Who is America? - General Discussion

[ganesh]

31 minutes ago, Giant Misfit said:

I would assume, for the sake of my sanity, that some people declined to participate because their staff who investigates these interview opportunities were way savvier than the staff of the idiots who did. 

I'd really like to see a 'making of' for this show because of that. Bernie caught on that it was getting weird, and politely wound the interview down. Moore got up and stormed off. The Utah guy seemed to figure it out quickly and let it play out. I would think people like this would have had staffs smart enough to find something. So I'd like to know his 'hit rate' on booking these people. 

I can see how the AZ town would turn out to a meeting if someone put up flyers. It's a small place. 

Palin I could see would be so desperate for relevance that she'd jump on to it. 

[WearyTraveler]

I can't wait to see the Palin segment! It must be something since she reacted so furious about it.

[ganesh]

I'm leaning that it's actually tame, and she's bloviating about it to keep her name out there. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ganesh said:

Bernie caught on that it was getting weird, and politely wound the interview down. Moore got up and stormed off. The Utah guy seemed to figure it out quickly and let it play out. I would think people like this would have had staffs smart enough to find something. So I'd like to know his 'hit rate' on booking these people. 

Don't forget Ted Koppel who was basically fed up at the 30-second mark and ended the interview. :) 

2 hours ago, WearyTraveler said:

I can't wait to see the Palin segment! It must be something since she reacted so furious about it.

Sadly, we might not ever see that segment:

Quote

After former Alaskan Governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin accused Sacha Baron Cohen of duping her that he was a handicapped U.S. military veteran during an interview, Showtime president of programming Gary Levine hinted today at TCA that the segment may not even air on the British comedian’s series Who Is America?

“All I can say about that is that there are several people who have thrown themselves in front of buses that may not be heading their way,” Levine told reporters about the status of the Palin interview.

And the chief reason why the Palin interview may not make a future episode’s final cut is because Baron Cohen “is always refining” the final product because he “has a very high bar” said Levine. The Borat creator even screens episodes before audiences so that he can fine tune the series.

Not really sure I'm buying the "very high bar" rationale—that segment with the British felon/DJ last night was pretty boring.

[link417]

3 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

Don't forget Ted Koppel who was basically fed up at the 30-second mark and ended the interview. :) 

Sadly, we might not ever see that segment:

Not really sure I'm buying the "very high bar" rationale—that segment with the British felon/DJ last night was pretty boring.

After all this buzz, it would be foolish of them not to show it. Even if it doesn’t meet the “very high bar” (LOL, sure, Jan), I imagine lots of people will tune in just out of curiosity.

Palin’s basically been promoting this segment too much for it not to see the light of day.

[ganesh]

6 hours ago, Giant Misfit said:

Don't forget Ted Koppel who was basically fed up at the 30-second mark and ended the interview. :) 

He caught on quick too but let it ride for a bit. I think SBC got stuck on that one. 

2 hours ago, link417 said:

Palin’s basically been promoting this segment too much for it not to see the light of day.

SBC can just put it on youtube or as an show extra or something. This is the whole reason most people heard about the show. 

[ganesh]

On 8/13/2018 at 3:10 AM, link417 said:

The Rap Genius guy . . . BARF.

I the point of the bit; he's done it twice now. I just don't know who the people are that he's pranking, so all I'm getting is, "oh, some d list famewhore is trying to get on tv." 

I don't think the kid's show character is really working either. The sheriff was kind of chill, and that guy is a total raging rage-a-holic. I think the character is too weird so they don't know what's going on and just roll with it. 

Lewandowski was super creepy. He was all intense talking about Trump and then 'yeah whatever' until they were talking about Trump again. 

It seems to me like the anti-terror character is the one that really ropes in the marks. I think part of it is that they can't really understand him and are kind of into a bad ass that kicks 'islamic terrorist' (their interpretation not mine) ass the other is just the type of people they are. 

I'd like to see something again with the public like the AZ town meeting. 

[Guest]

Just a friendly reminder to please remember to keep your posts limited to show content—and to the people and topics featured on each episode. 

[InsertWordHere]

That food critic segment was the squickiest thing I’ve seen in a long time. Even giving him the benefit of the doubt that he thought the Kobe beef prophylactic was just inspired by the story the prison guy was telling, eating what he thought was Chinese dissident is indefensible. 

[Guest]

I thought the whole episode was kind of a dud. Wasn't interested in the Real Housewives people, the birthing thing just grossed me out—as did the food critic segment. And Jan Brewer's dentures looked she pilfered them from someone with a head three times the size of her own.

The Truthbrary.org guy—I don't get how in the hell anyone vetted "Dr Billy Wayne Ruddick" via his website and thought, "hey, this guy seems worthy to interview me." I just looked at the site and it looks like a GeoCities page circa 1999 minus the animated gifs of unicorns.  How thirsty are Howard Dean and Jill Stein for someone to talk to? 

