Is Bruno Homophobic?

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Wed 1st Jul, 2009 in Local News

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Is Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest creation, gay Austrian TV star Bruno, homophobic?

That’s the question being asked as the movie launches in Australia this week in the wake of Baron Cohen’s appearance on the Sydney red carpet this week at the State Theatre to launch the film.

Check out photos from the Red Carpet by clicking here.

Whilst a lot of the gay community seem to get the joke, gay 10 Years Younger in 10 Days hairdresser Troy Thompson reportedly did not see the funny side of the film, according to the Daily Telegraph.

“He’s trying to appeal to rednecks and basically saying to them that its OK for rednecks to be homophobic,” said Thompson after viewing the film at Monday night’s premiere.

It’s a statement that doesn’t sit with 2DayFM’s Geoff Field. “No offense, but a gay hairdresser really shouldn’t be talking about gay stereotypes,” Geoff told Same Same today after the issue caused heated debate on his radio show this morning. “We’ve all got to lighten up and take a chill pill…a sense of humour is what gets you by in life.”

What do you think? Is Bruno offensive to you?

Check out the many faces of Bruno in our Snapshot! gallery here.

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Marcus Bourget said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Here's a quote from Troy Thompson talking about The Mullet...

"It gives me Billy Ray Cyrus nightmares. I turn into Edward Scissorhands every time I see a mullet", says the Sydney hair supremo who started his hair dressing apprenticeship after being dismissed from a grocery store, "Fruit and vegetable department's loss and fashion conscious men and women's gain!"

The man appears to be a walking example of how to go about re-inforcing stereotypes. The big nancy.

Now, I'm either off to buy some moisturiser and have my nails done, or buy a nice plaid lumberjack shirt and tight jeans. Possibly, clipper myself and get a fake tan, or perhaps go alterna queer and hang out with the dukes at the next roller derby. it's just so hard being a normal well adjusted homo. lucky im a complete flaming screamer then.

jimmy_

jimmy_ said on the 1st Jul, 2009

I always thought that he was, in a way, insulting the stereotypes. Not reinforcing them.

I think it all depends on your current state of thinking, rednecks may see it as laughing at gay people. Others may laugh at the dramatic exaggeration of the stereotype.

And if you ask me Troy Thompson is probably just aiming for a bit of publicity. That guy seems like an idiot, from my brief viewing of that 10 years younger show.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Dramatic irony & the theatre of the absurd are hallmarks of Sacha Baron Cohen's humour. The presentation of stereotypes can assist in laughing at the hyperbole of the stereotype in the first place; not to promote the stereotype as being the social norm.

Anyone who is offended by Bruno, I think, has a deep-seated insecurity of the expression of their masculinity. Camp men, precious men, superficial men, girly men are entitled to be part of the gay community too: Bruno is a representation of a parody: not a tool for hatred or vilification. If you're offended by camp men as a gay man: look in the mirror & try to reconcile your 'gay' identity with your gay 'reflection'. Then embrace both, sweetie. What choice do you have? People who complain about Bruno are not happy with themselves. They are scared the 'Bruno' inside them might be identified by the gay guys who embrace 'straight-acting' so readily.

The Footy Show skit was vilification: it had elements of ridicule, contempt & hate speech: this is what vilification is. With Bruno there is no hate speech or contempt. The element of ridicule inherent in Bruno is the ridicule of heterosexual reception of the gross stereotype: which is funny, not offensive.

pioneer_to_the_falls

pioneer_to_the_falls said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Totally agree Ash. But the masses won't see it like that. Especially the teens who go out and see it - it'll give them homophobic ammo for the months to come...

If they were to deconstruct the stereotype, that's another story. But they'll watch the film with mates and end up quoting bits of the movie to laugh at, not with, the gay stereotype.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Totally agree Ash. But the masses won't see it like that. Especially the teens who go out and see it - it'll give them homophobic ammo for the months to come...

If they were to deconstruct the stereotype, that's another story. But they'll watch the film with mates and end up quoting bits of the movie to laugh at, not with, the gay stereotype.

Do you honestly think the wards of Westmead, Concord, Hornsby, Royal North Shore & RPA hospitals will be full of gay teenage boys who've been bashed by their school mates after watching Bruno at the movies? C'mon - gimmee a break.

unperturbed said on the 1st Jul, 2009

I personally don't think Sacha Cohen is insulting the gay community with his portrayal of Bruno. His first movie Borat wasn't attacking the ignorant Middle Easterns, rather, it was looking at the small mindedness of the American public. Personally i am planning to laugh my ass off when i see Bruno next week. Cant wait :)

Snickers said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Bruno has gotta be the funniest movie I have ever seen!, not homophobic at all!

