‘What Was That?’ CNN Host Delighted By John Oliver’s General Hospital Role

CNN’s Kasie Hunt was tickled when discussing John Oliver’s recent stint as a soap opera star on the long-running General Hospital.

The host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver lobbied the show for the dramatic role that saw him playing a top secret agent.

Hunt played a clip of Oliver’s performance, where he rightfully received a slap in the face after mouthing off to his co-star’s character.

“I’m sorry! What was that?” Hunt exclaimed of the scene while hosting The Arena: Saturday.

“So, there he was, playing ‘Z,’ the head of the World Security Bureau. It was a three episode arc. Oliver had pleaded publicly for a quote, ‘juicy role’ on a soap, any soap. Earlier this year, the show’s executive producer said that one of John’s requests was to be slapped!” Hunt laughed.

“And apparently this isn’t the end of his soap opera career. He is expected to make an appearance on Days of Our Lives next month,” Hunt said. “I sort of had missed that. John Oliver was like begging to be on soap operas, but like, watching him in that role is, um, unsettling for some reason!”

“Yeah, I watched that whole segment with, like, my jaw on the floor! Like, what am I looking at?” exclaimed panelist Kristen Soltis Anderson. “I’m amazed that the actual, the medium of soap operas has continued. And if you think about it, it’s like a production miracle. Like, think about prestige TV shows nowadays. They do a season and they’re like, ‘Great, three years from now, you’ll get your next season.’ Soap operas put out a new episode every freaking day!”

“Lots of slaps,” quipped Elliot Williams.

“More John Oliver, that’s all I want,” joked Paul Begala.

“I learned everything I know about soap operas from a guy named Jocko Riggs,” Hunt added. “He runs the NBC camera at the Russell rotunda, and he is one of the most loyal viewers while he waits for the rest of us to show up. So here’s to you, Jocko!”

Watch the clip above via CNN.

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