Former congressman Joe Walsh said that he has also been tricked by Sacha Baron Cohen, who apparently “duped” former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin while filming his upcoming Showtime series “Who Is America?”
“I was invited to a pro-Israel dinner that honored defenders of Israel,” Walsh said on Twitter Tuesday, adding that he “totally” believes Palin’s account because he, too, was “duped.”
Walsh called Cohen’s tactics “disguisting” (sic) and continued to tell his account of being fooled by Cohen, saying he participated in an interview and that the production was a “mess.”
“Strangest interview of my life – don’t think they spoofed me very much,” he continued. He also shared a picture of an “award” for “significant contributions to the state of Israel.”
Palin on Tuesday shared a message on Facebook saying that Cohen “duped” her into traveling across the country to meet a “disabled US Veteran, fake wheelchair and all.”
“Out of respect for what I was led to believe would be a thoughtful discussion with someone who had served in uniform, I sat through a long ‘interview’ full of Hollywoodism’s disrespect and sarcasm – but finally had enough and literally, physically removed my mic and walked out, much to Cohen’s chagrin,” she wrote. “The disrespect of our US military and middle-class Americans via Cohen’s foreign commentaries under the guise of interview questions was perverse.”
Walsh said that he “totally get[s]” Cohen’s “gig,” but “mocking a disabled veteran to spoof @SarahPalinUSA is a serious matter.”
See Walsh’s tweets below.
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 #BoycottShowtime pic.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. #BoycottShowtime pic.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. #boycottShowtime pic.twitter.com/yTZcxTww6O
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 11, 2018