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Cohen's 'Bruno' Behind Gay Cage Fight?

By JON GAMBRELL,

Posted: 2008-07-08 14:00:02

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (July 8) - Crowds in Arkansas came for the lure of cage fighting and $1 beer, but police say what they got instead was men ripping each others' clothes off and kissing - a stunt suspected of being orchestrated by Sacha Baron Cohen of "Borat" fame.

"We had a contract for cage fighting. We were deceived," said Dwight Duncan, president and CEO of Four States Fair Grounds in Texarkana, where the first of two Arkansas fights raised suspicions last month.

Matt Labov, a Los Angeles-based publicist for Baron Cohen, said he had no comment Monday about the faked fights. One of Baron Cohen's movies is due out next year.

The day after the June 5 Texarkana bout, Fort Smith's convention center hosted "Blue Collar Brawlin."' Fort Smith police Sgt. Adam Holland said organizers told him a character named "Straight Dave" would goad a planted audience member into the ring for a fight.

The two men would then wrestle, rip away some of their clothes and share a brief kiss reminiscent of one between Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell in the film "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

Producers said "there would be a romantic embrace," Holland said. "They said it was kind of to essentially make fun, poke fun at wrestling - two guys rolling around on the floor, all sweaty."

An elaborate array of mounted and handheld video cameras caught the crowd of 1,600's reaction as the two men "went right up to the line" of the city's morality laws, Holland said. The two men stripped down to their underwear, kissed and rubbed on each other, the sergeant said.

Classic 'Bruno'

The audience, as well as local fighters drawn to take part in the show, became enraged. "It set the crowd off lobbing beers," Holland said. "They had beers in plastic cups. Those things can get some distance on them actually."

Holland said it took officers about 45 minutes to clear the convention center, as the two actors sprinted away through a specially set-aside tunnel.

Those in attendance were told by several signs on display that they'd be filmed, Holland said, and signed waivers before the event. Convention center sales director Karin Hobbs declined to name the event's sponsor Monday.

Baron Cohen became a national celebrity after his 2006 hit movie "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," in which he played a bumbling reporter from the Central Asia nation.

News of the faked cage fights comes as Baron Cohen is in production of a movie titled "Bruno," named after the gay Austrian fashion reporter he developed for "Da Ali G Show." Baron Cohen, in the guise of Bruno, often interviewed hapless subjects in the South.

If the cage match visits came from Baron Cohen, it wouldn't be the first time Arkansas fell for a practical joke. In 2000, then-Gov. Mike Huckabee fell for a prank and congratulated Canada for preserving its icebound Parliament, calling it a "national igloo."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-07-08 11:58:07

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266 comments

salamndstron 09:44:33 AM Jul 14 2008

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Every action has a reaction. I wonder how many members of the audience couldn't look away.

famato3870 09:32:12 AM Jul 13 2008

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The entertaining angle is more about the wrestling audience reaction as it is the 2 actors wrestling.

bpbergeson 01:58:05 AM Jul 12 2008

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mdjobo 04:05:59 PM Jul 09 2008Photo description:Cohen's Bruno character passes himself off as a gay German reporter. Movie: movie titled "Bruno," named after the gay Austrian fashion reporter he developed for "Da Ali G Show." WHERE THE HELL IS BRUNO FROM??!!??-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bruno is from Austria, the photo description is incorrect.

kcwarden 11:49:42 AM Jul 11 2008

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test plz ignore

kcwarden 11:46:20 AM Jul 11 2008

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I can't wait to see this!

Jimbointernet 07:34:40 AM Jul 11 2008

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Oh poor RETROLEDS! He's being treated oh so unfairly! Poor poor RETROLEDS!

Arial165 11:05:19 PM Jul 10 2008

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whY DOES THIS ARTICLE ABOUT A cage fight HAVE TO BE LACED WITH hiv DISCUSSION

RetroLeds 10:27:01 PM Jul 10 2008

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OMG, such a large part of what passes for entertainment is a parody of heterosexual behaviors, involvement, whatever, it is only fitting that some portion be a parody of homosexual behaviors. I thought gay folks wanted to be accepted and treated equal. What exactly is the beef here? IMHO, some of you seem to tightly packed.

pat102853 06:16:16 PM Jul 10 2008

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I love it and I wish I could have been there. Were the wrestlers beefy and hot?

pat102853 06:15:28 PM Jul 10 2008

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I love it and I wish I could have been there. Were the men hot?

mdjobo 04:05:59 PM Jul 09 2008

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Photo description:Cohen's Bruno character passes himself off as a gay German reporter. Movie: movie titled "Bruno," named after the gay Austrian fashion reporter he developed for "Da Ali G Show." WHERE THE HELL IS BRUNO FROM??!!??

alexxjm 12:36:23 PM Jul 09 2008

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I think Baron-Cohen is brilliant in his ability to make people squirm, and get them talking. If you don't like it, don't go see it, but if the survey is accurate, and 44% of people go see it, he will be getting pretty rich offending some of your sensibilities. Maybe you'll even end up thinking beyond the usual cliches and soundbites. If so, cool stuff!

nitejonboy24 11:19:21 PM Jul 08 2008

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omg, Texarkanas like 45 minutes from here, wish Id been there, bet it was hilarious...theyre filming a million movies in my town right now, maybe hell come down here and film,Id kill to meet Sacha

corvett212 10:48:19 PM Jul 08 2008

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litamoran i agree!!!!!!!

rpfilm55 10:22:10 PM Jul 08 2008

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Go smoke some meat stick.

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