Sacha Baron Cohen’s Oscars Controversy
Actor Sacha Baron Cohen has not been banned from the Oscars, but he’s not welcome to show up as his character from “The Dictator.”
A spokesperson for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences denied that Cohen’s tickets had been pulled for Sunday’s ceremony following a report that he intended to show up as the title character in his new comedy.
“We haven’t banned him,” an Academy spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re just waiting to hear what he’s going to do.”
The Hollywood Reporter first reported that Cohen - who had been invited to the Oscars as a cast member for the nominated film “Hugo” - was planning to arrive at the event dressed as his “Dictator” character, a Saddam Hussein-like ruler. The Academy does not want Cohen to walk the red carpet as his Dictator character.
The web site Deadline.com said: "'The Dictator' is a spoof about the “heroic story of a Middle Eastern dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy never comes to the country he so lovingly oppressed.” Whether the fact that the 84th Academy Awards will be beamed into 200 countries had anything to do with this ban is unclear. But it is highly unusual for the Academy to pull a member’s tickets. An Oscars spokesperson acknowledged to Deadline yesterday: ”We would hope that every studio knows that this is a bad idea. The Red Carpet is not about stunting.” Oh really? Then why did Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park crossdress down the Red Carpet as J-Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow in evening gowns in 2000? Or Ben Stiller appear as an Oscar presenter in full blue "Avatar" makeup and hair in 2010?"
At the 2007 Oscars, Baron Cohen was asked to be a presenter and said he would do it only if he could be in character as Borat. And Oscars’ Powers That Be said, “No way.” He didn’t attend. But this is the first time he has been may possibly be officially banned from the show.
Purists feel that the Oscars is no place for such in your face promotion. The Academy hasn’t even allowed movies to be advertised during the Oscarcast, until this year. Then again, these Oscars have very little suspense because it’s a forgone conclusion that many of the winners of the marquee categories are already known and "The Artist" will win Best Picture. The prospect of Baron Cohen’s Red Carpet walk was the closest thing to drama.
This would not have been Baron Cohen’s first time upstaging an awards show. To promote "Bruno," he flew through the air at the MTV Movie Awards and landed with his crotch in the face of Eminem, who later admitted the stunt was rehearsed. And a trailer for "The Dictator" certainly was one of the raciest ever allowed by the MPAA during the Super Bowl, where Baron Cohen’s character was hilariously depicted running a competitive race while and leg-shooting rivals with a starter pistol as they got close to him.
By Wednesday, there were reports that the Academy was threatening to boot Cohen. A source told Deadline.com, “Unless they’re assured that nothing entertaining is going to happen on the red carpet, the Academy is not admitting Sacha Baron Cohen to the show.”
Cohen is one of the stars of the film "Hugo," Paramount’s 11-nominated movie and Best Picture contender.
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