Palin attacks Baron Cohen over 'wheelchair stunt'

The former Alaska governor called it “truly sick” and claimed the comedian, best known for his Borat and Ali G characters, “heavily disguised himself as a disabled US Veteran, fake wheelchair and all”.

Baron Cohen, 46, has been secretly filming a satirical comedy entitled Who Is America?

Palin, who was running mate to Republican presidential nominee John McCain in 2008, said she had been asked to travel across the US with one of her daughters to speak to a disabled veteran for a “legit historical documentary”.

In a Facebook post, she said she had instead “join(ed) a long list of American public personalities who have fallen victim to the evil, exploitive (sic), sick ‘humor’ of the British ‘comedian’ Sacha Baron Cohen”.

She added: “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.

“The disrespect of our US military and middle-class Americans via Cohen’s foreign commentaries under the guise of interview questions was perverse.”

Her Facebook posts urges Cohen and US networks CBS and Showtime to donate the programme’s proceeds to a charity that “actually respects and supports American Vets”.

She added: “Mock politicians and innocent public personalities all you want, if that lets you sleep at night, but HOW DARE YOU mock those who have fought and served our country.”

Palin is reportedly not the only politician to be tricked into appearing on the show – former US vice president Dick Cheney is shown in teasers for the show signing a “waterboard kit”.

Baron Cohen has not yet responded to Palin’s clams.