Who Is John Oliver's Wife? New Details About Kate Norley
James Holden John Oliver is known for being a funny, funny man who makes politics understandable on his hit show Last Week Tonight. But who is John Oliver's wife? Turn out she's a bad-ass, too. John's wife, Kate Norley, was an Army combat medic who now works as a veteran rights advocate for Vets for Freedom. Put simply: A woman you don't want to mess with.
Oliver has even said he can't really complain to his tough-as-nails wife, given her illustrious career. "I can’t come home and say I had a really tough day at work today and see her roll her eyes and go, ‘Really? I can’t imagine how difficult it was for you. You clown!’" John said. "Rightly, I have no place to whine about anything. That’s the problem with living with someone who has fought a war. You lose the moral high ground."
The power duo met in 2008 at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul Minnesota and married in October 2011. They have one son together, Hudson, who was born in November 2015.
Here's we know about war veteran Kate Norley:
1. She had to re-learn how to read and write after being hit by a car.
Norley was just 16 when she was hit by a car while on her way to a soccer game. The accident caused a severe head injury and she had to relearn some basic skills. Norley credited her mom for helping her get back on her feet after the accident.
2. She helped her husband avoid deportation.
When Norley met Oliver at the Republican National Convention in 2008, Oliver was in a restricted area while working as a senior British correspondent forThe Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He was on a temporary work visa and when the convention's security realized who he was, he was in hot water for being in the restricted area. A group of veterans came to his rescue — one of them being his future wife — helping him avoid arrest and potential deportation.
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3. She's a Republican. He's a Democrat.
Politics is polarizing. But the couple seems to be able to put their political differences aside, even though Oliver's HBO show leans very, very left. But he stands by his wife and her beliefs.“Once you’ve bled for America, you definitely get to say you’re an American in a slightly louder tone of voice.”
4. She's an activist for veterans rights.
Norley is passionate about the rights of American veterans, which makes sense, since she's one herself — she served in the Iraq war so she knows the immense struggles and sacrifices U.S. soldiers have to make every single day. Vets for Freedom was founded back in 2006 and the advocacy group’s purpose is "is advocacy of victory in America's ongoing War on Terrorism, and support of candidates with positions consistent with this goal."
5. Her dream is to start a female-led nonprofit.
Norley is all about empowering women — no wonder Oliver snagged her, what a catch! She's deeply involved with the non-profit world and hopes that she can make a difference by empowering other women. She said her ultimate life mission is "to send American women to the third world so other women can see what it’s like to have rights and power."
6. She is a part of Team Rubicon.
According to their website, Team Rubicon's mission is "providing disaster relief to those affected by natural disasters, be they domestic or international. By pairing the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions, [we] aim to provide the greatest service and impact possible".
7. Oliver defends America more because of her.
Oliver has described his wife as "very American with a capital A". Now he says he defends the USA when talked about overseas "I'm a little more defensive of how America is perceived overseas," he tells The Globe. "America takes a lot of [expletive], much of it well earned, from the rest of the world. And yet when something terrible goes down, people are waiting for Americans to fall out of the sky and help them."
Molly Given is a writer living in Philadelphia and lover of all things to do with mystery and magic in life. When she’s not writing her fingers off she can be found planning her next adventure in a new part of the world.
