Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno Fools Alabama National Guard

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The actor best known as "Borat" tricked the Alabama National Guard into allowing him onto a post, giving him a military uniform and briefly letting him train _ all, supposedly, for a German TV documentary.

The ruse, which included comedian Sacha Baron Cohen exposing his thong underwear while changing clothes, was going well until a young cadet recognized Cohen and notified older officers who weren't familiar with the actor.

"It's an embarrassment to the Alabama National Guard," Staff Sgt. Katrina Timmons said Monday. "Since then we have put in protocols to make sure this doesn't happen again."

A film crew pulled the stunt Feb. 13 at the Alabama Military Academy, which trains officer candidates from across the nation. The school is located at the Army's old Fort McClellan in Anniston, about 65 miles east of Birmingham.

Footage from the visit could be included in Cohen's upcoming movie featuring his character Bruno, a gay Austrian fashion writer. The reported title is "Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America For The Purpose Of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable In The Presence Of A Gay Foreigner In A Mesh T-Shirt."

Cohen's spokesman, Matthew Labov, declined comment.

Guard officials who let Cohen and his crew into the Alabama base initially believed they were helping foreign journalists.

"They called and said they were a German affiliate of a TV station doing a documentary on what it was like to be in officer candidate school," said Timmons. "They wanted to know if they could come here and embed one person for a few hours up to a day."

Military officials met Cohen and his crew at the gate.

"He was treated like a member of the media and escorted around. He was put in a uniform like he requested to allow him to get a taste of what it was like to be an officer candidate," she said.

The actor's schtick should sound familiar. Cohen portrayed uncouth journalist Borat Sagdiyev in the 2006 hit "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," in which he traveled the United States fooling people with gags.

The film included a scene shot at a dinner party in suburban Birmingham.

Comments

[ElPerro]

It appears that the few individuals who are in here frothing at the mouth about how much they hate SBC are exactly the kinds of people that Cohen would target and allow themselves to expose their stupidity, hatred and prejudice on camera.

[AlanRockville]

Was Pamela Anderson at that military base? Sacha, you'll do anything to get her, right?

[AlanRockville]

But to be a bit serious... doesn't this expose a flaw in the military's screening process? Isn't that how the Al Qaeda pilots got themselves trained?

[parkerfly38]

I hope you're not being serious, because then you're simultaneous making the kind of tendentious and stupid connections that put us in Iraq to begin with.

They got into *civilian* flight school. The military lets guests into training all the time, including foreign military and journalists. And I promise they won't learn anything useful from or with our cadets.

[mapleaforever]

They had motivation, unlike Bush, who brushed off the opportunity during the Vietnam war.

[ElPerro]

Cohen is a comic genius who uses his talents to get the world to expose what lies beneath its thin veneer. I feel sorry for all those that don't get it and pray that they are blessed with a sense of humor soon.

[Brett70115]

It must really be hard for Sacha, growing up in Britain with nothing to poke fun off in his homeland.

[JonShank]

PLEASE Sacha Baron Cohen GO AWAY.... I've had migraines that are funnier and stomach cramps that are more creative. Cohen is a major league dou che ba g.

[Jaskoen]

You are free to not go see the movie. He is free to make the movie. Not a difficult concept. the lengths to which people will go to be haters on the internet astounds me.

[piquet]

His funniest character...I saw a piece he did on the University of Alabama. Where he got on the field with the cheerleaders, it was hilarious watching those pissed off rednecks lose their mind.
I love how he always goes to the stupidest state in our country and makes a fool out of them....

[Elrancho2]

He is a true comic genious. I can only think that those who can't see it are incapable of laughing at themselves and most probably in denial regarding the vast areas of ignorance and racism in their country.

[JonShank]

REALLY??? That is the ONLY way you can see the millions and millions and millions and millions of people who see Sacha Baron Cohen as the humorless version of epic dyse ntary he is? He ain't funny. Now, Chris Rock... THAT'S funny!

[ElPerro]

So, how many references to diseases does this make? 5? 6? You my friend, have a fetish.

[aftershock]

Chris Rock hasn't been funny since Bigger and Blacker. Talk about humorless. He just recycles jokes, and your still laughing at them?

[daffey]

I remember one of my cousins would go call his home number on a cell phone, then take it to someone and say ‘it’s for you.’ Then when the person answered, he would start laughing. It was funny the first time. After that, it became obnoxious. We tried to explain that, after a while, a joke stops being funny and begins to be exploitive of people’s trust and good nature. He never got it, and eventually not having him at a family gathering became a very good thing indeed.

[qdog112]

"I remember one of my cousins would go call his home number on a cell phone, then take it to someone and say "it"s for you.""

This is not even remotely similar to what Cohen does. Perhaps that explains why you don't get it. Your cousin deserves you.

[daffey]

You're right. My cousin eventually grew up. No doubt Cohen appeals to those who, you know....

[JonShank]

EXACTLY daffey, EXACTLY. Sacha Baron Cohen's 15 mins is now at 22 and he's overstayed his uncomfortable welcome. GO AWAY Sacha!!!!

[wjousts]

"Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America For The Purpose Of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable In The Presence Of A Gay Foreigner In A Mesh T-Shirt.", wonderful title. I guess we'll have to abbreviate it to the much more catchy B:DJTAFTPOMHMVUITPOAGFIAMT.
Quite a mouthful (which I'm sure is what Bruno would say).

[ezbreezer]

Cohen wasn't discovered until he was recognized in his thong. Hey that guy looks like Borat !!!!

[nettyspagetti]

Not too bright down in Alabama are they

[mystic]

Now THAT'S funny!! ('cause it's true)

[rzan1]

I alternated between laughing and cringeing at Borat. I think I'll see Cohen's new movie.

[HatingTheGame]

This is great. He tries to get into the National Guard, whereas we had a president who did his darndest to get out.

Maybe Bruno should be the RNC chair. He's certainly more intelligent, and can come up with better ideas than the buffoons running the party these days.

LOL

[me again]

HYSTERICAL!

[tploomis]

I can't wait for the movie! He holds a mirror up to the most prejudiced and ignorant parts of our society, and I love how they get taken in and made fools of. He has incredible courage. That the Alabama National Guard, for the most part, didn't know who he is, says a lot about their cultural awareness. What kind of movies do those Guardsmen (and Guardswomen, presumably) watch, anyway?