Sarah Palin claims Sacha Baron Cohen ‘tried to get her to say something homophobic’ in prank interview
Former Governor Sarah Palin (Kris Connor/Getty Images)
Sarah Palin has claimed that Borat and Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen posed as a veteran to try and get her to say something “hateful and homophobic” in an in-character interview.
The former Governor of Arkansas and Republican Vice Presidential candidate is known for her outspoken anti-LGBT views.
But Palin called out character prankster Sacha Baron Cohen ahead of his new show Who Is America?, claiming that Cohen had posed as a veteran to get an interview – before attempting to get her to say something homophobic.
Former US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty)
In a post, she claimed: “Laughter is the best medicine. I absolutely adore kind, comedically talented souls who lift our spirits. They use their gifts for good in this world.
“But stolen valor is never funny. Mocking vets, belittling the disabled, stereotyping sufferers of mental illness, spewing disdain for America’s heartland and our collective work ethic and patriotism… all rewarded in the City of Angels that fell so far.”
A source close to Palin told People: “The request was very sophisticated and looked legit.
“All of it was obnoxious, but I think the last straw was when the interviewer asked about what he claimed was a government-funded sex-change operation for Chelsea Clinton.
“Cohen was trying to get Governor Palin to say something homophobic and hateful. She takes it personally when anyone goes after the children and families of politicians.
“She just thought, ‘What a horrible thing.’ She was particularly incensed about that.”
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty)
The interview was reportedly filmed in November, but Palin is speaking out ahead of the show’s debut on July 15.
Cohen hit back in an in-character statement as ‘Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., PhD’.
He wrote: “Vice-President Palin, I am Dr Billy Wayne Ruddick, founder/CEO/accountant of Truthbrary.org and it was I that interviewed you.
“I did NOT say I was a War Vet. I was in the service – not military, but United Parcel, and I only fought for my country once – when I shot a Mexican who came onto my property. (Coincidentaly, just like our Great President, I was sadly prevented from joining the regular army on account of bone spurs bein discovered in my testies).”
He added: “I have always admired you for TELLING THE TRUTH about Obama’s birth certificate and the location of Russia.
“But ma’am, I do believe you have been hit by a bullshit grenade and are now bleedin’ FAKE NEWS.
“You used to hunt the most dangerous animals in the country, like wolves and people on welfare. So why hunt a fine citizen journalist like myself?
“I DEMAND an APOLOGY. Dr. Billy Wayne Ruddick. Jr.”
The letter is linked to a conspiracy website that Cohen appears to have created as part of his “undercover” character work.
Publicity for show claims that Cohen spent a year undercover filming – though getting Sarah Palin to say something homophobic can usually be done by standing near her for five minutes with a microphone.
The show is set to air on Channel 4 in the UK on July 16, and on Showtime in the US on July 15.