If it's anyone the audiences will be disgusted by it's the heterosexual people in it!

pioneer_to_the_falls

pioneer_to_the_falls said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Huh? Where did I say teenage gay boys would be targeted? I said that teenagers will watch the film laughing at the stereotype without understanding that it's a parody. Likewise anyone who doesn't see the film as you and I do. And trust me... there will be a lot.

For example Borat: Loved the movie! Yet the anti-semitic dribble I heard coming from people's minds afterwards... insane. And trust me, they weren't laughing for the right reasons. This wasn't just with the teenagers as well - most of it was at uni from "educated" people :S.

Like I said... I can't wait for this film to come out. I'm a huge Cohen fan (have been since the original Ali G UK series). I just think you're being totally unrealistic to assume that the film won't perpetuate the gay stereotype in a lot of minds.

gnosis

gnosis said on the 1st Jul, 2009

I don't think it was homophobic. He's basically confronting people with the stereotype and provoking a reaction. The reaction is where the humour lies, not the stereotype.

pioneer_to_the_falls

pioneer_to_the_falls said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Yeah I know that (like I've said a few times already lol). And I'll probably love the movie. Do I think it should be banned? Hells no! I just think it's unrealistic to assume that everyone is going to see it as a parody...

Snickers said on the 1st Jul, 2009

a friend just told me Gary Burns was on Today Tonight condeming the film...

I KNEW it would not be too long till he had something to say about this film...god he's embarrasing

datkindagal

datkindagal said on the 1st Jul, 2009

homophobic naaah funny, fully. I am surprised that some of the gay community have forgotten how to laugh at themselves???

build a bridge.

naughtylion

naughtylion said on the 1st Jul, 2009

homophobic naaah funny, fully. I am surprised that some of the gay community have forgotten how to laugh at themselves???

build a bridge.

I KNOW!! Absolute crack-up, does an awesome job :) Agree 100%

Gay Activist

Gay Activist said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Snickers did you see TT ?

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor said on the 1st Jul, 2009

i think the irony is lost on some people.

horuspixi

horuspixi said on the 1st Jul, 2009

The other night on Rove Bruno, aka Sacha Baron Cohen in his alter ego said something like, "That Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is so cute. I heard that he said that there are no gays in Iran, he must be so sexually frustrated."
I think that would suggest that Sascha is mindful that if he is going to play this sort of character he also has to be clever and drop these sorts of lines to balance the parody that could be used to vilify gays.
I don't think he is homophobic, he specialises in parody and satire which overtime should breaks down divisions.
I think he is funny.

ammonite

ammonite said on the 1st Jul, 2009

*giggle*

a friend just told me Gary Burns was on Today Tonight condeming the film...
I KNEW it would not be too long till he had something to say about this film...god he's embarrasing

he really came across ok. why do people hate him so much?!

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 1st Jul, 2009

Some people dislike Gary because they think his interest in gay rights, equality & treatment of gays in the media is a personal crusade for glory. It isn't. Gary does what he does out of the public interest: to draw a line & to make people think about that line in terms of what is hurtful, what is damaging & what is unlawful & unacceptable. Gary has never pretended to be a 'gay spokesperson'. Gary Burns is ONE man. He appreciates that fact. He doesn't speak for anyone but himself & a lot of prissy queens are aghast at the thought of a 50-something year-old man from Woolhara speaking 'on their behalf'. I think some dislike of Gary is ageism, I think some of it comes from jealousy at not having the courage, time, effort, funds & legal savvy to do what he does. People cut down people if they feel slighted. The gary-haters feel small in his presence because their actions, they fear, can't compae with what Gary has done for the public interest in how the treating/representing gay men fairly in the media actually improves our community.

chad_74 said on the 2nd Jul, 2009

Sacha Baron Cohen did not create "Bruno" to champion gay rights or send up middle class America etc etc
The first and foremost reason he did it was for the money.

CeeJay

CeeJay said on the 2nd Jul, 2009

Yep - there have been studies over the years that show that people use whatever they see to re-enforce their existing prejudices - going back to Till Death Do Us Part in the 60's, where the character Alf Garnett was intended to send up working class racist attitudes in the UK, but many of the people it was intending to satirise became fans.

