In March, when late-night host John Oliver made a plea to the five daytime soap operas, requesting they consider him for a role on either of their shows in light of his being admittedly “jealous” of ESPN sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, who turned a once-thought-to-be one-off role as mobster enforcer Brick on “General Hospital” into a decade-long recurring gig on the ABC daytime drama series. Months later, it turns out two of the shows took him up on his offer and have cast him in roles specifically created for him.
“It is amazing to me that for nearly a decade Stephen A. Smith has been a recurring character on ‘General Hospital’ and we barely heard anything about it,” said Oliver at the time during a broadcast of his weekly late-night talk show, “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” He added, “I’m guessing that’s because people who know Stephen A. Smith aren’t watching soap operas, and people who watch soap operas don’t know who Stephen A. Smith is.”
After showing a clip of Smith as his Brick character in a hospital scene, preparing to execute a murderous nurse, Oliver said, “I am jealous,” which led him to reveal his love for the genre and a desire to act on one or more of the shows, stating, “I’m officially offering myself to you. Write me a role, and I’ll be on your set so fast it’ll make your head spin.”
Of course, there were some conditions that Oliver had if his offer was accepted, including that he didn’t want to play himself and that his character had to have a ridiculous name, plus he wanted to play something juicy, with scenes that included “murder or slapping or being slapped, or being someone’s long-lost something, and ideally a dramatic close-up” of his face. “In return, trust me, I will give my all to this performance,” he noted, before getting out of his chair and walking away from his desk to a set made up similar to that of the scene he played earlier in the segment from Smith’s appearance on “General Hospital,” though in this case the murderous nurse made a plea of her own, indicating she was in fact, just a nurse, before Oliver completed the task as Brick had earlier and without hesitation.
Closing out the segment, Oliver said, “The point is, call me soaps, I am available. I am willing to travel, and I want it more than you can possibly understand.”
Months after making his plea, both “Days of our Lives” and “General Hospital” responded by casting him in roles that fit his request.
John Oliver on “General Hospital“
His first daytime appearance begins in Port Charles, with the ABC soap touting his casting in a significant guest role, in which he’ll appear over a three-episode arc airing on Thursday, July 2; Friday, July 3; and Monday, July 6.
Christine Bartolucci/Disney
“When John Oliver publicly threw down the gauntlet and said he wanted to appear on a soap, we didn’t hesitate for a second,” said “General Hospital” executive producer Frank Valentini in a statement. “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 with in Port Charles.”
“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,” said Oliver.
John Oliver on “Days of our Lives“
Sharing a photo of Oliver posing in front of his dressing room, “Days of our Lives” will welcome Oliver to Salem also over a three-episode arc, which was taped earlier this month and will air Tuesday, August 11; Wednesday, August 12; and Friday, August 14.
“When John Oliver said, ‘Call me soaps, I’m available and willing to travel. I want to be a part of that world,’ our world, we had to heed the call!” stated “Days of our Lives” executive producer Ken Corday.
Chris Haston/Corday Productions
Details about the character and storyline surrounding Oliver’s appearance on the Peacock-exclusive series are expected to be released closer to the air dates.
Clip from “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
Check out a clip below of Oliver making his soap opera cameo request from “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” that aired in March.