Big Oil-backed group promotes Sarah Palin and Bill Nye as part of climate change panel

An advocacy group with ties to the oil industry announced that it would host both former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and "Science Guy" Bill Nye as part of an upcoming screening of a climate-skeptic documentary.

This story has been updated. Please see below.

"People who do not believe in American exceptionalism have made this into a campaign issue, so it’s vital that the other side be heard," Palin told Variety. "I'm very pleased that this is written and spoken in layman's terms. My dad taught science to fifth and sixth graders, and it was very important to him that science be presented in an understandable way."

Palin is slated to be part of "an exclusive panel discussion" on May 2 accompanying a showing of Climate Hustle, a documentary put together by the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT). As Media Matters reported, CFACT has received funding from ExxonMobil and Chevron, as well as an "anonymously-funded" group, Donor’s Trust, that specializes in backing groups denying the existence of global warming.

The event will also feature remarks from Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), who chairs the House Science Committee. Late last year, Smith drew attention to himself for accusing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials of altering data in order to create the appearance of global warming.

Former Media Research Center president Brent Bozell will moderate the discussion. Variety reported that Nye will appear during the May 2 event, but it is unclear whether he will be on the panel alongside Palin. Nye has not released a comment regarding his prospective involvement.

Update, 7:43 p.m. EST: Variety reported that, according to a spokesperson for Nye, he was not invited to be on the panel. Instead, footage from an interview involving Nye will be shown.