BTW, does it make any difference that this is a straight man parodying an 'uber-gay'?

Sacha Baron Cohen may not be homophobic, but he's using homophobia as a tool for comedy. In many way's that's a good thing, but it can be a double-edged sword.

jimjazz

jimjazz said on the 2nd Jul, 2009

lighten up, people. cohen not only is smart enought to get the world to go along with his lunacy; he actually evinces a fear reaction in the gay community about how an individual represents the whole. asherbella says he is just ONE man; well so is cohen; one satirist, satirising a rather narcissistic gay man. yes, they DO exist and yes, just because they're gay doesn't mean they get a get of gaol free card and avoid being lampooned. my god! does being gay giev us the right to all be excused from satire? especially when, like any human, there are individuals within the "group" who clearly open themselves up for such satire? ironic that asherbella describes all people "prissy queens" who disagree with burns, but I guess he hasn't heard of jungian projections. too funny!!!

kylierose

kylierose said on the 2nd Jul, 2009

little britain does exactly the same thing
might be british humour in general....../end

Manoj

Manoj said on the 2nd Jul, 2009

The interview in Today Tonight he stated " I am gay, I wear a suit and dont mince" - Well good for him but does that mean that he speaks for all of us and we should potray the gay community as what the "mainstream' will accept, And as for all the others being prissy queens or ageist, hardly and I suppose since I am indian and dont agree with his views I am being racist

datkindagal

datkindagal said on the 3rd Jul, 2009

I cant believe its even a question?

hazyinseptember

hazyinseptember said on the 3rd Jul, 2009

For example Borat: Loved the movie! Yet the anti-semitic dribble I heard coming from people's minds afterwards... insane. And trust me, they weren't laughing for the right reasons. This wasn't just with the teenagers as well - most of it was at uni from "educated" people :S.

Like I said... I can't wait for this film to come out. I'm a huge Cohen fan (have been since the original Ali G UK series). I just think you're being totally unrealistic to assume that the film won't perpetuate the gay stereotype in a lot of minds.

I think this is the brilliance of Cohens work though, because he is making fun of the people who spout the anti semitic crap.. while that fact goes straight over their heads..

im really concerned that people are shocked by a stereotype appearing in popular culture movie/tv show. Um, hello? since when has tv NOT been full of stereotypes?

Leggey said on the 3rd Jul, 2009

well haven't we all met at least one "Bruno" in our day? They are out there so he is only portraying the arm flapping, all about me twinky.

Please explain said on the 3rd Jul, 2009

So true Jimjazz.

You just have to see Cohens movies to see he takes off heaps of characters and so what if one is gay.

But seems the majority get his humour and some dont which happens.

honey-prawns

honey-prawns said on the 3rd Jul, 2009

it made sense to go after john laws for what he said about carson, but come on. you can't sue just cos you didn't get the joke.
he's a comedian, it's a character. get over it
http://rossendarman.com/Products/images/Sensodyne-Original.jpg

chilligarlic

chilligarlic said on the 3rd Jul, 2009

I find him funny. Not even slightly offended.

guru_g

guru_g said on the 4th Jul, 2009

it made sense to go after john laws for what he said about carson, but come on. you can't sue just cos you didn't get the joke.
he's a comedian, it's a character. get over it
http://rossendarman.com/Products/images/Sensodyne-Original.jpg

10 points!

guru_g

guru_g said on the 4th Jul, 2009

My boss said to me the other week that people wouldn't necessarily immediately think of me as a Gay man.

I was highly offended.

Obviously I need to go on a crash course in FLAMING!

Bruno/Sasha - we love you. Some of us do actually have a sense of humour! Come back for Mardis Gras and go on a float!

Spooky

Spooky said on the 5th Jul, 2009

This is going to be difficult for some but think of what the future could bring.

shaynesydney

shaynesydney said on the 8th Jul, 2009

Review by David Stratton:

"..it�s getting increasingly tedious because this is essentially a series of television sketches strung together with about as much cinematic expertise as you find on Sale of the Century. Whether or not you find it funny will be very much a matter of taste. Personally, I quickly tired of Cohen�s narcissistic performance, his phoney accent, his predictable attempts to embarrass people...The climactic love-wrestle between Bruno and Lutz in a cage surrounded by outraged homophobes is a supposed highlight, but funny?..."

