Report: Bruno Infiltrates Downtown L.A. Trade Convention
Source: Defamer
From virtually the moment Universal threw $42 million at Sacha Baron Cohen for Bruno, his Borat follow-up, questions about whether a far more recognizable troublemaker would be able to hide behind a bleached fauxhawk and mesh shirt and goad homophobic Americans into hilariously intolerant reactions to his subtle, Austrian-accented invitations to sodomy. So how is the Bruno team tackling the problem of Baron Cohen's fame? According to an operative, by waving his bedazzled microphone right under our noses here in L.A.. His report on the star's new faux-documentary shenanigans follows:
"I was at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles today for a luncheon hosted by the Foreign Trade Association, and lo and behold, Sacha is there as our favorite gay Austrian Bruno!!! His get up is a little different than it was on the Ali G show. No mohawk with blond highlights, no tight t-shirt. He's dressed in leather pants, black vest and a black t-shirt. The hair is kinduva flock of seagulls/sad boy from the cure look - rusty brown hair mopped over to one side and the tips are a frosty blonde."
"Obviously you had no idea what was going beforehand...There were several signs warning you that a documentary is taking place. I actually signed the release sheet to be interviewed. I was first told that it was about "world trade" and then when I asked again, I was told it was about American culture and world trade. I didn't really care cause they gave me 20 bucks and I thought it was going to be something about trade. Clearly, 99 percent of the people had no idea who he was. I could only wish I could hear what he was saying in the interviews. Sacha had about 10 people with him. Three people running around with releases to sign, 4 camera people, a blonde haired producer watching the whole thing and a frazzled old dude with string salt and pepper hair checking the sound at the other end of the ballroom. At one point he started freaking out and telling the producer "I don't have any fucking sound! Get that guy back for another interview! I don't hear shit!" They were obviously trained to deal with someone catching on, because as soon as I realized who he was (and I wasn't very good at hiding my surprise) his staff were on me like lindsay lohan to a line of coke. I tried a couple times to take a picture with my cell phone and they kept blocking me and telling me please don't take a picture. At one point they had someone following me making sure I couldn't get off a picture. The guy told me "Dude give it up, you've trying all day. It's not gonna happen." If I was really gung ho, I'm sure I could have taken one, but he's hilarious and I didn't want to make a scene and screw up his gig."
Sadly, our spy couldn't get us that cameraphone shot (we're just glad his attempts didn't end in an ugly stun-gunning by Bruno's handlers), but if the production continues to go guerilla at the downtown World Trade Week events, maybe someone will capture Baron Cohen's new look before security shuts him down.
Quote from: MacGuffin on May 23, 2007, 11:57:48 AM
They were obviously trained to deal with someone catching on, because as soon as I realized who he was (and I wasn't very good at hiding my surprise) his staff were on me like lindsay lohan to a line of coke.
dumbass. obviously that was going to happen. the only way to deal with a real life bruno encounter is to play along, and NOT be a fucking douche bag trying to get his autograph/picture. playing along and getting into the film is a bigger achievement than whatever this douche had in mind. and then maybe secretly sneaking a pic without making a scene wouldn't be that hard.
Baron Cohen buries Borat, resurrects Bruno
But can the successful British comedian make us laugh at the gay Austrian fashionista? Universal hopes so.
By Aaron Lee, Los Angeles Times
On Dec. 21, in an interview with the UK's Daily Telegraph, actor Sacha Baron Cohen announced the retirement of his two most popular alter egos -- hip-hop wannabe Ali G and Kazakh journalist Borat. Not everyone was heartbroken by the news. To begin with, there's the multitude of people pranked by his feature film, 2006's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"; Baron Cohen has jokingly estimated the number of resulting lawsuits as "about 3,000."
But even his harshest critics would probably admit that no one in the comedy game can match Baron Cohen's chutzpah (who else could have unleashed the "Borat" movie months after Mel Gibson's DUI arrest, making it safe for Americans to laugh at brainless anti-Semites again?). And if "Borat's" $128-million box-office take is any indication, his reckless style of humor has more admirers than detractors these days. One fan is Steven Spielberg, who has reportedly signed Baron Cohen to portray 1960s political trickster Abbie Hoffman in the upcoming "Trial of the Chicago Seven," scripted by Aaron Sorkin.
Before that, Baron Cohen will unleash another feature film starring a character from his now-defunct HBO pro- gram "Da Ali G Show" -- this time, it's Bruno, his gay-fashionista-from-Austria creation. "Bruno's" deal is already the stuff of Hollywood legend: Universal paid a hefty $42.5 million for the project.
To think it all started with a pair of sly idiots, Ali G and Borat.
Ali G first gained a following in the 1990s by duping interviewees on Britain's "11 O' Clock Show," a late-night program that also launched the career of "The Office's" Ricky Gervais. Gervais, Steve Coogan and Baron Cohen's other contemporaries followed in the British comedy tradition of intelligent men doing stupid things.
Ali G, however, had more in common with American humor of the day -- when stupidity is so all-encompassing that it takes on sublime logic. (Think Homer Simpson; every Will Ferrell role; and perhaps Eminem, whose misogyny, homophobia and general cartoonishness made him dangerously close to a real-life Ali G.)
Borat Sagdiyev was an even earlier creation. His primal incarnation was a prankish audition tape that caught the eye of UK television's Channel 4 and landed the young Baron Cohen his first high-profile gigs. At that point, the character was an Albanian reporter named Kristo. Compared with the twisted depths he would eventually plumb, early Borat wasn't that far removed from Andy Kaufman's sweet-natured "Foreign Man."
It wasn't until Baron Cohen revived Borat for the original British version of "Da Ali G Show" that the man from Kazakhstan showed his true colors. He was now a genial bigot with a raging libido (one of several aspects that some claim Baron Cohen appropriated from Mahir Cagri, an early Internet cult star). Borat was able to express horrible sentiments with childlike earnestness -- best summed up by his Barney the Dinosaur-like refrain, "I like you. Do you like me?" The juxtaposition made him supremely quotable; not even four seasons of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" produced so many inescapable catchphrases.
