Sacha Baron Cohen demands apology from Sarah Palin, as more victims come forward
Sacha Baron Cohen has long been adept with a publicity stunt, and ahead of the release of his new television show the British comedian is continuing to skewer authority figures with aplomb.
His latest target has been Republican politician Sarah Palin, who released a furious attack on Cohen admitting that she had been duped by the comedian while he was disguised as a wounded veteran.
Cohen has now responded to Palin's accusatory Facebook post demanding an apology while under the guise of one of the new characters we can expect to see in Who Is America?.
A statement posted on the Twitter account of one Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., PhD, seemingly a right-wing citizen journalist who believes in the evils of fake news, referred to the incident, offering in the process a satire of President Trump and Palin's most hardcore fans.
Here's the truth @SarahPalinUSA ���� #MAGA#buildthewall#boycottsashacohenpic.twitter.com/iFZWrFTxWL
— Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., PhD (@BillyWRuddick) July 12, 2018
Palin is yet to respond, but others have come forward and spoken about their experiences of being interviewed by Cohen after her outburst. Former republican congressman Joe Walsh has joined the social media campaign to boycott Showtime, the US network airing Who Is America, after admitting he attended a fake pro-Israel event on Cohen's invitation:
I totally believe @SarahPalinUSA's account of the @SachaBaronCohen incident. Dressing up as a wounded veteran is absolutely stolen valor, his tactics are disguisting - I know cause I too was duped. Here is what happened...#BoycottShowtime
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
I was invited to a pro-Israel dinner that honored defenders of Israel. The producers said they needed to film a pre-interview that would air as a part of Israel’s 70th birthday celebration. #BoycottShowtime
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
@SachaBaronCohen's cronies said that Tony Blair, Rupert Murdoch, Bono and Steven Spielberg had also been honored - I flew to D.C., producers booked me a hotel room, paid for by: Daniel Nuzzi #BoycottShowtimepic.twitter.com/8upPN54Pne
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
Side note to my story - I totally get @SachaBaronCohen's gig. He's a comedian, and he can be funny, but mocking a disabled veteran to spoof @SarahPalinUSA is a serious matter. I am just telling you what I encountered - it was much of the same she experienced.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
So - I was truly honored to be named as a pro-Israel voice in America. I participated in the interview after working with an Alexis Rothe from "https://t.co/T35TrMjGoD" and a "Alexis Sampietro," who was randomly CC'ed on an email thread. #BoycottShowtime
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
I was rushed to the studio, production was a mess, I sat down and we started talking pro-Israel stuff, Israeli defense, and then out of left field the interviewer starts talking about how children should defend themselves against terrorist attacks. #BoycottShowtimepic.twitter.com/kdwA0h9VyR
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
I understand Israel handles security very differently than how America handles security - interviewer showed several articles involving children stopping terrorists - stuff like that. They had me read off a teleprompter - I stopped and questioned their direction. #boycottShowtime
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
And just like that producers rushed me out of the studio as an apparent fight broke out. Strangest interview of my life - don't think they spoofed me very much - but I did get this award, thanks @showtime. #boycottShowtimepic.twitter.com/yTZcxTww6O
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018
For Cohen and Showtime, however, a boycott is unlikely to reach fruition – such outrage makes excellent publicity, after all.
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