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It\u2019s no joke: John Oliver of HBO\u2019s \u201cLast Week Tonight\u201d is checking into \u201cGeneral Hospital,\u201d the ABC soap opera.<\/p>\n
The host of the weekly series that takes sharply comedic aim at government and institutions announced during his June 28 episode that he will appear on the daytime soap on July 2, 3 and 6. No details about his role were revealed except that it will be a \u201csubstantial guest role.\u201d<\/p>\n
The appearance is the culmination of Oliver\u2019s pleas to soap opera producers during the March 8 installment<\/a> of his show that they consider him for a part. An unapologetic devotee of the outrageous antics and high melodrama which characterize the genre, Oliver said, \u201cWrite me a role and I will be on your set so fast it will make your head swim.\u201d<\/p>\n In a statement, Oliver celebrated the realization of his dream: \u201c\u2018General Hospital\u2019 was everything I hoped it would be. It\u2019s a true honor to be a small stain on the history of this illustrious show.\u201d <\/p>\n The series\u2019 executive producer Frank Valentini said in a separate statement that Oliver made an offer they could not refuse.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen John Oliver publicly threw down the gauntlet and said he wanted to appear on a soap, we didn\u2019t hesitate for a second,\u201d he said. \u201cHe was everything you\u2019d hope he\u2019d be: prepared, professional, funny, and genuinely kind to everyone on set. He plays an integral character in the story, and I can\u2019t wait for fans to see who he crosses paths within Port Charles.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cGeneral Hospital,\u201d which airs weekdays on ABC and streams on Hulu, is in its 64th year and stands as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production. <\/p>\n On the March 8 episode, Oliver said he was jealous of celebrities such as Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg and Smokey Robinson who would pop up on various soaps. He was particularly envious of sports pundit Stephen A. Smith who has had a recurring role on \u201cGeneral Hospital,\u201d<\/a> playing a shady figure known only as \u201cBrick.\u201d<\/p>\n Oliver made it clear that he was not interested in a brief walk-on playing himself. He wanted to play a character, and have a \u201cjuicy role\u201d that involved murder or \u201cslapping.\u201d He also required that there be a close-up of his face. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n