Kaitlin Olson asked Phil Keoghan to appear on “The Amazing Race” while filming the “Hacks” crossover episode, which airs Thursday night.
“Caitlin, who plays[Jean Smart’s]daughter, had expressed some interest in being in the movie,” Keoghan told Page Six in an exclusive interview. “And I started talking to her about everything.”
But Ms. Cogan, 58, said the “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” actress backed out of appearing on the CBS reality show after hearing “what was actually involved.”
And Olson wasn’t the only one on the set of “The Hucks” to inquire about appearing on “The Amazing Race.”
“A lot of people were interested, including the crew and everything,” Kogan said. “And that’s always a good sign.”
He continued, “Sometimes a celebrity approaches me and says they want to be on ‘The Amazing Race,’ and I start digging into what it is. Then I ask a little more about what’s involved, and I’m like, ‘Oh, really?’ Shooting 12 shows in 21 days? ”
“I’m like, ‘Oh, we don’t have a trailer. It’s not very luxurious,'” Kogan added.
In the new episode of “Hacks,” Deborah (Smart) and DJ (Olson) compete against “Property Brothers” Drew and Jonathan Scott and influencer Trisha Paytas and her partner in a celebrity version of “The Amazing Race.”
Corgan makes a cameo appearance, first starting the race at the starting line, then eliminating Deborah and DJ, who came in last on the first leg.
The Emmy Award-winning host said the idea for the crossover event came from “Hux” creators Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky. They are all big fans of “The Amazing Race.”
“The producers of ‘The Amazing Race’ and ‘Hacks’ were at the same event, and that’s where we first had the conversation,” Keoghan explained. “The idea came up and then the conversation started and Paul was very keen to make it happen.”
Kogan said that when the producers sent him the script, he gave them a note to make sure the “Hacks” episode was faithful to “The Amazing Race.”
“I realized there were some things I wasn’t supposed to say. So I was a little hesitant at first, ‘Can I change this?’ But they opened it up as a collaboration, so I tentatively and respectfully said to them, ‘Can you change that?’ And they said, “Oh, please! ‘It was like, ”
But for Kogan, “the best part” was being able to interact with Smart, 74, when the cameras stopped rolling.
“Once the takes of the scene I was in were done, Gene just started riffing,” he said. “And I was doing improvisational theater, and all of a sudden I found myself just going back and forth with her.”
Kogan added, “And it was such a thrill to be witness to this surreal, joyful moment.”
The fifth and final season of “The Hucks” airs new episodes every Thursday at 9pm ET on HBO Max.