Although Bruno remains a very funny, well-crafted creation, it's hard to imagine him finding the same success as "Borat." In his eulogy for Ali G and Borat, Baron Cohen admitted that international stardom has made it difficult to fool people. And Bruno may be a hair too smart to have the same blunted impact as his schizoid brethren, who were aggressive, unsubtle and great in short bursts -- ideal comedy for the Internet era. To memorialize these dimwit icons, here are 10 great moments that made viewers shout "Booyakasha" and "Jagshemash" . . . or call their attorneys. Respect.
10. Andy Rooney Interview ("Da Ali G Show," Season 2). Someone finally has the guts to toss Ali G out the door. Who else would it be other than "60 Minutes' " elderly curmudgeon? You can almost hear Rooney's blood pressure spike when Ali G asks, "Is it because I's black?"
Very Nice Quote: "Has journalists ever put out tomorrow's news by mistake?"
9. Borat's Sister ("Da Ali G Show," Season 1). Borat attends a wine-tasting with a pair of older gentlemen. After one too many, he produces a stack of Polaroids of his "beauty queen" sister ("She wants to move to U, S and A"). The jaw-dropping payoff is unforgettable.
Very Nice Quote: "We make a joke! We pretend to be husband and wife!"
8. United Nations ("Da Ali G Show," Season 1). Ali G tours "the United Nations of Benetton," with representatives from "the three corners of the world." The highlight is a chat with former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who seems genuinely amused by such questions as, "Is Disneyland a member of the U.N.?"
Very Nice Quote: "Big-up yaself, Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Respect."
7. Kazakhstan vs. Borat. Borat's greatest piece of living theater took place off-camera. Representatives of the actual Kazakhstan battled him in the media (Borat responded with a press release of randomly-arranged Cyrillic letters); on the Internet (the suspension of his website, www.borat.kzi) and even at the White House (Borat arrived at the gates one day before an official visit by Kazakh President Nursultan A. Nazarbayev).
Very Nice Quote: "[Kazakh] women can now travel on inside of bus."
6. Noam Chomsky Interview ("Da Ali G Show," Season 2). Baron Cohen clearly loves playing with the English language. To see Ali G share a mangled discussion with the famed linguistics professor and political activist is surreal, hilarious -- and so Chomsky-esque.
Very Nice Quote: "Me know loads of words: Parachute, photograph, spaghetti . . . "
5. Dropping Science ("Da Ali G Show," Season 1). This panel segment of "Da Ali G Show" brings together doctors, a futurologist and a creationist to discuss "techmology" ("Is it good, or is it wack?"). It all ends with the creationist struggling to defend his bathroom habits. A perfect example of the way Baron Cohen mocks the dumbing down of our culture -- by dumbing down our culture.
Very Nice Quote: "So you's saying we ain't come down from monkeys. Has you ever eaten a banana?"
4. Naked Wrestling Match ("Borat: Cultural Learnings . . .") Borat and his "producer," Azamat (Ken Davitian), engage in a full-frontal brawl over their mutual love of a Pamela Anderson bikini photo. Later, Borat will claim he can still taste Azamat on his mustache. P.S. "Borat's" screenplay got an Oscar nomination.
Very Nice Quote: "How dare you make hand-party over Pamela!"
3. Pat Buchanan Interview ("Da Ali G Show," Season 2). No other exchange better displays Baron Cohen's gift for leading his victims into Abbott and Costello-style lunacy. Ali G wants to know if Saddam Hussein does indeed possess weapons of mass destruction, " . . . or, as they is called, BLTs." It's hard to tell if Buchanan's just playing along, or if he truly is concerned about what Ali G calls "a war over sandwiches" -- with or without mustard gas.
Very Nice Quote: "So how long was you president for?"
2. In My Country, There is Problem ("Da Ali G Show," Season 2). In front of an audience of Tucson locals, Borat and His Cowboy Astoni-Band perform an original composition. The lyrics are viciously anti- Semitic. But what comes off more offensive is the crowd's enthusiastic response, singing along with glee. A dark, amoral bit that's as disturbing as it is funny.
Very Nice Quote: Too hurtful to be repeated here.
1. The Star-Spangled Banner ("Borat: Cultural Learnings . . ."). Borat hogties a sacred cow. In January 2005, Baron Cohen made headlines when he attended a rodeo in Salem, Va., and butchered the "Banner." The result was the tuneless debut of Kazakhstan's national anthem ("All other countries are run by little girls"), and the "Borat" movie's definitive set piece.
Very Nice Quote: "May you destroy their country so that for the next thousand years, not even a single lizard will survive in their desert!"
Universal bumps 'Bruno' to July
Comedy to go up against 'Beth Cooper'
Source: Variety
Sacha Baron Cohen's "Bruno" is going to be fashionably late.
The Universal film will now open July 10 instead of May 15.
July slot became unexpectedly available last week when Sony announced it was pushing back the release of Roland Emmerich's actioner "2012" to Nov. 13.
"Bruno" won't have the runway to itself in its new date. Cohen's pic will go up against 20th Century Fox comedy "I Love You, Beth Cooper," directed by Chris Columbus.
On the flip side, the May box office is jampacked with tentpoles, while July is somewhat quieter. Wherever it plays, however, "Bruno" will look to serve as counterprogramming.
Sacha Baron Cohen's Outrageous 'Bruno' Makes 'Borat' Look Tame
By Rodrigo Perez; MTV
Must ... resist ... urge ... to ... wax ... hyperbolically. ... Failure ... appears ... imminent. A jaw-on-the-floor wow. Sacha Baron Cohen has done it again, delivering another WMD slam dunk of hysterically subversive mocku-comedy.
Universal Pictures screened 22 minutes of "Brüno" during the SXSW Fantastic Fest. In the movie, Cohen assumes the character of the flamboyantly gay Austrian TV reporter from his famed "Da Ali G Show," and from what we could tell from those glorious and deliciously wrong-yet-oh-so-right clips, Cohen has pushed the button to push all buttons. The stakes are higher, and Cohen seems to be flirting with a more dangerous powder keg of humor, the likes of which we've never seen before.
