US state lawmaker to quit after exposing self on Baron Cohen show
British-Jewish comedian convinced Georgia’s Rep. Jason Spencer to use racial slurs, show his buttocks, in segment on combating jihadists
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A Georgia state lawmaker will resign after exposing himself and yelling racial slurs on provocateur Sacha Baron Cohen’s cable TV show, a spokesman for House Speaker David Ralston said.
Rep. Jason Spencer had vowed to serve out his term despite the fallout. Now he’ll step down at month’s end, spokesman Kaleb McMichen told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution late Tuesday.
In Sunday night’s broadcast of Baron Cohen’s Showtime series “Who Is America?” the British-Jewish comedian poses as an Israeli military expert who persuades Spencer to take part in several outlandish exercises. The lawmaker is told they’re making a counterterrorism video.
Spencer repeatedly shouts a racial slur for black people after Baron Cohen tells him the tactic is useful for drawing bystanders’ attention to an unfolding attack.
Warning: Clip includes strong language and graphic content
He also drops his pants, then his underwear, before backing his exposed rear end toward Baron Cohen while shouting “USA!” and “America!”
Baron Cohen told Spencer this would incite fear in homophobic jihadists.
Baron Cohen also tells Spencer he has developed a technique to identify terrorists disguised as women in burqa face coverings.
He then has Spencer imitate a Chinese tourist to distract a burqa wearer — complete with a bad accent, racial stereotypes and actual Japanese terms such as “konichiwa” and “sushi” — while sticking a selfie stick with a camera under her garb.
Ralston and others had called for Spencer’s immediate resignation.
In a statement Monday, he apologized for the “ridiculously ugly episode,” but he initially refused to step down.
Spencer lost the Republican primary in May, but he could have remained in public office through the November election.
In the new show Baron Cohen dons various prosthetics and accents in an attempt to embarrass those on the right and left.
He has so far duped current and former politicians as well as gun rights activists, into supporting a fictitious initiative to arm toddlers.
He’s also met with Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
The Times of Israel Community.