[ganesh]

He had to have caught on that something was up after veal in the condom. 

On 8/20/2018 at 4:09 PM, Giant Misfit said:

Wasn't interested in the Real Housewives people, the birthing thing just grossed me out—as did the food critic segment.

Does anyone notice that the Mossad character's title changes all the time? I thought he would have hazed the real housewives people more but it just ended flat. 

None of the politicians were really reeled in either. Dean was having none of it and the segment ended quickly. 

Jill Stein is a moron, and I'm disappointed he didn't come stronger than he did. Although she was correct about climate change, she's not a scientist iirc and can't use that claim to make herself sound legit. I thought she was an MD? 

I suppose it's good that not everyone on the show is duped all the time. Where is PALIN?!

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Jill Stein is a moron, and I'm disappointed he didn't come stronger than he did. Although she was correct about climate change, she's not a scientist iirc and can't use that claim to make herself sound legit. I thought she was an MD? 

Yup. Her Wiki entry says she was a doctor for 25 years and an instructor of medicine at Harvard so...not a scientist. 

 

13 minutes ago, ganesh said:

Where is PALIN?!

Maybe next week? Although there is a letter Billy Wayne Ruddick wrote to her on the Truthbrary website where he says he didn't tell her he was a "war vet" but was in "service"—not military but the United Parcel.

[ganesh]

It was such a dumb thing to say and likely unethical is she's an AMA member. Any reasonably educated person knows climate change is real and nearly all actual climate scientists agree. I don't think the force of Jill Stein is what's going to put it over the top for everyone.

[Guest]

Well, this episode (I presume the last in the series) finally reveals Sarah Palin's part: an end credit that said, "Special Publicity Consultant (Inadvertent)." So while none of us got to see that segment, I'm glad they showed Barney Frank—who has never suffered a fool in his life—having none of Billy Wayne's bullshit.

And I howled at the three goons who so eagerly assaulted the dummy. Like laughing and kicking my feet in the air laughing in bed. 

However, middle goon sure didn't seem to have much of an issue with pressing a button that "killed" a person. His affect after having done that was terrifying.

And the OJ segment? Perfection.  

I'm gonna miss this show. While it wasn't always great and it made me terribly uncomfortable watching it, it did shine a light on a lot of cockroaches. 

[ganesh]

On 8/26/2018 at 8:42 PM, Giant Misfit said:

I'm glad they showed Barney Frank—who has never suffered a fool in his life—having none of Billy Wayne's bullshit.

Frank's trash talk was great - Why are you telling me to hold on? I'm sitting right here.

On 8/26/2018 at 8:42 PM, Giant Misfit said:

And I howled at the three goons who so eagerly assaulted the dummy. Like laughing and kicking my feet in the air laughing in bed. 

I think this was the most consistent segments in the series. These are real people without a shred of critical thinking. Funny, tragic, terrifying. Ignorant. 

The lady in SF wasn't buying a second of it. 

Edited August 29, 2018 by ganesh

[ganesh]

On 8/26/2018 at 8:42 PM, Giant Misfit said:

However, middle goon sure didn't seem to have much of an issue with pressing a button that "killed" a person. His affect after having done that was terrifying.

I hope he's banished from wherever he lives.

So Palin was too dumb to even get her own segment?

Edited August 29, 2018 by ganesh

[Guest]

Yeah, I really wish they would have been more explanatory about the exclusion of the Palin segment. Did he use her as a useful idiot all along knowing her outrage would drum up interest and viewers or did he demur to the threat of her legal action? To the latter, I honestly think if she had grounds to sue then nearly every other buffoon who embarrassed themselves on this show would have as well. But, who knows?

[ganesh]

I think the segment was just that bad because she's so stupid. I mean, he used the Moore segment and that was really a one-note bit (as much as he deserved it). Koppel was done after 2 minutes. She must have been absolutely terrible. 

[BetterButter]

Roy Moore Files $95 Million Suit Against Sacha Baron Cohen Over Who Is America? Appearance

[Guest]

Good luck with that lawsuit, Roy Moore. It's not like SBC hasn't been doing these types of in-character interviews since the days of Ali G—in other words, he's got good lawyers. I'm fairly certain that whatever release Moore signed is pretty ironclad in its stipulations about "misrepresentation." 

I read elsewhere that his wife is named as a co-plaintiff in the suit as well. I guess she'll be suing for "lack of consortium," which, given that she's not an underage teenage girl, shouldn't really be considered SBC's fault.  

[ganesh]

So by Moore suing, he's admitting he's an idiot. I'd love for discovery to show the release he signed. It's not like SBC was being particularly crafty. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Golden Globe nomination!

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy: Sacha Baron Cohen

[BetterButter]

Sacha Baron Cohen: 'Who Is America?' Won't Return for Season 2