John Oliver scores his dream job: A soap opera gig on 'General Hospital'

It’s nary joke: John Oliver of HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” is checking into “General Hospital,” the ABC soap opera.

The big of the play bid that takes sharply comedic purpose astatine authorities and institutions announced during his June 28 occurrence that helium volition look connected the daytime soap connected July 2, 3 and 6. No details astir his relation were revealed but that it volition beryllium a “substantial impermanent role.”

The quality is the culmination of Oliver’s pleas to soap opera producers during the March 8 installment of his amusement that they see him for a part. An unapologetic devotee of the outrageous antics and precocious melodrama which qualify the genre, Oliver said, “Write maine a relation and I volition beryllium connected your acceptable truthful accelerated it volition marque your caput swim.”

In a statement, Oliver celebrated the realization of his dream: “‘General Hospital’ was everything I hoped it would be. It’s a existent grant to beryllium a tiny stain connected the past of this illustrious show.”

The series’ enforcement shaper Frank Valentini said successful a abstracted connection that Oliver made an connection they could not refuse.

“When John Oliver publically threw down the gauntlet and said helium wanted to look connected a soap, we didn’t hesitate for a second,” helium said. “He was everything you’d anticipation he’d be: prepared, professional, funny, and genuinely benignant to everyone connected set. He plays an integral quality successful the story, and I can’t hold for fans to spot who helium crosses paths wrong Port Charles.”

“General Hospital,” which airs weekdays connected ABC and streams connected Hulu, is successful its 64th twelvemonth and stands arsenic the longest-running American soap opera presently successful production.

On the March 8 episode, Oliver said helium was jealous of celebrities specified arsenic Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg and Smokey Robinson who would popular up connected assorted soaps. He was peculiarly envious of sports pundit Stephen A. Smith who has had a recurring relation connected “General Hospital,” playing a shady fig known lone arsenic “Brick.”

Oliver made it wide that helium was not funny successful a little walk-on playing himself. He wanted to play a character, and person a “juicy role” that progressive execution oregon “slapping.” He besides required that determination beryllium a close-up of his face.