“It was just the most bizarre day of my life.”
(She did not.)
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How were you initially pitched on the shoot?
Credit: Paul Archuleta/WireImage
I think it was around October [of last year].
So another week went by, and then I went in to film in a warehouse somewhere in LA.
He was signing releases and things like that?
I don’t know what it was.
I still don’t know what it was.
But whatever, he’s signing papers.
Then I went into wardrobe and they’re looking through the clothes, telling me what to wear.
Then all of a sudden, like 20 people come into the room.
They took me next door and I walk into this big warehouse and there’s a bunch of cameras.
I see this really big, giant tall guy with blonde hair and covered with tattoos.
He’s, like, screaming in a really tacky Italian accent.
You know that guy fromCupcake Warswho really overdoes his French accent?
I thought he was one of those kind of guys.
I was like,Damn, he needs to chill with that.He kept screaming “Bella!
a million times, like I think that’s the only word he knows, but whatever.
I was so freaked out, but I’m used to dealing with bizarre people.
So I was just like, “This is a little weirder than normal, whatever.”
I was like, “No, I’m comfortable, thank you.”
That’s when I was like,Woah.
I was like, “You know, everyone needs a good diet and exercise plan.”
I didn’t know what to say!
All the cameras were on.
And I was like, “What?
What do you mean?
Everyone on this earth knows I would never live in Africa for even a week.”
I was like, “I can’t say that.”
He said, “No!
You have to do this for me!
I paid a lot of money for your [shoot]!
You don’t have friends in Italy, who cares?”
So I’m like, “Okay,okay.”
Can I have my phone?
I’m not understanding.”
They’re like, “Okay, okay.”
I was really pissed.
A few minutes go by and I realize that they’re not bringing my cell phone or my manager.
“We need to keep going [with the interview].”
Finally, I flipped out.
I’m like, “What the f*** is wrong with you people?
Where the f is my manager?”
I freaked out and I start to walk outside.
I was like, “What the f is going on?”
I started grabbing cameramen, like, “Am I okay?
Am I going to die?
What’s happening?”
I was looking for the nearest exit.
I started having a panic attack.
Then I went into wardrobe and I start bitching at the wardrobe lady.
I’m like, “This is fing bulls!
What the f?”
So all this time you’re still going along with it, even though you’re freaking out?
Yeah, I’m weirded out, but at this point I don’t know what to do.
Were they physically blocking you from leaving the building?
Um, basically yeah.
I was like, “You guys know this is kidnapping.
You’re holding me against my will here.”
So [I said] I saved the village from like a warlord or something.
Cohen told you to say that?
Yeah, yeah, he told me to say that…
So you could see that I’m uncomfortable with the whole situation.
Oh, and then I wound up in a Hazmat suit somehow.
I don’t know why or how that happened, but it happened.
So I feel like they might have [had him there] on purpose…
He kept coming over, being like, “Corinne you’re doing great.”
And I’m like, “Jordan, I knowI’mdoing great!
I’m great!Youguys are the problem here!
What the actual f?”
He kept disappearing so I couldn’t keep talking to him.
How did you finally get out of there?
Long story short I do the last segment off a teleprompter.
I don’t even know what I’m reading, I’m so pissed off.
It was about children and guns.
I was really upset when I was reading it.
Then [Cohen] started randomly rambling on about how I should come to his castle in Italy.
I was like, “I’m not coming to your castle in Italy.
Let me out.”
Your car’s outside and Mark’s in the car."
I get in the car and there’s no Mark.
I call him, and I’m like, “Mark, what the f?”
He said, “Oh my God.
They told me you wanted me to leave.”
They sent him away right when I went into the warehouse!
I was like, “You have no idea what I just went through.”
Meanwhile he’s cracking up.
I’m like, “This is not fing funny!
I’m ready to fing fire you!
I could have been kidnapped and killed.”
When you told your manager what happened, what did he say?
He’s like, “This sounds like a prank, Corinne.”
I was like, “No this is real!”
I was crying, like, “This is going to ruin me!”
We tried calling back, we tried emailing everything was blocked.
The phone numbers, the emails [they gave us] zero, kaput, done.
And when I got home, my award fell apart.
I’m like, “What the f?
Now I don’t even have my award!”
How did you find out you had been pranked by Sacha Baron Cohen?
We didn’t know for sure until we saw that this show was coming out.
At the time of the shoot, were you familiar with Cohen or his work?
No, I had no idea about any of that.
Have you watched any of his stuff since?
Yes, I love Ali G he is so funny.
Honestly, I was kind of honored that he chose me…
I didn’t take it as a practical, comical prank in the beginning.
But as time went on, I was like, “Damn, that is really kind of funny.
I wonder where it’s going to go.”
My Dad was making fun of me, like, “It’s all politicians and Corinne.”
Maybe Sacha Baron Cohen is a fan ofThe Bachelor?
They loved that I was like this funny Jewish girl from reality TV.
It was a little scary, I’m not going to lie…
This is what he does, everyone knows he’s a jokester, he’s a political jokester.
Well I appreciate you taking the time to talk to us about it.
Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
I’d love to tell you something.
I just launched my Platinum Beauty Shop…
It’s awesome timing, actually, and I didn’t even plan it.
We have a vegan, cruelty-free, and kosher makeup line coming out.
I had very, very bad anxiety issues before going on [The Bachelor].
Going onThe Bachelorreally made me come out of my shell…
I got used to being in front of the cameras, all eyes on me…
So it definitely helped me remain calm [during the Cohen shoot] until I didn’t.
We all know Corinne: Once her switch flips, she flips.
Who is America?airs Sunday nights at 10 p.m. on Showtime.
