WATCH: Jake Tapper Makes a Trick-or-Treating Cameo Appearance on ABC’s ‘The Rookie’
CNN anchor Jake Tapper and his son, Jack Tapper, made a trick-or-treating cameo appearance on the latest episode of ABC’s fictional cop show The Rookie.
Tapper is a fan of the show, which airs on Sundays. In a February 2021 tweet, Tapper tweeted at actor Nathan Fillion, who stars on the show, that “my son, 11, and I have been watching The Rookie and we really love it. Thanks for making a show like this.”
John Nolan, played by Fillion, and Bailey Nune, played by Jenna Dewan – both dressed up as Captain America – answer a knock at the door, opening it – only to see Tapper and his son trick-or-treating.
After Nolan and Lopez wished them a “happy Halloween,” Nolan said to Jack Tapper, who was dressed as Captain Miller from Saving Private Ryan (which Fillion was in), “Oh, that is a brilliant costume, young man.” Turning to Jake Tapper, who was wearing a Philadelphia Phillies hat and jersey, Nolan said, “You, too, slightly older man. I don’t see many Philly fans this side of the Rockies.”
“You from there,” asked Tapper.
“Roxborough, actually,” replied Nolan. “Just moved here a few years ago. God, you look remarkably like that fellow from CNN, what’s his name?”
“Jake Tapper,” said Tapper.
“No, that’s not it,” said Nolan, incorrectly.
“Yeah, it is,” whispered Lopez, who gives Jack Tapper candy.
“Thank the nice people,” said Jake Tapper to his son.
“Thank you,” said Jack Tapper, holding a phone upside down to his ear.
“Roger that,” said Nolan.
“Have a great night,” said Tapper, waving.
So how did this all come about?
Tapper told Mediaite on Monday that following his February 2021 tweet, “Fillion reached out and kindly invited us to visit the set when Covid protocols allowed. They allowed over the Summer of 2022. And a couple weeks before we flew out there, Nathan and the showrunner kindly asked if Jack would like a cameo. Which of course he was eager to do! It was a dream experience for him. Probably what it would have been like for me to hang out with Lee Majors or Alan Alda.”
Watch above via ABC.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the character played by Jenna Dewan in this scene.
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