"Brüno" somehow makes "Borat" look like child's play, upping the ante on Cohen's aggressively offensive, squirm-worthy hilarity. With a recorded introduction by Cohen himself, the transgressive, outrageous and, at times, stunning footage was broken up into three sections: baby interviews, a fake Jerry Springer-like Texas-based talk show and the Ultimate Fighting Championship face-off (more on these in a sec). In describing each scene, the comedian revealed much of the film's plot. He also noted that all the gut-busting scenes were being shown in a longer form than they would be in the final theatrical version (i.e. with more painfully prolonged exposure to uncomfortably uproarious funniness than doctors would normally recommend).
From what we can recall — our minds being blown and all — Cohen's Brüno character is fired from his job for blowing an Italian fashion-show segment. Distraught, he goes to Hollywood in the hopes of becoming the "most famous Austrian star since Adolf Hitler." As already rumored, in an attempt to fit in with Tinseltown celebrities, Brüno and his boyfriend/assistant David adopt a baby from Africa, which Brüno carries around to appear chic and trendy (a move that seems intended to dis the Madonnas of the world). At some point in the film, Brüno and David split up and he loses custody of the child. Depressed, he tries to reinvent himself as the most aggressively heterosexual man in America to regain custody.
1. The baby interviews: Brüno wants to create an elaborate photo shoot for his newly adopted baby and auditions mothers interested in having their babies appear in the shoot. Interviewing a host of parents, he asks if the babies would be comfortable working with animals ranging from bees to Komodo dragons to snakes. So desperate are the parents to have their children cast, they agree to all of his ludicrous suggestions. Would the babies be OK with being "thrown from a building"? Would they be at ease around "amateur science"? Would the child be comfortable speeding around in an automobile without a car seat? Could they just "wing it"? The mothers consistently reply that each task would be fine. Brüno even suggests to one mother that her 30-pound baby should lose 10 pounds within seven days, and she replies that this is doable. She even suggests that she would consider lipsocution if the baby should fail to lose the weight. Brüno then congratulates the winning mother and tells her that the baby will be dressed up as a Nazi pushing a Jewish baby into an oven. And you thought Borat pushed buttons? "Brüno" obliterates the button with wicked aplomb.
2. The Texas-based talk show "Today With Richard Bay": Brüno appears on a Jerry Springer-like talk show to flaunt his new baby to a mostly African-American audience. He baits the females in the audience, telling them he can get any black man he wants and can easily steal their men. The comedy and anger seem to rise in tandem. After taunting the audience with voguing, posing and boasts of homosexual prowess, Brüno eventually brings on his baby, O.J. (as in Simpson), dressed in little cut-leather chaps and a black T-shirt that has "Gayby" written on it. The audience is aghast when he claims that the baby is a "real dick magnet" and was traded in Africa for an iPod, but a special, pimped-out version — "not just any old iPod," he assures them. The coup de grace is a clearly Photoshopped (thank heavens) photo session of gay hot-tub antics with the baby in tow. The segment ends with the State Child's Service Department coming in and taking the "illegally" adopted child into protective custody. The Austrian has to fight off security in a hysterical rage.
3. The Ultimate Fighting Championship face-off: At this point in the film, Cohen's once ostentatiously homosexual reporter has turned militaristically heterosexual and has created a UFC-like show called "Dave's MAX Out," giving us our first peek at Straight Dave, the newly invented Brüno. Mustachioed, hirsute and decked out in camouflage gear and an outback hat, Straight Dave parades around the ring to AC/DC's "Back in Black," while male spectators cheer him on. This is the gay-loathing party to end all gay-loathing parties. Of course, Straight Dave's uüber-machismo does a 180 right into homoerotic overtones, but this goes over every audience member's head as SD rips female stagehands' clothing to reveal skimpy bikinis.
Then the footage takes a spectacular turn for the worse (better). Think of the scene in "Borat" in which Cohen sings the National Anthem at a Virginia rodeo to an audience that is with him initially and calling for his blood by the end. Brüno is suddenly called out during his show as a "f—-t," and an appalled Straight Dave challenges the person who yelled that to step into the ring and fight him. We're not really meant to know who his challenger is, but clearly, it's his ex-boyfriend. They violently fight, pummeling each other bloody, but eventually the former couple, as you can probably guess, patches things up, passionately making out and groping each other to the sounds of Elton John's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." It is a sensational moment in cinema not to be forgotten soon. Of course, the outraged audience freaks out, and one glorious slow-motion shot captures an overzealous red-faced fan crying.
The footage ended with Cohen addressing the audience one last time, asking if we liked what we'd seen. If so, "buy a f—ing ticket." The film's take-no-prisoners approach was breathlessly funny, but no doubt some will ask: Has Sacha Baron Cohen gone too far? "Brüno" hits theaters July 10.
Baron Cohen's 'Bruno' Slapped with NC-17 Rating
Source: Cinematical
We've heard a lot about the unbelievably ridiculousness of Sacha Baron Cohen's new mock-gotcha flick Brüno (which is sorta like a sequel to Borat, but with another one of Baron Cohen's over-the-top characters), and so the news that it's received an NC-17 rating upon its first run through the MPAA shouldn't be all that shocking. According to The Wrap, that's exactly what happened -- and it was due to scenes where Baron Cohen (as Brüno ,the gay Austrian fashion reporter) "appears to have anal sex with a man on camera." Another "problem scene", according to The Wrap, comes when Cohen "goes on a hunting trip and sneaks naked into the tent of one of the fellow hunters, an unsuspecting non-actor."
Universal confirmed the NC-17 rating by noting: "On its first submission the film did not receive an R but it is far too early to say that there is any struggle to get there as the process is only at its inception." Since Universal won't release a film that's rated NC-17 -- especially because they know this sucker will make a ton of money for them assuming it gets its R rating -- you can bet Baron Cohen will be forced to cut or trim the scenes the MPAA deems not appropriate and leave them for an unrated DVD. So fear not, friends, this will find its way to theaters -- it'll just take a little more time to hash out the ratings snafu. That said, Brüno should still make its July 10 release date.
TRAAIIIIIIILER!
I don't know how to find the original link because I'm at worked and blocked from everything, but I got this through Johah Ray's blog:
http://jonahray.tumblr.com/post/92329686/the-bruno-trailer-comedy-hangover-here-i (http://jonahray.tumblr.com/post/92329686/the-bruno-trailer-comedy-hangover-here-i)
i'm still really excited for this, but the trailer did nothing for me. i'm not into the music or editing at all. even the titles bug me a bit.
