a joke into a lasting legacy.
For those interested in exploring unique and offbeat attractions in Connecticut, the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant is a must-see. It’s a good example of how humor and community spirit can come together to create something memorable.
