Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum will make a celebrity guest appearance on the season finale of HBO's hit comedy series Girls.
The conservative Catholic Republican is set to play a fictionalized version of himself who accidentally gets caught up in a Brooklyn gay rights rally and is offered shelter by Hannah, the lead character played by creator Lena Dunham.
Santorum's move follows other recent appearances of high-profile politicians on television comedies, like former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on 30 Rock and Vice President Joe Biden on Parks and Recreation.
However, in choosing to do the critically acclaimed Girls, Santorum risks sparking controversy given the risqué nature of the show's content - which includes uncensored sex scenes and graphic depictions of tolerance towards homosexuals.
Living the Dream
In a statement issued through his publicist, the rabidly anti-gay politican defended his decision to appear on the liberal program.
"Senator Santorum believes in reaching out to America's youth and explaining the word of God to them on their level. The show's producers approached him with a script idea, and he graciously agreed to guest star.
"Jesus didn't preach to the angels. He preached to the faithless, the criminals, and the whores. In that way, Senator Santorum is a lot like Jesus."
Fellow Christians appear to be supportive of Santorum's choice, arguing that they're glad to spread their message anywhere they can.
"On these HBO and Showtime shows, the Christian viewpoint is almost never represented," says Adam Stewart, chairman of Jaded Fish Youth Ministries. "Sure, they might make fun of him a bit, but at least our ideas our out there being seen by millions of people."
Details of the appearance are being kept tightly under wraps, but sources close to the production team say Santorum will be filming two separate scenes, and one will feature a very spirited argument over gay marriage with Lena Dunham's character.
The episode is titled "On All Fours" and is scheduled to air on March 10 at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central.
