“Did comedian Sacha Baron Cohen crash rally in downtown Olympia?”

From The Olympian this morning:

• Editor’s note: The phrase attributed to both Aesop and the Book of Proverbs “You Are Known By The Company You Keep” is one Blair now faces from public blow-back on his Facebook posts and Twitter, which also landed him in The Olympian.
• Councilor Blair is now experiencing what high profile people know – that the way one handles their public life is to not separate and apart from their private one.
• Blair’s public actions also reflect on Yelm, as an elected official.
• Event organizers should screen/control their stages/performers better!
• The following is the story as reported by Rolf Boone, The Olympian:

“Social media was abuzz Saturday evening with chatter that comedian Sacha Baron Cohen made a surprise appearance during a conservative rally in downtown Olympia earlier in the day.

“The rally, which was billed as “March for Our Rights 3,” took place at Heritage Park for most of the afternoon. About 500 people attended the rally, according to Washington State Patrol troopers at the scene.

“Videos on Twitter appear to show a man in costume, similar to something Cohen might wear, singing a satirical song that poked fun at political beliefs.

“Yelm City Councilman, James Blair, thinks it was the comedian, according to his own Facebook post.

“‘Sacha Baron Cohen pulled a (expletive) stunt at the March For Our Rights 3 event,’ Blair says in his post.

“‘He came on stage disguised as the lead singer of the last band, singing a bunch of racist, hateful, disgusting (expletive),’ Blair writes. ‘His security blocked event organizers from getting him off the stage, or pulling power from the generator. After the crowd realized what he was saying, and turned on him, his security then rushed the stage and evacuated them to a waiting private ambulance that was contracted to be their escape transport.’”

“Cohen most recently is known for a cable TV show called, “Who is America?” That show, like a lot of Cohen’s humor, lures unsuspecting public figures into awkward situations,” by Rolf Boone, The Olympian. Read more

• Yelm Council member Blair was further mentioned in these publications:

The Daily Beast: “Sacha Baron Cohen Pulls Epic Prank on Right-Wing Militia Event“

The Olympian: Those at rally share details of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s surprise appearance

USA Today: Did Sacha Baron Cohen prank a conservative rally with a racist singalong?

Rolling Stone: Sacha Baron Cohen Pranks Far-Right Rally, Fools Crowd With Racist Song – Actor dons multiple disguises – wealthy PAC head, bluegrass singer, photographer – in fooling “March for Our Rights 3” rally in Olympia, Washington

The Hollywood Reporter: Sacha Baron Cohen Appears to Prank Conservative Rally, Performs Onstage

The Seattle Times: Sacha Baron Cohen, in character, seems to have performed a racist song at a right-wing Olympia rally