-
Actor Sacha Baron Cohen portrays his fictional character Bruno - Source: Reuters
US gay activists are worried that comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's
new film, Bruno, could reinforce negative stereotypes about
homosexuals just as they are making gains in the fight for rights
such as same-sex marriage.
Cohen, who scored a surprise hit in 2006 with Borat: Cultural
Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of
Kazakhstan, portrays a flamboyant gay Austrian fashion reporter in
the new film that premieres in London on Wednesday and opens
in the United States on July 10.
The studio releasing Bruno says the film's intent is to satirize
homophobia, but some gay advocates are wary.
"We do feel the intentions of the filmmakers are in the right place
- satire of this form can unmask homophobia - but at the same time
it can heighten people's discomfort with our community," said
Rashad Robinson, senior director of media programs for the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
With that in mind, GLAAD asked in vain for Universal Pictures, the
studio behind Bruno, to add a message from Cohen addressing the
importance of gay rights and tolerance.
Universal says in a statement it believes most moviegoers will
understand the film's "positive intentions."
"'Bruno' uses provocative comedy to powerfully shed light on the
absurdity of many kinds of intolerance and ignorance, including
homophobia," the studio said.
The movie comes out as US same-sex couples have won the right to
wed in six states amid a fierce debate on gay marriage that has
seen California voters approve a ban on such marriages.
Hit? Or miss
Bruno is expected to be a hit, although there remains a big
question about whether the young men who make up a core Hollywood
audience will turn out for a movie about a gay man.
"It's going to be interesting to see if a bunch of teenage boys
actually care to go", said gay activist Cathy Renna.
But one thing is certain - Cohen has a huge fan base.
Men and women flocked to Borat, a fake documentary about a Kazakh journalist traveling across the United States that used comedy to expose bigotry.
It earned US$128 million at US and Canadian box offices and
US$133 million in other countries.
Like its predecessor, Bruno is a mock documentary that covers the
fashion reporter after he loses his job in Austria and goes to
America looking to become a celebrity.
Bruno wears mesh shirts, talks with a lisp and has a penchant
for dropping his pants.
His unscripted encounters with everyday Americans and prominent
figures, who think he is real, often devolve into people's
disgusted reaction to Bruno's in-your-face sexuality.
In one scene, for instance, a martial arts teacher shows Bruno how
to guard against gays.
GLAAD's Robinson said another scene worried him that shows Bruno
appearing to have sex with a man in a tub, while his adopted baby
sits nearby.
"That wasn't really unmasking homophobia, and especially in a
country where same-sex couples can still be denied the ability to
adopt children that they've raised since birth. Trivializing gay
families isn't a joke," Robinson said.
But gay groups also see potential from the film.
"Bigotry and homophobia still today get cloaked in many different nuanced ways, so a movie like this has the potential to let everyone in on the joke and to really change the way homophobia is viewed," said Brad Luna, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign.
