Palin's TV career hits early controversy

Former Republican vice-presidential contender Sarah Palin, who recently opted for a career in television, herself made news when a few participants, supposedly interviewed for her new show, alleged that they had never even met her.

Palin has been hired by Fox News channel to host Real American Stories, a series about 'real-life tales of overcoming adversity throughout the American landscape'.

A few guests on the show's inaugural episode, that was broadcasted recently, expressed surprise about their involvement, the Telegraph reported.

LL Cool J, a rapper and actor, who was to have provided his heart-warming story in the show's In Their Own Words segment, alleged that the channel had "lifted" an interview he gave to "someone else" in 2008 and were "misrepresenting to the public in order to promote Palin's show".

Fox News responded to the allegations by removing the segment featuring LL Cool J or James Todd Smith from the show.

In a statement, it said that

'as it appears that Mr Smith does not want to be associated with a programme that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career'.

Even Toby Keith, the country singer who was billed to 'explain the inspiration behind his song Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue on the programme' claimed that he had never met Palin.

According to the singer's publicist, the interview was conducted in January 2009, in Las Vegas, and added that Fox had never contacted them about including it in the Palin show. Fox News had described 46-year-old Palin as "hosting the show" in its publicity announcements but some media reports had interpreted it as involving actual conversations with her guests.

Palin, the former governor of Alaska, had signed a paid contributor agreement with the channel in January earlier this year. She will also star in a documentary series on Alaska and its natural wonders to be aired on the TLC cable channel.