Making 'Bruno': Strip Searches, Death Threats And Thrown Chairs

Sacha Baron Cohen has always made people laugh--sometimes nervously--by pushing the envelope, and never has he pushed it as far as he did in the making of 'Bruno.' Because his guerilla filmmaking relies on the honest horror of his unwitting subjects, more than a few anti-gay feathers were ruffled, death threats were volleyed and police got involved. The production process of 2006's 'Borat' was kept under lock and key and may forever remain a mystery, but Universal has pulled back the tapestry on 'Bruno,' revealing a rare glimpse into a fantastiche exploit. Here are some excerpts from the just-released production notes: When Bruno showed up for Milan Fashion Week last September, Milan was ready--thanks to a cautionary press release, police prepared to arrest him on sight and the Italian fashion world determined to blackball him from the shows. This didn't stop Bruno and his team. Seizing an opportunity 30 minutes before designer Agatha Ruiz De La Prada's fashion show began, the man who ... (link)