It looks fucking stupid. Why did he change the Bruno look? He was perfect in the show because he looked just like a normal dude who would be doing something like that, here he looks like a caricature of himself. I guess he had to or people would know him, but still.
Quote from: Stefen on April 02, 2009, 04:53:07 PM
I guess he had to or people would know him...
Thats the exact reason
i'm pretty sure it's just a poorly edited trailer. they were clearly trying to force as many situations into it as possible without spending much time in any of them. the sex and the city bit is the funniest and it's also the only bit that isn't cut up for time.
I thought the trailer was funny. The OJ line is still making me laugh. Considering they only used like 3 or 4 scenes from the entire film, you can tell it's a very premature trailer. Even could be considered a teaser.
Quote from: picolas on April 02, 2009, 05:19:59 PM
i'm pretty sure it's just a poorly edited trailer. they were clearly trying to force as many situations into it as possible without spending much time in any of them. the sex and the city bit is the funniest and it's also the only bit that isn't cut up for time.
The "that's such a Samantha thing to say" line made me liz in my pants.
Yeah that trailer it's not as funny but this movie will be great. I'm actually happy the trailer was crappy and I will try not to watch more trailers or footage. I remember that by the time I went to see Borat on opening day I had probably seen half the jokes, and most of the funny ones already.
'Bruno' will be rated R
Sacha Baron Cohen film dodges NC-17 bullet
Source: Hollywood Reporter
"Bruno," the new collaboration between director Larry Charles and Sacha Baron Cohen, which Universal will release July 10, has been rated R by the MPAA's rating board.
The movie, in which Baron Cohen plays a gay Austrian fashionista who confronts Americans of various stripes during a cross-country trip, follows in the wake of the R-rated "Borat," which was released in 2006.
There was a brief flurry of media speculation last month that the movie could earn an even more restrictive NC-17 rating. But in reviewing the movie's final cut, the rating board opted for an R-rating, which means that anyone under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
In explaining the R-rating, the board cited the movie's "pervasive strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity and language."
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmoviesmedia.ign.com%2Fmovies%2Fimage%2Farticle%2F976%2F976469%2FBRU_RGB_1SHT_0423_3_1240616128_640w.jpg&hash=f6bc121dd83e2a58e21b2d2a42b4315d1d899282)
Bruno drops in on Eminem at the MTV Movie Awards:
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/395464/2009-mtv-movie-awards-bruno-presents-best-male-performance.jhtml#id=1611659
lulz. Eminem can dish it but he can't take it.
He can't take it unless it's Hallucinogens, prescription pills, or NyQuil...
staged.
Quote from: modage on June 01, 2009, 09:24:05 AM
staged.
Not on Eminem's part. I'm sure Bruno and MTV staged it but no way does Eminen agree to that.
Quote from: modage on June 01, 2009, 09:24:05 AM
staged.
Nope... it has pretty much been confirmed that the drop was totally intentional, but Eminem did not know that was going to happen. He's WAY too homophobic and concerned with his image to be a part of that.
it's staged; no way you just let someone land on you like that, amidst all your boys as well. he played his part well.
yeah after the triumph thing there's no way mtv would do this to him again without him being 'in' on the joke. and he is the WORST so i can't let this pass.
it could be he was in on it but didn't agreed to have bruno's ass and balls on his face, you know?
you don't just land like that on somebody unless it was coordinated. try it.
I'm going to go do a test run with a friend of mine. I'll report back with results.
EDIT: It's possible.
Regardless of whether Eminem was in on it or not, he still comes off like an ass. It would have been funny had he just sat there and did nothing, or sat there and smiled, or maybe even smacked a cheek or two. But to call Bruno a motherfucker and storm off like that, how does that help him? The thing I always somewhat admired about Eminem was his willingness to make fun of himself, but here he just comes off as a homophobic prick who can't take a joke.
Eminem sucks. His new album and persona sucks. There was a point between Eminem Show and 8 Mile where it looked like he was on his way to being a certified legendary musician. Lose Yourself is one of the best songs of the decade, but he made a choice that selling songs about how much he hates his mom to little teeny boppers is more important than personal integrity.
Fuck him. Couldn't have happened to a nicer dude.
dudes, he's a performer! its a show!
Alright, so's I got lied to by my "man on the inside" (he was playing joke on me).
Scott Aukerman (the head writer for the show) confirmed they rehearsed it before-hand and it went exactly as it did during the taping.
duh
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-motion-captured/posts/2009-6-1-the-truth-about-eminem-and-bruno-revealed
What a great debate it was for a second or two.
I personally enjoyed the level pete took it to with;
Quote from: pete on June 01, 2009, 02:10:55 PM
you don't just land like that on somebody unless it was coordinated. try it.
god i love this message board. and that is 110% non-sarcasm
I know you're a good kid but goddammit as soon as I saw that you'd replied I knew it was gonna be something condescending to make me feel shitty for discussing something in the pop culture.
I've worked with many stunt crews on wires, and it's hard to coordinate with people on rigs unless everyone's in on it. YOU HAPPY NOW. Goddammit go read your precious book on advertising, good kid. Then say something else snide in the twilight section.
WTF :shock:
Are you two like beefing in real life because I've never noticed it here.
I want to know what made Pete assume Neil was being condescending... especially since he said he wasn't being sarcastic.
nah I think he's a great kid but sometimes he gets automatically snide at people places and things he considers pedestrian. I'm done now though. Great kid again.
Jesus H.
My grandpa has never called me a "good kid" so many times...i guess i got under your skin, i just thought it was funny that you bluntly broke it down like that. i've never even watched this infamous clip...i just truly thought it was humorous in the context of which it said. and stefens reply intensified the funny,
whoa
sorry you had such a bad day.
Baron Cohen sued over 'Bruno' stint
Woman claims bingo incident left her disabled
LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) -- Sacha Baron Cohen's new movie isn't in theaters yet, but it's already producing the same sort of buzz and legal backlash that his last hit, "Borat," created. Richelle Olson sued the 37-year-old actor and NBC Universal on May 22, claiming an incident at a charity bingo tournament that was filmed for the upcoming "Bruno" left her disabled.
