Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio wants a rematch with Sasha Baron Cohen

PHOENIX — Joe Arpaio wants a rematch.

At a town hall event Thursday, the Republican U.S. Senate hopeful called his appearance on Sasha Baron Cohen’s Showtime program “a bad mistake” but said he’d like to sit down with the comedian again.

In a “Who is America?” segment filmed last year that aired Sunday, the former Maricopa County sheriff wasn’t aware he was being interviewed by the “Borat” star, who was posing as a Finnish celebrity named OMGWhizzBoyOMG. (Warning: Video includes adult themes.)

Speaking in a heavy accent, Cohen got Arpaio to answer several potentially embarrassing questions.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner after the town hall, Arpaio challenged Cohen to another interview, with no disguises or fake accents.

“Get the guts, get out of your undercover role, come and interview me in English, of course, so I can understand him so we can go man-to-man. You can ask me anything you want. I’ll be glad to deal with it,” he said.

“He won’t have the guts to do that. Maybe he will, I don’t know.”

Arpaio’s campaign confirmed to KTAR News 92.3 FM that the candidate’s comments reported by the Examiner were accurate.

Arpaio, 86, is a long shot to win the Aug. 28 Republican primary. He’s been consistently trailing Rep. Martha McSally and former state Sen. Dr. Kelli Ward in the polls.

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