Sheriff Joe on Sacha Baron Cohen interview: ‘I made a bad mistake’

PHOENIX — Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio admits that he made a “bad mistake” by allowing himself to be interviewed by Sacha Baron Cohen as part of an undercover television show.

Arpaio, who is running for the Republican nomination to replace Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said that he “couldn’t understand” Cohen, who played a Finnish “unboxing” celebrity named OMGWhizzBoyOMG. The segment aired on Sunday as part of the new Showtime program “Who is America?”