Bruno takes on Borat over gays

2009-06-18 14:35

London - British satirist Sacha Baron Cohen brought London's theatre-land to a standstill at premiere of his new film Bruno - and jokingly rapped his former hit character Borat for fuelling stereotypes.

Dressed in leather hot pants, knee-length boots and a cropped red top, he marched a military troupe of similarly-clad models into the central Leicester Square to launch his latest movie, about a gay Austrian TV presenter.

"Unfortunately some people in the gay community conform to the bitchy stereotype, and that really puts all of us back a few years,” he said when asked about criticism that his new character promotes a stereotyped image of gay people.

"I mean I saw that film Borat, by that guy Sacha Baron Co-ven," he said, Germanically mangling his own name. "I found that a very offensive portrayal of a foreigner. Total stereotype," he said.

Baron Cohen's new character - replacing the politically incorrect and homophobic Kazakh TV journalist Borat - made waves at the recent MTV awards, when he landed with his exposed rear in the face of rapper Eminem.

Poked fun at Brown

The actor, who first became famous as spoof interviewer Ali G, quipped that his new movie would be much better for gays than Milk, the biopic of a trailblazing gay politician which won Sean Penn best actor Oscar in February.

"I mean, what I'm trying to do tonight is undo all the badness done by that film Milk, which has really set the gay community back 20 years with that terrible stereotype."

In other comments at the British premiere on Wednesday night, he poked fun at Prime Minister Gordon Brown's dour image, offering a few fashion tips for the embattled premier.

"The guy needs a total makeover. He needs a fake tan, he needs to wear some tight slacks... Gordon, click those heels and say hello," he said.

- AFP