Olson claims she was severely injured after struggling with Cohen and his film crew at the event, held in Palmdale, Calif., two years ago. The lawsuit states she now needs a wheelchair or cane to move around.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages of more than $25,000.
Phone and e-mail messages sent to publicists for Cohen and NBC Universal weren't immediately returned Wednesday.
Cohen's 2006 film, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," produced numerous lawsuits by people claiming they were duped and humiliated by his antics. A New York judge last year threw out claims by a driving instructor and two etiquette teachers after determining they signed agreements releasing filmmakers from liability.
It was unclear whether the incident involving Olson will appear in "Bruno." The lawsuit mentions contracts that Olson apparently signed, but claim they were entered under "duress" and included several misrepresentations.
"Borat" was a surprise box-office hit, earning more than $125 million in the United States.
In "Bruno," scheduled for release July 10, Cohen plays a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashionista. Much like in "Borat," Cohen's humor depends on cajoling people to let him into events and he then tapes their reactions to his outlandish behavior.
Olson's lawsuit contends Cohen has 30 sham companies that help him pull off his ruses and that is how the comedian and his camera crew gained entry into the Desert Valley Charities' bingo tournament in May 2007.
Cohen was invited to the event because his handlers identified him as a "celebrity" who was filming a documentary on bingo, the suit states. The event was to raise money for nursing students.
According to the lawsuit, Cohen - in character as Bruno - started using vulgarities while calling the second bingo game in front of a mostly elderly audience.
A struggle ensued after Olson tried to grab the microphone away from Cohen. She claims he then called his camera crew over, who attacked her for at least a minute, hoping to "create a dramatic emotional response."
Olson's suit states she ran from the stage and was found moments later by a co-worker, sobbing uncontrollably. She then fell to the floor, hitting her head on a concrete slab.
The suit states she suffered brain bleeding as a result.
The lawsuit, filed in Lancaster, which is about 70 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, was first reported by celebrity gossip Web site TMZ.
Gay activists wary of 'Bruno'
Universal says moviegoers will see 'positive intentions'
Reuters
U.S. gay activists are worried that Sacha Baron Cohen's new film, "Bruno," could reinforce negative stereotypes about homosexuals just as they are making gains in the fight for rights like same-sex marriage.
Baron Cohen, who scored a surprise hit in 2006 with "Borat," portrays a flamboyant gay Austrian fashion reporter in the film, which premieres Wednesday in London and opens in the U.S. on July 10.
Universal said the film's intent is to satirize homophobia, but some gay advocates are wary.
"We do feel the intentions of the filmmakers are in the right place -- satire of this form can unmask homophobia -- but at the same time it can heighten people's discomfort with our community," said Rashad Robinson, senior director of media programs for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
With that in mind, GLAAD asked in vain for Universal to add a message from Baron Cohen addressing the importance of gay rights and tolerance.
Universal said it believes most moviegoers will understand the film's "positive intentions."
" 'Bruno' uses provocative comedy to powerfully shed light on the absurdity of many kinds of intolerance and ignorance, including homophobia," the studio said.
The movie comes out as U.S. same-sex couples have won the right to wed in six states amid a fierce debate on gay marriage that has seen California voters approve a ban on such unions.
"Bruno" is expected to be a hit, though there remains a big question about whether the young men who make up a core Hollywood audience will turn out for a movie about a gay man.
"It's going to be interesting to see if a bunch of teenage boys actually care to go," said gay activist Cathy Renna.
But one thing is certain -- Baron Cohen has a huge fan base. Men and women flocked to "Borat," a fake documentary about a Kazakh journalist traveling across the U.S. that used comedy to expose bigotry. It earned $128 million at U.S. and Canadian box offices and $133 million in other countries.
Like its predecessor, "Bruno" is a mock documentary that covers the fashion reporter after he loses his job in Austria and goes to America looking to become a celebrity. Bruno wears mesh shirts, talks with a lisp and has a penchant for dropping his pants.
His unscripted encounters with everyday Americans and prominent figures, who think he is real, often devolve into people's disgusted reaction to Bruno's in-your-face sexuality.
In one scene, for instance, a martial arts teacher shows Bruno how to guard against gays. GLAAD's Robinson said another scene worried him that shows Bruno appearing to have sex with a man in a tub, while his adopted baby sits nearby.
"That wasn't really unmasking homophobia, and especially in a country where same-sex couples can still be denied the ability to adopt children that they've raised since birth. Trivializing gay families isn't a joke," Robinson said.
But gay groups also see potential from the film. "Bigotry and homophobia still today get cloaked in many different nuanced ways, so a movie like this has the potential to let everyone in on the joke and to really change the way homophobia is viewed," said Brad Luna, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.
Michael Jackson scene cut from 'Bruno'
Universal makes decision hours before L.A. premiere
Source: Hollywood Reporter
The sudden death of Michael Jackson on Thursday prompted a series of discussions at Universal Pictures that resulted in the studio cutting a Jackson-related sketch from "Bruno" only hours before its Los Angeles premiere.
Uni removed a scene in which Bruno, the flamboyant Austrian journalist played by Sacha Baron Cohen, interviews an unsuspecting LaToya Jackson about a number of topics, including her brother.
Among the gags is a joke about the King of Pop's high-pitched voice, as well as a reference to his trademark white glove, all done in Baron Cohen's characteristically absurdist tone.
The scene played at press screenings earlier in the week, where it did not stand out as unusually outrageous in the context of Baron Cohen's other antics.
But after Jackson's death on Thursday, the studio and filmmakers decided to remove the scene for the premiere screening out of sensitivity to the Jackson family. The film now cuts directly from Baron Cohen's gonzo interview with Paula Abdul to a focus-group for his faux reality show.
Still, because many critics attended those earlier showings, its content could make its way into reviews. Indeed, removing the scene in a way calls more attention to it, though the studio clearly wanted to avoid even the perception of poor taste at any cost.
"We decided to take it out for tonight, and we'll reassess before the release whether to keep it out," said director Larry Charles at the premiere's afterparty. A spokesperson for Universal also confirmed that it had not come to any decision on future showings.