Hmmm, I might give that one a miss, thanks. Though it'd be worth seeing Harrison Ford tell him to "fuck off!"

zebra-stripes said on the 9th Jul, 2009

It's a film review, as hinted at by "whether or not you find it funny will be very much a matter of taste".

It's not a justification to get Bruno condemned, like you might hope.

Urban

Urban said on the 9th Jul, 2009

it made sense to go after john laws for what he said about carson, but come on. you can't sue just cos you didn't get the joke.
he's a comedian, it's a character. get over it
http://rossendarman.com/Products/images/Sensodyne-Original.jpg

You've obviously misinterpreted what the media had written about Burns (which is exactly what the media set him up for). He in fact has never said anything about 'suing' Cohen. He was just asked, along with a bunch of others, for his personal opinion. That's all. Same same and the SSO just zoomed in on his particular comments to make him everyone's wipping boy for a minute - typical. Nor did he say anything about 'representing the gay community', as has also been falsely implied by various media.

pioneer_to_the_falls

pioneer_to_the_falls said on the 9th Jul, 2009

Margaret is much much more positive. Read the entire film review:

http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s2603243.htm

DeepBlueDreamer

DeepBlueDreamer said on the 12th Jul, 2009

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/11/glaad-slams-bruno_n_229975.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20090710/us-film-bruno-glaad/images/fff87ee5-5c35-4ffa-aacd-c3e49f85b4ea.jpg

LOS ANGELES — The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said Friday that "Bruno," the new film starring Sacha Baron Cohen, reinforces negative stereotypes and "decreases the public's comfort with gay people."

GLAAD president Jarrett Barrios, who saw the film Friday, said that "the movie was a well-intentioned series of sketches _ some hit the mark and some hit the gay community pretty hard and reinforce some damaging, hurtful stereotypes."

In a style similar to his popular Borat character, Baron Cohen brings Bruno, a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashionista, into ridiculous situations with unsuspecting everyday people.

Universal Pictures, which released "Bruno," sought GLAAD's input on the film and invited staff members to advance screenings, Barrios said.

The organization "shared a number of concerns, and unfortunately, the scenes that we had the biggest concerns about remained in the film," Barrios said.

One such scene shows Bruno in a hot tub with his adopted infant son and two naked men involved in a sex act.

"Scenes like that don't help America understand the hundreds of thousands of gay families who get up every day, do the carpool then rush home to make dinner and be with their children," Barrios said.

Similarly, the movie's mock marriage scene "doesn't help Americans understand the lives of gay couples who are denied the rights and protections of marriage in 43 states," he said.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 12th Jul, 2009

The thing is Bruno never actually states he is gay. We've assumed he's gay...he doesn't have a boyfriend in the movie & is never seen groping other gay men...I see Bruno making fun of the fashion industry. It's more stereotyping of shallow people, not necessarily gay men. Honestly, Bruno is so absurd & extreme who in their right mind would think Bruno could be taken seriously?

DeepBlueDreamer

DeepBlueDreamer said on the 12th Jul, 2009

Promoters of the movie seemed to have tried very hard to prevent any backlash from the community. Invitations to advance screenings, opening nights etc. seemed to have happened in lots of places.

As long as kids don't get taunted at school and quotes etc. from the movie doesn't find it's way into evangelical churches, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. I guess there's no harm done.

DeepBlueDreamer

DeepBlueDreamer said on the 12th Jul, 2009

I think you're very much mistaken. He is gay in the movie...big time. And it's not an assumption.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 12th Jul, 2009

His manner is camp, yes. But not necessarily gay. Bert Newton does camp quite easily & he's a heterosexual. My point being if we find OTT gay 'traits' or 'behaviours' offensive or damaging we run the risk of wanting to be straight or at least wanting to appear to be straight...it's happening now -- 'straight-acting' gaydar profiles...

DeepBlueDreamer

DeepBlueDreamer said on the 12th Jul, 2009

He gives a blowjob & rims the invisible ghost of his dead boy friend- I think that's a bit clear about being gay that what you're talking about.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 12th Jul, 2009

Yeah, I know, but rimming the invisible ghost of your dead boyfriend: is that going to inspire straights to think we all do that?

zebra-stripes said on the 13th Jul, 2009

I thought the movie was pathetic. A few good laughs. But mostly pathetic.

