Georgia lawmaker to resign after TV comedy show prank

July 25 (UPI) -- A Georgia lawmaker who bared his bottom and shouted slurs on Sacha Baron Cohen's Showtime series has resigned, the Georgia House leader said.

Georgia House Speaker David Ralston announced the resignation of State Rep. Jason Spencer.

Spencer has faced criticism since his appearance Sunday night on Cohen's episode, Who is America? In the series, Cohen dupes political figures.

In Spencer's case, he believed Cohen was an Israeli TV host and former Mossad agent who wanted to teach him about tactics to ward off Islamic terrorists.

Cohen told Spencer of various ways to repel attackers, including screaming out the "n-word" or faking a Chinese accent to sneak a selfie stick under a woman's burqa.

Ralston spokesman Kaleb McMichen said Spencer will step down at the end of the month.

Spencer lost the GOP primary in May after sponsoring failed anti-masking legislation critics called an "anti-burka law."

Spencer had incentive to stay until January, at which point he would have logged eight years in the General Assembly, making him eligible for taxpayer-subsidized health insurance for life.

Spencer said Cohen "took advantage of my paralyzing fear that my family would be attacked."

He claimed he was worried for his family after criticism about the anti-masking law and the shooting of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise on a baseball field last year. He said he was assured the video would be used as a "demonstration video" to teach others the same skills in Israel.