'Bruno' debuts in London; upsets Austrians, pygmies, and gays; possibly based on a real person

June 18, 2:29 PMInternational LGBT Issues ExaminerKelvin Lynch

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               'Bruno' invades London                Photo: Getty

Sacha Baron Cohen brought 'Brüno' to London as only he could.  Phalanxed by muscular models dressed as Royal Guards, the "most famous Austrian star since Hitler" goose-stepped down the runway.

Brüno told CNN, "Vassup!  I don't want any attention, I'm not here to promote any movie."

Then he called his film "the most important movie starring a gay Austrian since 'Terminator 2," joking about Arnold Schwarzenegger, the straight and married Governor of California.

Photo:  Getty Images

Some gays are upset with Baron Cohen for reinforcing negative stereotypes with his over-the-top antics.  Rashad Robinson of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) told The New York Times, "Sacha Baron Cohen's well-meaning attempt at satire is problematic in many places and outright offensive in others." 

Well, yeah.  It's supposed to be offensive. That's why people want to see it.  Thanks for the plug, Rashad.

Lola Noel, a gay in Canada, said "I was a bit mortified by it.  Most people already have those preconceived ideas about all gays being flamboyant. It's going to promote all the stereotypes that people have."

"A bit mortified?"  Maybe the movie needs re-editing to be more shocking.

It's not just the gays that are upset.  Baron Cohen is an equal opportunity offender.

New York Entertainment asked, "Who will Brüno offend most - gays, Austrians, or pygmies?"  Apparently, Austrians are nervous that "Bruno" will turn their country into the next Kazakhstan, the birthplace of Baron Coheh's last comic incarnation, 'Borat'. 

The Sun, which was the first to review the film, said:

"There were references to Hitler every five minutes. Brüno has only been in love twice. Once for just seven minutes with Eighties pop act MILLI VANILLI and the second time with his pygmy boyfriend who dumps him when he loses his TV show. And here lies a warning — the pygmy sex scene is one of the most horrific incidents ever committed to celluloid. I'm talking fire extinguishers, champagne bottles, and mechanically adapted fitness equipment. Teenage boys should under no circumstances watch this with their parents."

Listen, if you are the type of person who is sensitive and you don't find sex and ass jokes hilarious, and can't see that the whole point of the movie is to offend, DON'T SEE IT.  Just don't spoil the fun for the rest of us.

Finally, the Austrian media is comparing 'Bruno' to a real-life flamboyant Austrian TV host named Alfons Haider, according to TMZ. 

Haider (l) and Brüno (r)

Haider is proud to be gay, he's into fashion, and (just like Brüno) he's also been known to compare himself to Zac Efron.   Alfons is the highest-paid presenter on Austrian state broadcaster ORF. In the film, Brüno works for a channel called OJRF.  Haider told the Austrian media he didn't understand the comparisons to himself, and that Brüno is a complete fiction. 

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