Cohen tries to draw OJ confession

Sacha Baron Cohen’s controversial comedy series Who Is Americaij concluded last Sunday with an episode that saw the satirist attempt to elicit a murder confession from OJ Simpson. However, a much-discussed segment in which a disguised Baron Cohen quizzed former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin failed to make it to air.

The series, shown on the Showtime network in the US and Channel 4 in the UK, has frequently been in the headlines during its seven-week run, with a number of high-profile politicians, including Dick Cheney, Bernie Sanders and disgraced Republican senate candidate Roy Moore, falling victim to Baron Cohen’s stunts. Georgia state lawmaker Jason Spencer resigned after yelling racial slurs and exposing himself during one segment, while another saw a prominent Conservative speak in favour of a Bill that would arm pre-schoolers in classrooms.

Simpson’s involvement in the series has been long-rumoured, with reports emerging earlier this year that suggested Baron Cohen had paid the former American football player $20,000 (£15,500) to appear on screen.

In the segment, which Deadline claims was filmed using hidden cameras, Simpson sits down for an interview with Gio Monaldo, an Italian billionaire playboy and fashion photographer played by Baron Cohen in prosthetics and a ponytail.

Melanie Brown set to enter rehab

Mel B has said she is entering rehab for alcohol and sex addiction. Speaking to the Sun recently, the one-time Spice Girl, full name Melanie Brown, said the decision came in the wake of an “incredibly difficult” six months in which she worked on an autobiography. “It has been unbelievably traumatic reliving an emotionally abusive relationship and confronting so many massive issues in my life,” she said.

The singer said she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and shared a link on Twitter to a US Government site explaining the condition. She said that the course of treatment she was receiving was “really helping me. I am fully aware I am at a crisis point.” She said she had been using alcohol to “numb my pain”.

Brown was married to film producer Stephan Belafonte from 2007 to 2017, having separated in 2016. Following their split, Brown took out a temporary restraining order against him, and accused him of physical, verbal and psychological abuse. A 2017 domestic violence trial was settled out of court; Brown has said that as well as the emotional difficulties of the split, she was “financially battered” by it. The pair had one child — Brown’s third overall. She said she was entering rehab to become “a better version of myself for my kids, for my family and for all the people who have supported me in my life”.

FB’s women torture ad removed

Facebook has removed an advert for a video game that invites players to torture or kill a gagged and trembling woman after initially indicating that the content did not breach its guidelines. The ad depicts scenes from a popular game called Mafia City, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times as a mobile app and is promoted on Facebook users’ feeds. It has been banned by YouTube.

It features a blonde woman with tape over her mouth, apparently shaking with fear while the player decides between two options, “torture” or “finish her”. A speech caption reads: “Boss, I won’t betray you.” Facebook initially indicated that the ad did not breach its guidelines, adding that it appeared only to users who have registered their age as over 18.

But a spokesperson said last week that the social media site has now chosen to take the promotion down. “We’ve reviewed this ad and have removed it for violating our policies,” they said. “All advertisers must comply with our policies which make it clear that ads must not contain content that is sensationalist, intended to shock or scare viewers, or depicts threats of violence.”