Slur-Shouting, Butt-Baring Representative Resigns

ATLANTA, GA — Jason Spencer, the Georgia state representative who shouted a racial slur and bared his buttocks on a national comedy show, has resigned.

A spokesman for Georgia House Speaker David Ralston confirmed that Spencer, a Republican from Woodbine in south Georgia, sent notice late Tuesday night that he plans to step down at the end of the month. A four-term lawmaker, Spencer had been defeated for re-election in May, but could have served until new General Assembly members are sworn in in January.

Spencer appeared Sunday on "Who Is America?" a new show on Showtime from "Borat" creator Sacha Baron Cohen. On the show, Cohen disguises himself as different characters, often duping guests into behaving outrageously.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Spencer has courted controversy by sponsoring what critics call an anti-Islam "burqua ban" and telling a former colleague — a black, female Democrat from Atlanta — she would "go missing in the Okefenokee (Swamp)" over her criticism of Confederate memorials in the state.

On the show, Cohen, disguised as an Israeli terrorism expert, coaxes Spencer into repeatedly shouting "n-----" as a way of attracting attention during a staged kidnapping attack and baring his bottom in an attack that would supposedly repel Islamic extremists.

Spencer also uses a stereotypical mock accent while pretending to be a Chinese tourist using a selfie stick to photograph underneath the traditional Muslim dress of a woman.

Ralston spokesman Kaleb McMichen said Spencer's one-line resignation email arrived at 11:18 p.m. Tuesday night, as Georgians were watching results come in from primary runoff elections.

Spencer had originally balked at resigning, despite calls to step down from Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and harsh words of condemnation from Gov. Nathan Deal and others in Georgia's Repbublican-led state government. Before the episode aired, he said he'd been tricked into participating and that Cohen and his team "exploited my state of mind for profit and notoriety."

On Monday, he apologized in a written statement for what he called a "ridiculously ugly episode." But the pressure continued to mount.

In the legislature, there was talk of an official reprimand over the appearance and Democrats and Republicans were discussing filing a joint ethics complaint against Spencer.

(Watch video of Spencer's appearance below. NOTE: Contains offensive language, content.)

Photo via YouTube