Like sands through the hourglass, so are the few days remaining until we see John Oliver on Days of Our Lives. In a new promo for the Peacock soap, we see the Last Week Tonight host in character ahead of his Days debut on Tuesday, August 11.
Earlier in the clip, we see Theo (Tyler Joseph Andrews) threatening Rita (Maggie Carney), saying, “If you don’t get out of my way, I will make you get out of my way.” We see Stephanie (Abigail Klein) protest Alex’s (Robert Scott Wilson) plan to move into Joy’s (AlexAnn Hopkins) room at the pub. We see Rafe (Galen Gering) reveal that he has trailed Dimitri (Peter Porte) in the latter’s kidnapping plot. We see Chanel (Raven Bowens) thinking she’s going into labor. And we see Theo thinking he has found his mother.
And then we see the Oliver’s mystery character — with a dark mop that is obviously not the comedian’s real hair — finding Paulina (Jackée Harry) in her office. “Mayor Paulina Price?” he says.
“That’s me,” she responds.
Oliver booked roles on both Days and rival soap General Hospital this year after expressing jealousy on Last Week Tonight that ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith had a recurring GH role. “I want to be part of that world!” he said on his show. “So to all the soap operas out there, let me say this: I’m officially offering myself to you. Write me a role, and I will be on your set so fast, it will make your head spin.”
Oliver made a well-received turn as the mysterious Z on General Hospital last month, and now it’s time for him to visit Salem. Days of Our Livespreviously revealed in a statement in June that he’d taped his part earlier that month and that his “short story arc” would air on August 11, 12, and 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!” executive producer Ken Corday said.
An Access Hollywood set visit revealed Oliver’s Days character sharing a scene with Rita and EJ (Dan Feuerriegel).
“It’s just a lot of fun, and it’s been an absolute blast to work with John,” Feuerriegel said.
“He is fast, of course, quick on his feet,” added Carney. “He definitely likes to improvise — which I do, too — but within the scope of the scene. So that’s so much fun. He’s very present.”
Days of Our Lives, Weekdays, Peacock