But I'm not sensitive about it at all.

He can do gross stuff, but if you think about it none of it is unique to us anyway.

Urban

Urban said on the 13th Jul, 2009

Hmm ‘straight acting’ is, I think, an oft misused and/or misperceived term, and in actuality more used to mean ‘not overtly gay’ or ‘not advertising it everywhere I go’ (sure, at the extreme and of the spectrum there are those who call themselves that precisely because they actually prefer not to be out at all). However, the majority of out gay men I’ve met around the world are as masculine as any non-gay men – only a percentage/certain demographic are effeminate. (And Bruno does actually profess to be gay when he says, "Well actually I am gay".)

I think it’s misguided to think that in order to make a statement of being out we should feel that this should entail adopting effeminate or Bruno-like characteristics. (I’m thinking now of when we see an unaffected young gay man arrive afresh onto the scene and within a matter of weeks have assumed an erstwhile non-existent camp persona, vocal register rising an octave for no sudden biological reason, so as to emulate certain other queens as maybe some plea for peer acceptance or whatever - and this was my main objection to the Brunos on our screens.. apart from the way it will serve to ingrain the idea of what a gay man is in the minds of the juvenile hoons attracted to the movie and who also are so often quick to pursue crazed boozed up pack gay bashing adventures).

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 13th Jul, 2009

No, not be effeminate, just not be hung up about effeminacy in other gay men.

Urban

Urban said on the 13th Jul, 2009

Which doesn't even enter the equasion in the case of the Bruno movie, so not sure what point you're making here. I was replying to your comment "My point being if we find OTT gay 'traits' or 'behaviours' offensive or damaging we run the risk of wanting to be straight or at least wanting to appear to be straight...it's happening now -- 'straight-acting' gaydar profiles..."

I don't think that if a gay man finds a Bruno type repulsive that that necessarily means that he wants to appear straight - that would assume that appearing straight means being non-effeminate/being out means behaving effeminately. I wouldn’t say that making the same observation most make but actually speaking it amounts to having ‘hang ups’ about these overnight Bruno clones in our midst, just the conviction to say what so many think but are to hung up to verbalise it.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 13th Jul, 2009

Well, Bruno is effeminate, but his effeminacy doesn't define the homosexual identity for anybody but himself: he doesn't pretend to represent anybody?

Urban

Urban said on the 13th Jul, 2009

That's a matter of opinion, not fact - but the bottom line for many is that he does say he is gay, and therefore many of the mainstream would perceive this as him intending to represent gay people. It's this that was bothersome to the gays objecting, I think. I grant that this doesn't make Bruno homophobic, but to many it is a careless angle to approach gay portrayal from.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 13th Jul, 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQhfKmpvisU

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 13th Jul, 2009

Many? How many?

Urban

Urban said on the 13th Jul, 2009

The ones globally who have objected to being thought to have been represented in this way. Bruno has not had an overall gay tick - he is a divisive character in this sense and SBC has used this divisiveness gratuitously (which is another mark against his favour for me) to make a packet.

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 13th Jul, 2009

Well, some gays objected to Russell Crowe playing a gay character in The Sum Of Us merely by virtue of the fact he isn't gay in real life....you can't please everyone...

Urban

Urban said on the 13th Jul, 2009

But then the issue of an actor's sexuality is not remotely connected to whether Bruno's stereotyping is offensive to gays - the anti response would have been as virulent and as valid if SBC was a gay actor (as in the case of John Inman playing Mr Humphries and upsetting gay groups globally).

Asherbella

Asherbella said on the 13th Jul, 2009

So how could Bruno be modified to make him 'funny' in your eyes?
What does Bruno say or do that is offensive to you?

Urban

Urban said on the 13th Jul, 2009

Offensive? Nothing to this gay man, but apparently offensive to those feeling portrayed/represented by him. I thought the thread was about Bruno's link to homophobia. (I don't believe there would be anything remaining of him if he were 'modified' - but while he isn't offensive to me, neither is he funny - it's just plain naff to me, as in tit and fart humour a la Benny Hill). My own objection has never been that he is offensive, but that he fuels existing homophobia and is otherwise unfunny. Nevertheless I do understand where the world's gay men who find him offensive are coming from - I'm thicker skinned, but that doesn't mean they don't have a point. (Interestingly, too, I have actually worked with several straight men who are just like Bruno – and they would no doubt object to him being officially gay.)