Lee Zeldin Dodged A Sacha Baron Cohen Trick Interview
Image by wikimedia commons
Rep. Lee Zeldin was almost duped by Sacha Baron Cohen’s “What Is America?”, but evaded the fate that has befallen political figures from Sarah Palin to Roy Moore, the New York Post reported.
Baron Cohen’s team reportedly attempted to use the same trickery that fooled Moore and Tea Partier Joe Walsh: Claiming that Zeldin was one of 70 people honored for their pro-Israel advocacy on Israel’s 70th anniversary.
According to Zeldin’s communication director, Katie Vincentz, the key to avoiding Baron Cohen’s trick was fairly straightforward: Googling. She told the Post that Zeldin’s team noticed that Baron Cohen’s false TV station, Yerushalayim Television, had little online presence. She also said it was “suspicious” that the station’s producer had a distinctly American name, Julia Harris.
“There was no mention anywhere of this big award, which was surprising especially in light of the big names they claimed to have interviewed,” Vincentz said of the staffers’ research.
Zeldin is one of only two Jewish Republicans in the House. He’s come under fire for supporting not only President Trump but some of his more controversial advisors like Steve Bannon and Sebastian Gorka.
Zeldin will be facing off against Jewish Democrat Perry Gershon for his House seat in November. While the Cook Political Report ranks Zeldin’s district as “Likely Republican”, it is listed as a “Competitive Race,” meaning that the Zeldin campaign’s Google prowess was probably beneficial.
Juliana Kaplan is a news intern at The Forward. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter, @julianamkaplan
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