In a sense today's move was the easy part. The studio is going wide with the film in two weeks, and cutting the scene from every print could be a laborious and expensive process.
It's rare that a studio changes a movie in post because of current events, though in a slightly different vein, studios pushed back the release of films such as "Spider-Man" in the wake of Sept. 11.
So, I saw this last night.
It's pretty damned funny. I would say it's not as good as Borat, but will probably get just as much attention if not more from the wrong types of people.
I think the funniest parts of the movie are in the first half then the movie starts to just feel like a series of stunts (which is basically what these movies are, but they seem more focused in Borat) that don't really properly escalate.
Luckily it's very short and works because of that. When you're tired of laughing at "gay guy does outrageous things in front of homophobes" (which is about half of the movie) then it's over.
B+
I can't believe no one is reviewing this.
Sacha Baron Cohen is a fearless comedy genius but Brüno has the unenviable task of following-up Borat, one of the funniest and most original comedies I have ever seen. Burdened by impossible expectations, Brüno is intermittently hilarious but disappointing. More like a sequel (because the structure of the two films is identical), this film pushes more buttons and ups the ante on almost every outrageous situation, but still can't live up to Borat. While Borat felt freewheeling and unpredictable, with Brüno the situations are familiar (if on steroids).
While Borat was a sweet naive character, Brüno is more aggressive making most of his encounters with 'real people' shorter though far more suspenseful. (I truly feared for Baron Cohen's safety at several points in this film.) I remember walking out of Borat saying, "well, he'll never be able to get away with that again" and it was true. Though he was still able to expose peoples prejudices by disguising himself as a new character, he'll never be able to sneak up on the audience the same way again.
That feels pretty spot-on, Mod. I really liked it, but it definitely can't live up to what Borat did.
I agree with everything Mod said, except that I didn't actually like it all that much.
In spite of his obonxiousness, I actually cared about Borat as a character. Bruno...not so much.
homophobe... jk
UPI unveils tamer version of 'Bruno'
Distributor sends out two versions of film in U.K.
Source: Variety
Is there such a thing as "Bruno Lite"?
In an unusual move, Universal Pictures Intl. plans to simultaneously release a watered-down version of Sacha Baron Cohen's "Bruno" in the U.K. and Ireland that would allow more teenagers to see the comedy.
Pic just wrapped its opening weekend in the territory, but U resubmitted the film yesterday to the British Board of Film Classification after snipping a minute and a half of footage that contained "strong sex and strong sexual references." It plans to release the toned-down version on July 24.
The three scenes now cut from the film were the reason the BBFC slapped "Bruno" with the uber-restrictive "18" rating -- meaning adults only -- in the first place. Filmmakers had objected to cutting the footage but eventually agreed.
U is looking for a less-restrictive "15" rating, which lets anyone above the age of 15 in the auditorium.
The original uncensored version will continue to play in the U.K. as well. Distrib execs said they could not remember an instance when two versions of the same film were playing at the same time.
"Due to the overwhelming demand by fans who are desperate to see the film, we're really pleased to be able to offer a '15' certificate version," said Universal Pictures Intl. prexy David Kosse. "Both of these versions will allow many more of Bruno's fans in the U.K. to enjoy the film."
The BBFC cited three scenes that earned "Bruno" the restrictive 18 rating. One was described as a montage of exaggerated sexual activity. The second involved the character comically miming various sexual acts, and the third features a swingers party.
"Bruno" was produced and financed by Media Rights Capital and acquired by Universal for $42.5 million.
While "Bruno" grossed roughly $55 million in its worldwide debut, there were worrisome signs: Throughout the weekend, exhibs in the U.K. reported that they had to turn away teenagers, who had helped make Cohen's "Borat" into a hit. Saturday business for the pic did not rise significantly, as might have been expected.
Outside of the U.S., the U.K. was the top-grossing territory for "Borat," racking up north of $46 million.
Baron Cohen's followup pic, "Bruno," grossed $8.1 million from 457 locations and scored the biggest Friday ever for an 18-rated film in the U.K., as well as the best opening weekend ever for an 18-rated comedy.
In the U.S., the MPAA and NATO ratings board doesn't allow differently rated versions of the same film to play simultaneously in theaters -- a rule designed to prevent confusion in the marketplace.
"Bruno" received an R-rating from the MPAA ratings board, vs. the more restrictive NC-17 rating, which is akin the "18" rating in the U.K.
"Bruno" opened to $30.6 million at the domestic box office, but it was strongest on Friday and fell a hefty 39% on Saturday, indicating poor word-of-mouth.
Like the U.K., Australia and Germany were previously strongholds for "Borat." "Bruno" also did good business in Australia, coming in No. 1. But it trailed far behind 20th Century Fox's "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" in Germany.
Released by Fox in November 2006, "Borat," grossed $128.5 million domestically and $133.1 million internationally.
I was kind of disappointed by this... I wish there was some way to just turn the TV show into a movie since the show seems to be totally unscripted. Certain things in this didn't work just because they felt scripted and not spontaneous at all so I was kind of just waiting for them to be over. I also thought that Cohen missed out on a few good opportunities... He could have showed the
SPOILER
guy who Bruno said had dicksucking lips actually performing some kind of "remove the gay" type thing kinda similar to the religious experience Borat had in some crazy ass church in the South. As it was the scene wasn't that funny and didn't really go anywhere.
SPOILER
I was amazed that there were two different groups of people who brought small children into the theater and eventually walked out, but not even at the worst part! One of the groups who had three kids, none of whom could have been more than 10 decided to stay until
SPOILER
Bruno performs the ghost-BJ
SPOILER
meanwhile tons of really inappropriate shit had happened. I mean, my mom took me to go see Scary Movie when I was 9 or 10 but it wasn't really anything compared to this.
I actually loved the movie. I knew what I was getting, and I got it. Borat was more meaningful, ambitious, and had a wider scope. This film only deals with two issues... homophobia and celebrity. I think it grapples with both things fairly well, but it certainly won't please people expecting a new Borat. The point that's missing from this conversation so far is that Borat is simply a better character than Bruno. I think that's where some of the disappointment is. Borat the character is complex, even mysterious. Bruno is completely transparent.
