(Str)Angels in America: Bruno descends on Eminem at the MTV Movie Awards
- June 1, 2009 10:54 AM |
- By Arts Online
Actor Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as Bruno, lands on rapper Eminem, centre, as Cohen descends into the audience during the 2009 MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, Calif. (Matt Sayles/Associated Press)
Irreverence and absurd antics are par for the course at the annual dog-and-pony show that is the MTV Movie Awards, but confrontational British comic Sacha Baron Cohen took things to a new level -- literally -- with his stunt at this year's gala.
In the guise of his flamboyant character Bruno, a host for Austria's fictional "Gay TV," who has seemingly no grasp of accepted social boundaries, Cohen flew into the theatre from on high, clad in an outlandish pair of feathered angel wings and not much else. Cue unfortunate (and wholly deliberate) "technical gaffe." Behold Bruno, yelping about his exposed "kugelsack," as he makes an emergency landing -- bottoms up, of course -- in the lap of controversial rapper Eminem. Exit Eminem, in a fit of rage, spewing profanity.
Judging from his rather muted response, Eminem may have been in on the gag, which seemed to be a plug for Cohen's forthcoming Bruno movie. While the sheer ridiculousness of the scenario made it an entertaining interlude, it was one of the few real highlights in a ceremony that's basically just an interminable ad for summer blockbusters.
What do you think, readers? Were you amused by Cohen's stunt, or do you think he crossed a line by baring his posterior during an awards show that's supposedly geared toward youth? And did this tiny Bruno hors d'oeuvre whet your appetite for the main course, which is scheduled to hit theatres this July?
--Sarah Liss
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Comments (36)
What a brilliant display of tastelessness by grown up men and women acting like fools! As role models for youth, upon whom they have so much influence, watching this incredible display of crap disguised as entertainment is utterly depressing. After watching this garbage for ten minutes one feels an urge to take a shower to wash off this sludge disguised a entertainment!
This guy is sophomoric at best or worst. He is one of the worst & pitiful exports from England, who've had many, many great comics....Cohen isn't one of them. Eminem's boys should have grabbed him by his "dangling parts" and watched this ass squirm.
These award show have become sideshows for many no talents....Cohen being their the epitome of all that is tasteless. Maybe its time to have show producers that have been out of high school more than a week.
It must be great to not have any memory of the past. Why is this news? Howard Stern did this in the late 80's on the MTV music awards. (and I am a SBC fan!!) The mere act of commentating on it, perpetuates it status as "news".
This wasn't hilarious, but it was worth a few chuckles. To grandma and grandpa who left comments before me; your posts reek of pretentiousness and bitterness. Its a stupid awards show on a music channel, who cares!? How can you get so worked up about the state of culture and society, when there are so many other things to be concerned about in life.
Oh my, all the comments on here about how this sullies this joke of an event, or how it sets a bad example for kids, are simply embarrassing.
The majority of the (female) top pop groups in the U.S. ... Britney, Pussycat Dolls, Aguilera, Mariah, etc, promote their music through videos and live performances flaunting their bodies and themselves as if they are objects. Its borders on strip acts. Its all sex, nothing but.
Yet a man mocking this by wearing minimal clothing is considered disgusting or inappropriate?
For shame.
Oh people relax was a joke.
"OMG man in a g-string!!! AHHHHH!!!"
Please, that was hilarious.
I personally cannot stand Sacha Baron Cohen, his style did inflict a bit of a social fad, but that was quickly replaced by more meaningful and witty catch phrases. I believe this man will do almost anything to make a dollar (all the power to him if he makes money) but he will definately not get a penny of mine when his movie bruno comes out, Borat was borderline porno, if it wasnt for my friends paying for my ticket iw ould have never gone.
Again, this is MY personal opinion, i believe many people did like it and will enjoy watching the movie when it comes out, to each his/her own!
I don't think I'll be seeing this anytime soon.. and I'm gay! To be honest I think this guy had his 15 minutes of fame along time ago.
Boring!
Although it seemed quite funny to see - i couldn't help but feel disgust for "Bruno" and embarrassed for Eminem.
It didn't look like he was in on it, why would he put himself through that embarrassment?
I was quite ashamed of MTV'S awards this year, I found them to be rude, bashful and disrespectful. There are many youth watching these awards, I'd be damned if my teenage would be allowed to watch such a disrespectful show.
Bring it back to normal and respect MTV!!
Why must people get so uptight over something so "small" hehe. Seriously though, people do find things like this funny...thats life! With all of the bad things happening around us its nice to let loose and have a few laughs. Super tough Eminem that is known for gay bashing and being very disrespectul to all walks of life deserved a faceful of bruno bits!! Seriously the highlight of the MTV aweards, in my opinion!
While SBC's antics are generally childish and inappropriate, they are hilarious--sometimes even providing poignant socio-cultural commentary--and much less damaging to the youth psyche in this country than most of the garbage one sees on MTV everyday (echo comment by Talbot in Toronto). If people like Eminem, Britney and the like are really role models for our youth, then our culture is doomed anyway. However, a moderate indulgence in ridiculousness can't hurt too much, so thank you SBC for making a mockery of a mockery of an "awards" show.
