Seth Rogen told Vulture his pal Sacha Baron Cohen was working on something good, and so far, he hasn’t disappointed: After Sarah Palin admitted to being duped into an interview by Cohen, she claimed he presented himself as a disabled veteran. After former congressman Joe Walsh also admitted to being duped by Cohen and others called for a boycott of his forthcoming Showtime series Who Is America?, the comedian is ready to reveal his latest character. Meet Dr. Billy Wayne Ruddick, proprietor of the site Truthbrary.org. He’s issued a clarification to the Palin’s accusation: “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 fought for my country once — when I shot a Mexican who came onto my property.â€
Indeed: The latest Sacha Baron Cohen character is … that one guy you went to high school with who types everything in size 15 Impact font and hashtags #buildthewall. “I have always admired you for TELLING THE TRUTH about Obama’s birth certificate and the location of Russia,†Ruddick says in the statement. “But ma’am, I do believe you have been hit by a bullshit grenade and are now bleedin’ FAKE NEWS.â€
Update: Who Is America?’s cycle of outrage (and free publicity) continues, with Sarah Palin issuing a response to Thursday’s explanation from Sacha Baron Cohen character Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., PhD. “Another list of unfunny lies, this time typewritten for all to see; a pathetic attempt to punk not just my daughter and me again, but now the public. Thank God people are wise to Hollywood’s BS & said, ‘Enough,’†Palin wrote on her Facebook page. “CBS/Showtime: want me to share more about the unethical and perverted deception you’ve perpetrated on the public? No one in your organization(s) have the balls to return my calls or provide their real names; would be nice now so we may discuss which Vets organizations will receive the show’s profits.â€
On Good Morning America, Palin said she walked out of the interview when Baron Cohen’s character showed her “graphs and statistics that had typos in them and that just didn’t quite look right.†So far, it looks like the comedian has duped Palin, Dick Cheney, Joe Walsh, and more right-wing firebrands.