But on the issue-grappling front, I think Bruno is more effective than Borat. I'm serious. Borat as a film is far more morally suspect than Bruno. The exploitation that happens in Borat cannot always be defended. I love moral ambiguity in films (which is probably why I love LVT and Solondz), so I love Borat, but again, I think Bruno is a more purely noble effort. For example, Bruno's representation of gay men doesn't even approach Borat's attacks on Eastern Europeans.
I think anyone who saw the film and feels like they're missing something should think of it as an episodic collage. Just remember your favorite parts! Here are mine:
Mild spoilers!
1. The wrestling match. Epic and even iconic. Perfectly executed with powerful results.
2. Mexican chairs. Elegantly simple and totally potent.
3. Talk show / baby models. This is all the film needs to say about celebrity.
4. Focus group. Flawless use of the extremes.
My review --->>>> http://bit.ly/oOPae (http://bit.ly/oOPae)
Ukraine bans 'Bruno'
Culture Ministry calls pic immoral
Source: Variety
Sacha Baron Cohen's hit mockumentary "Bruno," about an outrageous gay Austrian fashion journalist, has been banned in Ukraine because it is "immoral."
The country's Ministry of Culture and Tourism described shots of sexual organs, homosexual intercourse and bad language as obscene and improper.
The ban -- in a former Soviet country that has struggled to create European-oriented institutions following its pro-democracy Orange Revolution five years ago -- is likely linked to fears that the film could offend deeply religious sections of the population.
The Universal Pictures Intl. film was due to be released next week via local distrib Sinergia, which announced the censors' decision on Tuesday.
"Bruno," which opened last week in many Western markets and topped the U.S. box office, has made $58.4 million worldwide.
Earlier this week U announced that it would release a watered-down version of the pic, minus a minute and a half of footage that contained strong sexual references, in the U.K. to run at the same time as the more adult version. This effort will open up "Bruno" -- which has an "18" rating, restricting it to adults only -- to a younger audience.
Local reps for Universal did not respond to requests for comments on the Ukrainian decision.
The ban comes two years after British comedian Baron Cohen's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," ridiculing the former Soviet republic and the U.S., was nixed in Kazakhstan and Russia.
Figures, I've never met a Ukrainian who had a sense of humor
I loved it, quite funny. But like others said I never felt a real emotional connection. Not that I was looking for one. Some scenes in this film made me shutter with uncomfortableness.
Quote from: SiliasRuby on July 19, 2009, 07:34:25 PM
I loved it, quite funny. But like others said I never felt a real emotional connection. Not that I was looking for one. Some scenes in this film made me shutter with uncomfortableness.
I haven't seen it. And now that it "tanked" know knows when and if they're gonna show this in mexican theatres.
I do think some films don't look for emotional connections. Certainly Borat didn't. So it's not really a problem if that doesn't happen.
Quote from: Alexandro on July 20, 2009, 09:59:03 AM
Quote from: SiliasRuby on July 19, 2009, 07:34:25 PM
I loved it, quite funny. But like others said I never felt a real emotional connection. Not that I was looking for one. Some scenes in this film made me shutter with uncomfortableness.
I haven't seen it. And now that it "tanked" know knows when and if they're gonna show this in mexican theatres.
I do think some films don't look for emotional connections. Certainly Borat didn't. So it's not really a problem if that doesn't happen.
It really doesn't matter.
I thought this was amazing and the perfect follow up to Borat. I still think Borat is funnier and more likable, but that isn't the point. Bruno is truly inspired satire and probably one of the best films of the year.
When Borat was released, I wrote a review for a website and complained that the character of Borat was too likable. I understood the film was intentional satire about misguided Americans, but the film gave Borat such an appeal and focused a lot of scenes on just his personal hilarities that it seemed like the line was being blurred about really was funny about the movie: the people who can't understand Borat for who he is or Borat's personal funniness. I argued that the majority of the laughter came from Borat's racist antics. I still believe that's true.
The genius of Bruno is that the character himself is a lot less offensive than Borat ever was, but the film itself is very offensive and very hard to watch at a lot of times. The film is nowhere near as funny as Borat is, but the point is that Borat has set up expectations in people's minds about what to expect with a Sasha Baren Cohen film. We expect outrageousness and the mocking of ridiculous people. It's just that because of Borat, we expect the ridicule to take place at a comfortable but disgusting level. We want the viewing to be pleasant even though Borat is one of the worst people ever. If Cohen just continued on this path and aimed to make disgusting people friendly to most viewers, I would have a problem because that is exploitation.
What I love about Bruno is that he takes aim at everyone's personal comfort level. It isn't just southern rednecks who are made to feel stupid. It seems like everyone should feel disgust with Bruno because of how extreme he is. I can't understand how anyone can watch this and feel natural with everything. The hilarity is that his extremes are just personal habits. They aren't deep racial prejudices that overshadow a lot of the world's conflicts. We like Borat, but his character represented everything that should be considered abysmal. Bruno represents things that should just be left to private discourse. Definitely some things in the film would get Bruno arrested, like his handling of a black child, but still, he is nowhere near Borat for ugliness.
It also isn't a gay issue. As an article in Slate said shortly after the film was released, Bruno is beyond gay. He does not measure up to an idea of normal at all for any sexual orientation. That means a film about a character similar to Bruno could be made and the person could be straight. As Parker Tyler once argued, our sexualities don't end with our preferences, but begin with them. Bruno is an alien like figure who represents an extreme in sexual explicitness.
Why do I think all of this is genius? On a level, I think Bruno reveals our biases about what we can find funny. It's like the idea of "Springtime for Hitler". Even if it sounds like it should be a total failure, it can be made appealing is all the right buttons are pressed. Or in the case of Bruno, we can be offended or annoyed if all the wrong buttons are pressed. We want to respect these films as satire, but does Borat really reveal that much we didn't know about the south? It plays on popular concepts of the south and has some good revealing moments, but Bruno feels like true satire. There are levels to the mockery and it comes back to the audience. The film is continuously revealing. The fact it isn't as funny should be meaningless. If anything, it could mean it has a better commitment to its subject.
