Politician quits after shouting the N-word on satire TV show
A REPUBLICAN politician has been forced to resign after footage emerged of him shouting racial slurs in Sacha Baron Cohen’s new television show.
Jason Spencer, a Georgia state representative, was duped by comedian Baron Cohen into dropping his trousers and shouting the N-word in an apparent attempt to deter terrorists.
Mr Spencer initially refused to step down after the show aired on Sunday, calling it a “ridiculously ugly episode”.
But, he came under mounting pressure to quit with several major US networks showing the embarrassing footage on prime time news shows. He has now said he will stand down at the end of the month.
David Ralston, the Speaker of Georgia’s House of Representatives, told CNN Mr Spencer’s actions and language were “reprehensible”.
Baron Cohen, who is known for tricking public figures with fake interviews, styles himself as Col Erran Morad, an Israeli anti-terrorism expert, for his latest show Who is America?.
During the skit, the comedian convinces the state representative he is taking part in an anti-terrorism training class and suggests he bare his rear end to scare off a would-be attacker.
“If you want to win, you show some skin,” Baron Cohen tells him, claiming terrorists are afraid of homosexuality.
He later shouts “USA” and the Nword, showing how he would attract attention to ward off a potential kidnapper.
Mr Spencer said in a statement: “My fears were so heightened at that time, I was not thinking clearly nor could I appreciate what I was agreeing to when I participated in his ‘class’.”