Cohen is a comic genius. To appreciate his humour, you need to not only be open-minded, but also have a level of intelligence which it seems that people posting comments here are void of. If you do not find him funny, then go away.
He's disgusting.
Hey John - go watch Dr. Strangelove and get an education on comic genius. Cohen's just another Howard Stern, Tom Green-type baffoon who needs to shock to be funny. Any classless idiot can be a master of potty humour.
Cohen brings a new type of comedy which makes him so unique. I find him hilarious and i dont understand why people find this so wrong. Your obiviously not suppose to take it seriously. If u dont like it why are u watching it anyways?
What people don't get about Sacha Baron Cohen is that most of the time he's not trying to be "funny" in its general sense. He's pushing the boundaries of the socially acceptable and exposing true human nature by creating a situation that makes people uncomfortable.
If you take his stunts at face value, than you'll only see the raunchy and the tasteless. Look further, and you see this man is providing you with mirror that boasts a reflection so raw that few would admit to ever seeing it. It's genius.
Genius?
Howard Stern already did this same thing. Come to think of it Cohen already did this same thing in a movie. This is crap. If you want to see true comedy skip this fools movie and go watch any Apatow film available. You will laugh harder and learn what true comedy is.
talbot said:
"Oh my, all the comments on here about how this sullies this joke of an event, or how it sets a bad example for kids, are simply embarrassing.
The majority of the (female) top pop groups in the U.S. ... Britney, Pussycat Dolls, Aguilera, Mariah, etc, promote their music through videos and live performances flaunting their bodies and themselves as if they are objects. Its borders on strip acts. Its all sex, nothing but.
Yet a man mocking this by wearing minimal clothing is considered disgusting or inappropriate?
For shame."
Well put Sir.
Megan & John have it right. It's satire at its absolute best and Cohen is a genius.
He's mocking a stereotype to its full extent by putting people in uncomfortable situations. If you don't find it funny that's fine. If you think it's stupid then I don't think you understand the context, as you're relying on the "shock" content itself in drawing a conclusion.
Can you think of a better promo for your film than having a stunt where your flamboyantly gay character puts his man bits right in the face of a homophobic hip hop icon on live TV?
Didn't think so...
MTV has nothing to rely on but talentless, cheap thrill entertainment. Their movies suck, they can't compete with the singing/dancing juggernaut of Disney (Hannah and High School Musical). The best they have offered in 20 years of garbage is Jack Ass...
it was funny.
so is ali g and borat.
the bruno movie is going to be halarious and you all know it. shut up.
At least in terms of intelligence, have you ever seen SBC as the character Ali G, interviewing people? He really is brilliant. He did this latest stunt to put all viewers in a very uncomfortable situation - not to mention Eminem.
i agree, cohen is a genius. it takes one type of person (like stern) to say a bunch of controversial nonsense on the radio, but it takes the genius of cohen to catch people in the act of exposing their true ugly selves.
What a great stunt, I am sure that it will increase ticket sales tremendously for his new movie.
I thought it was great, tasteless but funny. I admit I was shocked by it but that was the intention, we are too stuck up anyway.
I think it was perfect. I received the youtube video link from three different people today pondering whether it was real or a skit. Great advertising for Bruno.
Pretty outrageous I thought.To the person who thought Borat was 'borderline porno'- you haven't seen porn my friend.
Predictable and boring.
Kinda seem's fitting dont you think? He "rap's" or "speaks quickly" about how people should be kissing his derrier. Then finally someone descend's from above, and gives him a reality taste of his own medicine!
If Eminem was not in on it, then Bravo! As he's mocked and ridiculed a lot of people in his days and he still does. Like someone else said, if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. If you can throw trash well accept to have some thrown your way. I do not find Sacha Baron Cohen funny and I did not find the skit funny but then again I like Opera and some people don't and I respect that.
Hey, that was a funny gag, who cares if ppl didnt like it, it says in the disclaimer, THINGS HAPPEN, there are a few buttons on the remote if you didnt like the show, USE EM. Remember this is like a juvenile Oscar's Show, it was well done and congrats to Andy Samberg for coming back to his roots.
This "comic" makes his money embarrassing people. Not good.
Back in the day (a Wednesday, of course) Monty Python pushed more boundaries than Cohen ever has, but the fact of the matter is Cohen is still pushing a boundary...
People these days are too afraid to offend others, even when those others are offending them in some way or another. All Cohen is doing is pointing out various racist/sexist/homophobic tendancies in people in the US and around the world...The reason his point might get across better is that he is becoming engaged in that community and playing the part, rather that just standing on stage and pointing out that people from Texas hate gays.....
I agree with other posts here...beneath all the shock value, there is a much more subtle form of comedy, revealing something more truly shocking than trading a baby for an iPod, the human condition.
Besides, the more people are up in arms about his movie, the more people will see it, just to see what the BFD is
I really hate Sasha Baron Cohen when he does tasteless humor like this. Especially when he was so good in movies like Talladega Nights and Sweeney Todd.
If that show was geared towards youth why was it on in that format at all. This stunt was mild to the multiple "Beeps" with the WTF moment award... It's just a sad show.. you can have comedy without the excessive language. Look to Ben Stiller for an example, he doesn't overdue the language for a shock laff...
Hooray for gay Austria!!!!