Comedy should not always be about laughs. The best comedies I've ever seen were more interested in other things and used comedy as a structure for critical investigation into something. That's how comedy began in Ancient Greek literature. It just developed to become the lighter of the story forms, but main purpose should be criticism and undermining of some sort. Bruno feels like a post modern work. It reminds me of the French film, Going Places, a comedy about aimless thugs who rape and pillage everyone and everything they run into. The true balls of the film is that it tried to argue the fundamental goodness of raping a young and naive girl because she was oppressed at home. Agree or disagree, but it was a ballsy idea and had a lot of brilliant markings because of its societal overtones. Bruno occupies a similar hemisphere because of its boldness to engage very disturbing subject matter.
Also, like JB said, there are moments of raunchy brilliance. I still laugh to myself about the idea of Bruno getting it on with his man in a cage match in front of a lot of rednecks. It was a perfect culmination to everything in the story. There are ingenious moments through out the film.
This was stupid. Lowest common denominator type of entertainment. Thumbs way the fuck down.
I thought this was pretty great.
I wouldn't say it's genius but not entirely stupid.
My favorite parts are the one where people are really humiliated for a good cause, like the crazy parents that sell their babies for crazy pictures. Also the Jamie Lynn Spears (whatever the spelling is) baby where the victim says it should be aborted because the feotus' arms are supposedly ''too big'' hahahahaha
Also when Paula Abdul sits on people and talks about helping others it's priceless. They shouldn't have brought the nude guy and just went on humiliating her.
I think I liked this better than Borat, but the TV show is on a whole other level of funny.
No doubt in my mind this was mediocre at best.
Despite some brilliant moments there is too much in this film that is just boring. Specially the first half, where I was trying to laugh, but there wasn't a lot to laugh about. It was just stale and boring. Everything in the first half felt scripted and staged, but worst of all, it wasn't funny or insightful in any way. How many homosexual / sexual / kinky acts can you portray in 20 minutes without becoming repetitive? I mean unless you are 14 years old, there is just so much of that you can find "hilarious". I felt it was too easy for Baron Cohen and Larry Charles to depend so much on the discomfort that certain idiots feel about seeing penises or simulated sexual conducts.
SPOILERS
I didn't believe for a second the whole velcro suit debacle, it was just lame. Pretty much the whole intro of the film feels like that, as if they just settled with whatever they got.
The stuff with the agent in LA was terrible, as with the tv pilot. There are a lot of scenes where the film tries to mock this people but there really isn't anything to mock them about. These people just react like any normal person would react. One of the fun / insightful things about Borat was watching normal people put up with absurd behavior in the name of political correctness. No one puts up with any of the Bruno crap because everything he does is so unbelievably insane that he is not given the benefit of the doubt by anyone. Sometimes he seems to be just delusional (this is where it works) but most of the time he doesn't even seem naive enough to not realize what he's doing, so the people around him get impatient and don't allow him to take the jokes where they would actually be funny.
The Paula Abdul / mexican chairs scene was too short, as were a lot of others, for this very reason. When he takes the politician to his room and tries to seduce him he goes too fast for the big payoff and comes off as nothing but a mean harasser. I mean the guy gets out of there running and who wouldn't??? What's so funny about that? What's so insightful? That the politician calls him a queer? Is that supposed to be revealing the underlying homophobia of western civilization...what??? There's nothing going on except some poor guy who has the misfortune to be trapped in a bad stunt.
Thank God, the second half has more meat to eat. Even though the stuff in the middle east feels cheap and wasted as an opportunity, once he adopts the baby things get better. In fact, a lot of the film should have been about that baby. Even the staged parts worked (the baby listening to hip hop, the almost car accident). The stuff with the kids and their insane parents was also fantastic, and that was the kind of thing that really puts the whole homophobia / moral majority scenario in perspective, as opposed to people acting disgusted because someone shows them their pubes. The fun is in seeing people get so worked up for nothing, as when they wake up handcuffed in the hotel room and the hotel clerk is in full rage just because he had to see it, a scene in which no opportunity is wasted (he didn't wanted to pay for Mr. Magorium!!).
For a film this short, it felt like it was dragging forever. They kept coming back to the gay converter as if that particular scene was interesting (a similar scene in religulous puts this one to shame). Some parts, as I mentioned before, are too short, and then are others that extend themselves way past their welcome, like the military episode, and the hunting sequence. The swingers party is one big yawn because, even though the aim is to show that among the more sexually open minded there is homophobia too, you can't help but sympathize with those poor people who are trying to fuck while Bruno is there bothering them. The girl says something like "why would he look at you when he's looking at a pussy?", but really, that's not enough to put anyone in evidence.
I agree that the climax of the film is perfect, it is actually a fantastic piece of cinema because they go all the way, and works better than anything else in the whole movie.
I wanted to like this a lot because Borat is easily one of the best films of the decade, but Bruno needed another approach, and it needed to be tougher with itself instead of pretend being tougher with the audience. They should know you don't have to be a homophobe or a prude or a hypocrite to be turned off by watching crude acts of anal penetration every five minutes.
^excellent review. It had some good parts, but the whole sum of the film is just so dumb and annoying that it's hard to like it at all.
Borat, as a character was loveable in a way that you kind of felt bad for him so it was always fun to see people try and be polite to him in spite of how awkward he was. Bruno on the other hand is just annoying and fucking stupid.
Haha, it's still the best film of the year for me.
Yeah, but you have weird (read: but not bad) taste.
That was a good review, Alexandro, and it explains perfectly why Bruno is inferior to Borat. But I'm not convinced Bruno is a bad movie. I agreed in my original review that Bruno is vacuous as a character. But I like the movie for other reasons. It's an issue film. It deals with celebrity and homophobia, and it does it well. I agree that it could have been made differently, and that Bruno could be a better character. Then it might have been a classic. As it stands, it's just a good movie with some amazing moments, in my opinion. Many of the gags are disposable, but I think the power of some of the gags (quoted below) more than justifies the film.
Quote from: Jeremy Blackman on July 13, 2009, 09:59:05 PM1. The wrestling match. Epic and even iconic. Perfectly executed with powerful results.
2. Mexican chairs. Elegantly simple and totally potent.
3. Talk show / baby models. This is all the film needs to say about celebrity.
4. Focus group. Flawless use of the extremes.