Embattled Georgia Republican Senate nominee Herschel Walker, continuing to insist his honorary “real” police badge gives him “the right to work with the police,” fell for a prank phone call from a Comedy Central show which used the audio in a segment that aired Wednesday night.
“Tooning Out the News,” a Stephen Colbert produced show had its animated anchor, “James Smartwood,” call Walker.
The call is real, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution and The Daily Beast.
Walker has been repeatedly mocked for claiming his badge is “real,” and basically accused the National Sheriffs Association of lying – “that is totally not true” – after being confronted by NBC News quoting them saying the badge “is for the trophy case.”
Walker has said his badge gives him “the authority to do things” for the police, “to work with them all day,” which The Root called “frightening.”
The prank call begins with the “anchor” saying, “Mr. Walker, hey, this is James Smartwood from Big News. Do you have a second to chat?”
“Basically, what I wanted to do is I wanted to report a crime,” Smartwood, voiced by the show’s creator, R.J. Fried, tells Walker.
“I left my window down in my car last night, someone stole my laptop out of the passenger seat, and so I’m just trying to figure out if there’s any way in your – as someone who’s a law enforcement person – if there’s any way you can take a look at it.”
“Well,” Walker replies, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do is we’ll report your thing, and all that and stuff. That’ll be great. What we’ll do is, you got a number I can call?”
The show “bleeps” out the phone number and discussion and “anchor” Smartwood asks Walker if he can come by to get fingerprints.
“Is there any chance you can hop in the squad car, you know, flick on the sirens, come down here or, maybe like go undercover or something?”
At this point Walker seems to realize that saying you have authority means you need actual resources.
“Uh, what can you do, can you do anything?” Walker, stumbling, asks, never once suggesting he thinks this might be a prank.
“No,” Smartwood replies. “I mean, I’m not, I’m not actually – I don’t have the authority.”
Walker then promises to call him back, appearing to suggest he’s going to get involved and help out.
“I gave him the wrong number, I don’t want him having my number,” Smartwood tells his animated “guests.”
Watch a short clip or the full segment below or at the link.