The soap opera gods have finally answered Last Week Tonight host John Oliver’s prayers. Oliver had finished his segment with an earnest plea to soap operas to cast him in a fun role, specifically, a ridiculously named person involved in high-strung melodrama.
Earlier this year, Oliver revealed his desire to land a role on General Hospital after praising Stephen A. Smith’s recurring appearance on the soap.
John Oliver’s begging worked as he is filming for Days of Our Lives
In March, Oliver, during Last Week Tonight, made his demands clear: “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.”
He went on to the specifics of his soap debut, saying, “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.”
Moreover, he promised to put everything into the role, adding that he would “give his all” to the performance. Stephen A. Smith, who plays armed security connected to a crime family, responded to Oliver’s appeal with a reality check on the soap world.
He said, “This is serious, OK? You gotta be willing to be that bad guy…Can’t have the smile on your face all the time. You gotta wear that scowl, you gotta be irritating, you gotta be all of those things. You gotta welcome being disliked.”
Oliver fits the profile perfectly, as the popular late-night host has made a career of lambasting right-wingers in politics. Landing a guest role in Days Of Our Lives might just be the beginning of the quirkiest crossover in popular television. Oliver’s character will air in August.
ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING OLIVER IN A SOAP OPERA?
