Seriously, don’t do it. Thanks to an increase in tourism in the southernmost part of the world, irreparable damage is being done to the ancient land mass. And although many may think it “cool” (no pun intended) to visit a notoriously inaccessible place and hang out with penguins, John Oliver encourages travelers to go anywhere else instead.

“If you simply have to have ice, go to Alaska and tell [your friends] you went to Antarctica,” says the voice-over in the “Last Week Tonight” advertisement aimed at stopping tourists from migrating south. “They won’t know the difference.”

—Posted by Natasha Hakimi Zapata

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig