WASHINGTON - Paula Abdul has admitted to be tricked by Sacha Baron Cohen, as she fell for one of his pranks in his upcoming film ‘Bruno’.

Speaking in an interview on 104.7 FM’s ‘Johnjay and Rich Show’, the American Idol judge said that she received a call that she had won “Artist of the Year” in Germany.

But, when the 46-year-old star went for a sit-down, someone called Bruno greeted her.

“I’m greeted by this futuristic, Captain Nemo-looking dude with a mohawk — and he’s flaming,” Us magazine quoted her as saying.

She added: “I’m like, ‘OK, this is weird. Is this a variety show or something like that?’ So I walk in and there was no furniture except for a chair. And I’m waiting and waiting.

“And this guy Bruno introduces himself, and I said, ‘Hi.’ And he said, ‘Here, have some food.’ And the food looked horrible! And I said, ‘No, I’m fine.’ And he said, ‘It’s very, very, very good.’ I said, ‘That’s Ok, I don’t want to have it.’”

Then, Bruno apologized for not having furniture for the interview.

Abdul recalled: “He snaps his fingers and says, ‘Gardeners!’ And these two Mexican guys come in, and they drop down to all fours. I see him paying them like 10 bucks. They drop down to all fours and he says [to me], ‘Sit down.’” And I said, ‘I’m not doing that!’”

“So I’m tipping and holding my core muscles to not sit on them. And he pushes me down on them, and I’m like, ‘I’m sorry!’” she said.

Paula said that it got even more bizarre when he kicked one of them and they all fell on the ground.

She said: “It was getting so uncomfortable! I’m throwing daggers with my eyes at my publicist. And they’re kicking my publicist out. And I said, ‘Get me out of here. This is crazy. This is not funny, this is discrimination. This is abusive stuff going on here!’

“And he says, ‘I need you to change your clothes,’ and I said, ‘No, I won’t be doing that. I have to go to work … And by the way, where’s my award?”

By that time, she has had enough and she dashed out while being followed by cameras.

“It was hysterical, but it was so disturbing. I was so mad at my publicist at that point. I said, ‘I can’t believe you signed [the release].’ And my manager and attorney were trying to call the production office — and, of course, it doesn’t exist. So I was freaking out,” added Abdul.

And it was after a year that her manager got a call from a reporter who heard that she had fallen for one of Sacha Baron Cohen’s stunts.

“I said, ‘I’ve never done anything with Sacha Cohen … they’re wrong!’ At 2 o’clock in the morning that night, I woke up in a cold sweat. I popped my body up out of bed and I went, ‘Holy crap! Oh my God!’ And that’s what happened. And I’m dying. Cause you don’t expect it. You just don’t expect it,” she said.

Abdul Added: “Like I said, I thought it was just one of those Japanese TV shows where they do crazy things.” (ANI)