Giggling CNN Anchors Grill William Shatner in July 4th Trekkie Lightning Round

[Peppertoo]

https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/giggling-cnn-anchors-grill-william-shatner-in-july-4th-trekkie-lightning-round/]


William Shatner appeared to have the charm dialed all the way up on Saturday as he had CNN’s Laura Coates and Brianna Keilar laughing at nearly every word during a Star Trek lightning round.

Shatner joined Coates and Keilar as part of their live July 4th coverage from the National Mall.

The actor, who was born in Canada, expressed his love for America and declared “every country” in some way relies on the United States, adding the “rupture” in relations with his homeland was mainly over tariffs and would “heal itself eventually.”

Coates and Keilar wrapped up their interview with a lightning round on Shatner’s most iconic role, Captain Kirk in Star Trek. After cracking up the anchors with his preference on captains and living in space or on Earth, he joked they were both “aliens” when asked whether aliens exist at all.

Shatner, 95, became the oldest man to ever visit space in 2024.

“Are there aliens, William Shatner? Have you seen them? Are they there?” Coates asked.

“Yes, there are aliens and you two are among them,” Shatner said, cracking up his hosts again.

“Well, I’ll take it,” Coates said through laughter.

“I’ve never seen stranger — stranger human beings I’ve never seen, more stranger than the two of you laughing and joking, but you really are aliens,” Shatner declared.

“Well, you know, only we could be this beautiful in this heat. So I agree with you, William Shatner we must not be from this world,” Coates said, noting the heat wave she and others are enduring on America’s 250th birthday.

“We must be out of this world,” Keilar joked.

“Happy birthday, America!” Shatner said, bringing things back on topic. “And we’re so happy that America exists!”