John Oliver roasts Republican candidates in America's 'craziest' governor's race

John Oliver, host of "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," had a hilarious response to some stunning claims made by Colorado governor candidates.

The HBO Max late-night talk show host revealed why the important election was raising so many eyebrows — and what some of the candidates had recently said.

"Perhaps the craziest race this year is for governor of Colorado," Oliver said. "For the Democrats, the leading contenders are Colorado's AG, and one of its senators. But on the Republican side, things are much wilder. There are three candidates. State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer's been painted as the 'adult in the room,' which is striking since she once led an 'attempt to pursue state succession and form a 51st state.' But the other two candidates are something else. Take Scott Bottoms. At this week's candidate debate, he had this alarming exchange with the moderator."

Oliver cut to a clip from a recent debate with moderator, journalist Kyle Clark, a host on 9NEWS Denver.

"You said that you were deeply honored to have the endorsement of your friend Joe Oltmann, the MAGA podcaster, who has called for the execution by hanging of Colorado's Governor, attorney general and secretary of state, who he calls 'synagogue of Satan Jews.' If you're elected governor, would Mr. Oltmann have a role in your administration?"

Bottoms' response was shocking.

"Assuming it's not around Jewish people, probably," he replied nonchalantly.

Oliver was also dumbfounded by the response.

"Holy s---!" Oliver said. "Look, 'probably' is a fine answer to questions like 'will the sun rise tomorrow?' or 'has Mike Lindell ever f----- a pillow?' But it is not ideal when you've just been asked, 'if someone spewed anti-semitic rhetoric, would you still hire them?'"

But that wasn't the only surprising moment.

"Then, there is Victor Marx, a self-described 'high-risk humanitarian' who also claims to be 'the world's fastest gun disarmer' and a 'seventh degree Black belt in 'Cajun Karate Keichu' — something apparently invented by his dad, as a form of '100 percent American Christian karate," Oliver said. "Over the years, Marx has made some wild claims. And when the journalist who moderated that debate sat down with him last week, he addressed one of the big ones."

Oliver cut to the clip of the Marx and Clark interview.

"Your claim that your abusive stepfather forced you to kill a man when you were seven years old. Is that the only person you've ever killed?" Clark asked.

Instead of immediately answering the question, Marx had an unusual response. He paused and looked up, taking several seconds to respond.

"Well, I would say — as a child, yes. Without question. But I've been in other situations where, you know, possibly people or persons died, as a result of me defending myself in other countries," Marx said.

Clark followed up after the cryptic reply.

"Do you think that you've killed people as an adult?" Clark asked.

"Does it matter?" Marx responded.

"Yeah, I'd say so," Clark said.

Oliver agreed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'd say so, too," Oliver added. "I don't think anyone needed to say, 'Our elected officials should at least have a guesstimate of how many people they've killed,' but it seems we're in a new era right now. There's protein in the Pop-Tarts. The rules are over."