(...Story Continued from Previous Page) If you
find him annoying, hey, I get that. But artless and aimless? Not be a long shot.
FRANK PAIVA:
I had compartmentalized the nude wrestling sequence from "Borat" into a dark
recess somewhere in my brain. It is outrageous and unforgettable in the worst
kind of way, I'll concede that.
Perhaps aimless wasn't the right word: Fruitless is better. I just don't
think it's much of a revelation that strong currents of racism, xenophobia,
and/or homophobia exist just under the surface of many people. It's certainly
not news to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, who
stand to win or lose the most with "Brüno."
DAVID FEAR:
True. But what I've always liked about Cohen's work is that his ambushes
revolve around the "give 'em enough rope" theory: He draws a lot of these
subjects' less-than-stellar qualities out into the open. If it was just about
staging some sort of shocking scenario in public -- and let's face it, some of
Cohen's elaborate stunts ARE simply that -- then the comedian really would be
nothing but "Allen Funt ... as a sadistic douchebag." But there's more to his
comedy than that. Nobody forced those college Neanderthals a script that fed
them dialogue about owning slaves. Cohen just set the stage and made sure the
camera was running. And once people get a look at that ugliness, they'll
recognize it for the repugnant attitude it is.
FRANK PAIVA:
Yeah, only the audience for "Brüno" will undoubtedly fall into two basic
categories. The first: people who are LGBT, gay-friendly, or generally
indifferent. These audiences know they're watching a stereotype because they
have LGBT friends, family members, co-workers, or just plain common sense. The
second: ignorant or homophobic people. These are people who still use the word
"gay" to mean bad or consider "faggot" the ultimate insult. Whether through
fear, outright hatred, or no fault of their own, they have a limited concept of
gayness that "Brüno" is unlikely to expand.
In other words, Dave, this transformation you're talking about is unlikely in
the case of "Brüno" because it will require people already hostile to gays to
laugh at themselves while their stupidity is assaulted for an hour and a half.
No one wants that. It's much easier to spend $180 million seeing "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" instead.
DAVID FEAR:
Ouch. Granted, the notion that many average, nice-enough folks may in fact
harbor the same ugly, antisocial feelings that the obviously odious do (gasp!)
isn't exactly news. And like you said, Frank, the idea of watching a
heterosexual comedian do what might be just a pinkface minstrel act in the name
of laughs (and box-office receipts) may not spur a sudden surge of
across-the-board acceptance for alternative lifestyles.
But the fact that Cohen is doing his skirting-the-knife's-edge style of
comedy to ridicule both "hidden" and already-outed homophobes is, to my mind, a
welcome alternative to the legion of popular comedies that use homosexuality and
homo-panic as an easy-target punch line. (I submit not only "The Hangover," but
any number of other blockbuster laughfests that pander to frat dudes and Maxim
subscribers.) These films wear their disdain for anything lavender-related on
their LL Bean sleeves, all under the guise of boys-will-be-boys guffaws.
FRANK PAIVA:
The gay-panic joke is an acrid, unfunny chestnut, although I often find that
these scenes quickly cross from gay panic to just gay. "Dude, Where's My Car?" is a great example. They could sell that
movie as soft-core gay pornography.
I find it ironic because we live in the age of the bromance. The recent glut
of Judd Apatow and Apatow-esque comedies have featured
complex, caring, and truthful male relationships unlike anything onscreen
before.
DAVID FEAR:
Right! But even if you don't praise it for what it ain't, I do think that at
least some people will walk away thinking, "Wow: Those backwards-thinking people
really are morons." And for a small amount of people, that IS a start.
Still, this isn't supposed to be a PSA; it's supposed to be a comedy, and
while funny is like beauty (eye of the beholder, etc.) I do happen to find
Cohen's jujitsu comedy frakkin' hilarious. Hilarious, and fruitful.
Anyway, sorry about planting that "Borat" naked-wrestling scene back in your
frontal lobe. I'll pay for the PTSD therapy.
FRANK PAIVA:
Harvey Fierstein has always said "any representation
is better than no representation," a statement I agree with. Perhaps Cohen's
weird olive branch will get minds moving in the right direction. I certainly
hope so. Gay politics aside, I think "Brüno" will be a big hit. Besides "Wolverine," which was unintentional, the only real comedy this
summer has been "The Hangover."
The real question is where Cohen goes from here. He had to retire Ali G and
Borat when their respective movies came out because it was getting harder and
harder to fool people. I imagine he'll do the same with Brüno.
Do you think he'll create new characters or just give it a rest?
DAVID FEAR:
I have no idea where Cohen will go from here, honestly... hilarious or not,
his whole ambush schtick will officially be milked dry after this movie comes
out. He's reached critical mass now, and I just don't see where else he can take
this kind of comedy.
I guess he'll move on to doing the occasional eccentric supporting turn a la
"Sweeney Todd" and a lot more roles like his Gallic goofball in "Talladega
Nights." Which is both good news -- he's one of the best things about that Will Ferrell flick, and mainstream entertainment
could certainly use a few more loose cannons like him around -- and bad news,
since dynamic talents like Cohen are too rare a breed to just waste away in
second-banana parts.
I do hope "Brüno" doesn't do what so many people in the LGBT community fear
the film will do: underwrite laughter from people who don't understand that the
joke is on them. The last thing either of us want to see is a well-intentioned
attempt at portraying homophobia as the tool of the ignorant go horribly awry.
Still, I'd argue that if anybody is capable of walking that gross-out line
successfully, it's Cohen. To quote my man Ali G: "Respect!"
What are your thoughts on "Brüno" and Cohen? Write us at heymsn@microsoft.com
Frank Paiva is a playwright and actor in New York City. In addition to
making regular contributions to MSN Movies, his work has appeared in The New
York Times, the Seattle Weekly, the Not for Tourists guide, and on
EdgeNewYork.com.
David Fear is a film critic for Time Out New York. He's also written for the
San Francisco Bay Guardian, Filter and MovieMaker magazine.
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