Sacha Baron Cohen has returned to series television for the first time in more than a decade with his Showtime comedy Who Is America?, debuting Sunday.
In the premiere, the 46-year-old British actor masquerades as Israeli anti-terrorist expert Col Erran Morad and dupes a handful of Republican politicians into endorsing a gun program aimed at arming young children with guns in schools. Other victims of the sham which urged politicians to join the “kinder-guardians” program include former congressman Joe Walsh, former Senater Trent Lott, California congressman Dana Rohrabacher and South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson.
What can I say Bradley? @SachaBaronCohen got me. Do I believe kindergarteners should be armed? Hell no.
But, it's on me. Sacha fooled me good. Flew me out to DC for some made up friend of Israel award. I gotta live with it. https://t.co/r4juubOG9l
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) July 15, 2018
Walsh told CNN that Baron Cohen fooled him by telling him that he was “getting an award from some Israeli TV station because I’m a great supporter of Israel”.
“They [had me read off of a teleprompter] about this four-year-old child in Israel who, when a terrorist entered his classroom, somehow he grabbed the terrorist’s gun and held the terrorist at bay.”
He said as he read it, he thought “Well, this is kind of crazy, but it is Israel and Israel is strong on defense.” Later, “we found out this whole thing was made up”.
Although Baron Cohen’s subjects will mostly feature right-leaning figures, he does not shy away from the left. The premiere opens with Bernie Sanders, who the Baron Cohen’s southern character aims to highlight the flaws of Obamacare by saying, “I was forced to see a doctor, and suddenly I have three diseases.”
“Who is America?” is currently available on demand on Showtime.
[h/t CNN]