John Oliver gears up for soap opera debut on 'General Hospital' after asking for 'juicy' role
Comedian John Oliver is set to make his soap opera debut this week. Earlier this year, the 'Last Week Tonight' host shared his love for daytime soaps during the March 8 episode of his Emmy-winning series after discovering ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith's role as Brick on 'General Hospital.' He admitted to feeling jealous and wanting to play a similar role on a long-running daytime TV show. But he laid out the conditions by saying, "To all the soap operas out there, let me say this: I am officially offering myself to you. Write me a role, and I’ll be on your set so fast, it’ll make your head spin. I only have a few conditions: First, I don’t want to play myself; I want to be a character. And I want his name to be ridiculous. Also, I want to do something juicy — like murder or slapping or being slapped or being someone’s long-lost something — and, ideally, I’d like a dramatic close-up of my face. But in return, trust me, I will give my all to this performance."
A couple of weeks later, ABC's long-running soap opera 'General Hospital' replied to his plea on Instagram by commenting, "You’re welcome in Port Charles anytime. Our DMs are open." It seems they were serious, as Oliver revealed on Sunday's episode of 'Last Week Tonight' that he has scored a "significant" three-episode guest-starring role on 'General Hospital.' Although he didn't reveal his character's name or details about his story arc, the Emmy-winning late-night host shared that his episodes will air this Thursday (July 2), Friday (July 3), and Monday (July 6) at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT on ABC. The first look at Oliver's character from the daytime series is out now, and it features the 49-year-old star surrounded by armed police officers as he wears a monochrome suit with his hair dyed black.
As per THR, 'General Hospital's executive producer Frank Valentini teased Oliver's upcoming role by saying in a statement, "When John Oliver publicly threw down the gauntlet and said he wanted to appear on a soap, we didn’t hesitate for a second. He was everything you’d hope he’d be: prepared, professional, funny, and genuinely kind to everyone on set. He plays an integral character in the story, and I can’t wait for fans to see who he crosses paths within Port Charles." Oliver shared his excitement about fulfilling his dream with his signature humor. "General Hospital was everything I hoped it would be. It’s a true honor to be a small stain on the history of this illustrious show," he said.
'General Hospital' debuted in April 1963 on ABC and has been going strong for 64 years. It is the longest-running scripted American drama on television and has received 18 Daytime Emmy Awards for 'Outstanding Daytime Drama.' New episodes air on weekdays on ABC and stream on Hulu.
