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Showtime says Sacha Baron Cohen's new show proved Sarah Palin wrong: He didn't pose as veteran

Sacha Baron Cohen and Showtime are pushing back against Sarah Palin's claims that she was "duped" into doing a fake interview by Baron Cohen posing as a disabled veteran.

The former vice presidential candidate caused a storm on social media last week when she decried the filmed interview for Baron Cohen's new Showtime series "Who Is America?"

Palin called the interview "sick" claiming she was interviewed by Baron Cohen "heavily disguised as a disabled US Veteran, fake wheelchair and all."

The British comedian posed as one of his characters, Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., Ph.D.

A Showtime release Monday called Palin's claim part of "widespread misinformation over the past week" about the Ruddick Jr. character — who was first revealed on the show's premiere episode Sunday interviewing Senator Bernie Sanders from a motorized scooter.

The first show proved Palin's claims were incorrect.

"Baron Cohen did not present himself as a disabled veteran, and viewers nationwide who watched the premiere on Sunday can now attest to that," the network statement said.

In Sunday’s episode, Baron Cohen's Ruddick Jr. was asked by Senator Sanders if he was disabled, and he stated that he is not, but uses a scooter to conserve his energy.

The network added that Baron Cohen "never presented himself as a veteran of the U.S. military" to Palin during the booking process or during the interview.

"And contrary to her claims he did not appear in a wheelchair," the release said. "In both the interview with Governor Palin and the interview with Senator Sanders, he did not wear military apparel of any kind."

Baron Cohen had previously responded to Palin's claim from a @BillyWRuddick Twitter account in character. He wrote, "I did NOT say I was a War Vet, I was in the service - not military, but United Parcel."

Baron Cohen has duped politicians on the right and the left in his new show with new characters who include extreme liberal Dr. Nira Cain-N’Degeocello, freed criminal artist Ricky Sherman and anti-terror expert Erran Morad.