Sarah Palin Predicts her Loss to “French President Sarkozy” at “Say Cheese”

Sarah Palin was Punked. (also known as Punk’d)

On Saturday, November 1, 2008, a pair of Canadian comedians, notorious for playing pranks on politicians and heads of state, reached Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate, and pretended to be President Nicolas Sarkozy of France.

According to an audio recording, a press aide handed the phone to Palin, who enthusiastically greeted the fake Sarkozy. “It’s so good to hear you, thank you for calling us,” she said. “We have such great respect for you, John McCain and I. We love you!”

Speaking in an exaggerated French accent, the fake Sarkozy dropped names of Canadian non-officials, frequently interrupted her midsentence and told her he saw her as president one day.

“Maybe in eight years,” Palin said.

The duo, Sébastien Trudel and Marc-Antoine Audette of CKOI, a radio station in Montreal, have pulled similar pranks on Mick Jagger, Bill Gates and Jacques Chirac.

At one point, Audette, as Sarkozy, said he shared her interest in hunting.

“Oh, very good, we should go hunting together,” Palin said.

“I just love killing those animals,” he said. “Taking away life, that is so fun!”

She laughed politely.

He added: “As long as we don’t bring Vice President Cheney.”

More laughter from Palin. “No, I’ll be a careful shot,” she promised.

The call ended after about six minutes, when the caller disclosed the masquerade.

“Oh, have we been pranked?” Palin asked. “What radio station is this?”

Sarkozy himself was once the victim of the same comedians, Les Justiciers Masqués, or The Masked Avengers. They kept him on the line for three minutes just moments after he was elected president of France last year, by impersonating Stephen Harper, the prime minister of Canada. Sarkozy hung up fast when the comedians proposed inviting him and President George W. Bush to a “dinner of fools.”

The Élysée Palace had no comment Sunday on the Palin incident.

Tracey Schmitt, Palin’s spokeswoman, said in a statement: “Governor Palin received a phone call on Saturday from a French Canadian talk show host claiming to be French President Nicholas Sarkozy. Governor Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters. C’est la vie.” (Sunday, November 2, 2008)

Here is the recorded audio of the phone call between Gov. Palin and “PM Sarkozy”: