WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler says he was just playing along with the joke when comedian Stephen Colbert prodded him in an interview to say: “I enjoy cocaine because it’s a fun thing to do.”

The Florida congressman, who is unchallenged for re-election, appeared on Mr. Colbert’s Comedy Central show and was asked to say a few things that would “really lose the election for you if you were contested.”

Mr. Colbert asked the congressman to complete this sentence: “I enjoy cocaine because … “

A bemused Mr. Wexler looked into the camera and said, “I enjoy cocaine because it’s a fun thing to do.”

A follow-up in the complete-the-sentence questioning led to this comment: “I enjoy the company of prostitutes for the following reasons … because it’s a fun thing to do. If you combine the two together, it’s probably even more fun.”

Mr. Wexler told the Palm Beach Post after his interview aired last week that he had never seen the show before and only agreed to appear at the urging of his younger staffers.

Asked what his teenage children thought of his performance, he said: “They thought I was foolish.”

Yesterday, Mr. Wexler told the Associated Press he was fully aware of what was happening in the interview and had no regrets.

“I think it’s an important thing for members of Congress to be able to participate in a good-natured joke,” he said. “Everyone who watches the show knows that what is being said is a joke and that it’s about silly topics. I thought it was funny.”

Mr. Wexler isn’t the only congressional member to be caught off guard on Mr. Colbert’s show. When Rep. John Mica, a Republican of Orlando, appeared, Mr. Colbert asked whether it was difficult getting his rumored toupee through airport security. Rep. Barney Frank, a Democrat of Massachusetts, who is gay, was asked what it’s like to be “an openly left-handed” American.