JB Smoove agreed to do Shark Week because he thought he was being offered 'Shark Tank'

JB Smoove would rather be swimming with the likes of Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran and Kevin O'Leary than actual sharks.

In fact, the 55-year-old comedic actor explained to Entertainment Weekly that he only signed up to participate in this year's Shark Week because he was under the impression he was being offered an appearance on Shark Tank:

"Everybody knows that I am a huuuge Shark Tank fan, and I have tons of ideas just ready for Shark Tank. So initially when my manager called me—honestly, sometimes I get tunnel vision and there is a long moment of un-clarity on what exactly this is. They'll tell me something, but I'll hear something totally different because I'm already juiced up. I'm ready for the celebrity version of Shark Tank, you know? I feel like I can go up there and I'm a good judge of what is a great idea because I am an ideas man myself, so I'm always ready to throw my ideas out there.

"I'm telling you, all I heard was Shark Tank. Because Shark Tank is on all the time. ... Shark Week is, what, once a year? So you don't hear Shark Week for what—how many weeks are in a year again? There are, like, 52! One week of that 52? Come on now! So the natural perception is, 'Hey man, I'm about to be on Shark Tank, baby!'... All I talk about is going on Shark Tank one day. So my brain is like, 'Oh man, I can't wait to go on Shark Tank!' I even told people, 'I think I'm going to be on Shark Tank! I got a message from my manager that I'm going to be on Shark Tank!' Naturally, I'm thinking, 'Hey, these guys must know what's up.' They know I got the ideas, they know I got the enthusiasm to go up there and really be a big part of their decision-making on these amazing ideas.'"

To Smoove's point, Shark Tank has been an ABC mainstay since debuting in August 2009 and has additionally become a syndicated program. The Emmy-winning series features entrepreneurs presenting their ideas to a panel of business magnates (the "Sharks") in hopes of landing their investment backing.

Quite a different concept than Discovery's Shark Week, a week-long programming block dedicated to real-life sharks. The annual event launched in July 1988, and it is now the longest-running programming event in television history.

Smoove hasn't given up hope that his Shark Week appearance can eventually lead to fulfilling his ultimate dream of appearing on Shark Tank.

"My brain went to, 'Maybe I can think of my ideas based on Shark Week that I can still take to Shark Tank," the Curb Your Enthusiasm and SNL alum added. "How can I benefit from this mistake and still get a chance to pitch my amazing ideas for Shark Tank, even though it was clear that this was not Shark Tank?'"

Shark Week kicked off Sunday night (July 11) and will run through next Sunday (July 18).

Smoove will appear on Brad Paisley's Shark Country on Tuesday night (July 13).

Click here for the full television schedule.