John Stamos will once again host PBS’s “A Capitol Fourth” live from Washington, D.C., Variety has learned exclusively.
For the second year in a row, the “Full House” alumnus will emcee the Fourth of July celebration, which features musical performances, a tribute to those in the Armed Forces, and a firework show, on the west lawn of the United States Capitol.
The producers of last year’s show asked Stamos back for 2018 on the night of his first “A Capitol Fourth” gig, according to the actor, and he says he jumped at the opportunity to return. The promise of a neutral, non-political event aimed at bringing people together regardless of party lines appealed to him.
“There’s nothing better than music to unite two sides, and clearly it seems like we’re getting more and more apart from each other, which is sad to me,” Stamos tells Variety. “I think that gathering together, singing and dancing, and being patriotic in a big crowd is certainly a way to help that gap.”
This year, Stamos looks forward to honoring America’s troops and to reuniting with the producers, who he praised for remaining organized and level-headed during such a lengthy and involved telecast.
“It was a really great experience,” Stamos says. “I’ve done a bunch of these big shows, and sometimes they can be chaotic, and the energy can be too much. They were in control, and that made me feel in control.”
The 38th annual “A Capitol Fourth” airs on July 4 at 8 p.m. on PBS.
Watch a behind-the-scenes look at last year’s festivities with Stamos below:
