In Brüno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie ostensibly designed to expose real American homophobia, some of the most damning footage comes from a cage-fighting match in Fort Smith, Arkansas, during which Brüno, disguised as cage-fighter “Straight Dave,†upsets the audience when he starts making out with his opponent. Chairs and epithets are hurled, and while there’s obviously no excusing either, Newsweek today has the details of how the scene was shot, which sort of makes the reaction seem slightly less spontaneous.
According to Newsweek, audience members, baited by this flyer and expecting to see “Blue Collar Brawlin’,†were deliberately kept waiting for 90 minutes at the door. Once inside the venue, they were served $1 beers as part of a promotion that was only advertised to last an hour; they were made to believe the deal was always just about to expire, but it continued the whole night, as per the instructions of the filmmakers who later reimbursed the catering company.
Again, there’s clearly no excusing F-words or thrown chairs — but if someone made you stand in line for 90 minutes to see one movie, then showed you a completely different movie (Transformers, for example), plus you were drunk, you might be a little upset, too.
How Real Is ‘Brüno’? [Newsweek]
See Also: David Edelstein’s review of Brüno; The Cut takes a look back at Brüno’s most memorable fashion moments; Adam Sternbergh asks if we’re laughing with Brüno or at him; the jokes Brüno told in every interview.