Why I May Skip 'Bruno'

I recently read where Sasha Baron Cohen’s new movie, “Bruno,” features a scene where Bruno has a meeting with Congressman Ron Paul. Ostensibly the meeting is for an “interview” to discuss Austrian economics, but at some point Bruno, who is supposed to be a gay fashion reporter from Austria, propositions Paul. When Paul rebuffs him, Bruno then drops his pants, at which time Paul angrily gets up and leaves the room. Supposedly Paul’s reaction to the set-up reveals a certain level of “homophobia,” but I guess I’ll have to wait and see for myself.

The problem is I don’t know if I want to see for myself. This is a complete 180 for me because I have been a big fan of Cohen’s brand of irreverent comedy in the past. But his ambush interviews that seek to humiliate real people are only funny to the degree that the interviewee is a deserving target for the ambush.  In the “Borat” movie, for example, most of the humor came from the awkward reactions ordinary folks had to the socially inept Borat. Occasionally, however, the movie tracked a fine line between using unsuspecting folks as props for the joke and using them as the butts of the joke. Then there were a few scenes that seemed purposely mean-spirited, where Borat would ramp up his crude ineptitude to the point where even the most good-natured, sugary sweet grandma would be driven to kill him with her own bare hands.

Now, having seen the previews for “Bruno” and hearing a description of the scene with Congressman Paul, my suspicion is that Cohen’s latest offering has slipped over the edge into just plain mean-spiritedness. No matter what one may think of Ron Paul’s politics, from all accounts he is an upstanding man of integrity, a rare find in Washington D.C. Cohen’s alter egos--Ali G, Borat, and now Bruno-- have typically been used as humorous vehicles for exposing hypocrisy. But Paul has a reputation for being a straight shooter whose policy positions are consistently based on the restrictions the Constitution places on an increasingly over-reaching federal government.  The joke may have had some contextual relevance had it been perpetrated on, say, Larry Craig or Barney Frank. But Ron Paul?

Most likely, Paul was the only major candidate from the most recent presidential election willing to be, presumably, interviewed by an unknown Austrian reporter.  It’s hard to imagine John McCain’s or Mitt Romney’s people green-lighting that offer!  But in addition to his consistent Libertarian views, Paul has a well-known reputation for being just a plain nice guy, thus making him the perfect patsy for Cohen’s shtick. But If Paul was additionally sought for the bit because Cohen believes him to be a “homophobe,” then Cohen is either seriously misinformed, or he’s very disingenuous.  Either way, it’s a cheap shot for cheap laughs. If that’s what I’m looking for in my entertainment, I’ll stay home and watch David Letterman.