Hippie Romance + Terrorism Jokes = The New Trailer for The Dictator

The first trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen's The Dictator had Megan Fox and Kardashian jokes, but those pop culture touchstones have been replaced by Anna Faris and terrorism gags in the new, longer trailer. An upgrade? Eh, sure. Maybe. Or not: Faris's brunette pixie 'do does make her look particularly adorable, but juxtaposed with her natural poise Cohen comes off as a poor man's Adam Sandler. Like, hammy Zohan-lite Sandler.
more »

Do Not Mess With Universal: Bruno Bingo Hall Edition

Back in 2007, during the filming of Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen and his film crew stormed a California bingo hall. They asked the unsuspecting patrons to sign Standard Consent Agreements, alleged that they were filming a "documentary-style film," and then Bruno was invited on stage to call numbers. Only instead of just calling numbers, the flamboyant Austrian character related each digit to a milestone in his relationship with a former gay partner -- a showy extreme that ended in tears, a call to the paramedics, security officers forcibly removing Cohen, a "brain bleed" and a lawsuit against NBC Universal, that we learn today, the studio has won.

more »