After he made a proposition to attend the red carpet festivities at this year’s Oscars as the main character of his new film The Dictator, Sacha Baron Cohen has been banned.
Cohen wanted to attend the award show as General Aladeen from his soon to be released film but instead he will be watching the show from elsewhere. The Academy was outraged by the apparent show of disrespect for the tone the show tries to set and has pulled his ticket. No ticket, no entrance.
Although Cohen is a member of the Academy himself and part of the ensemble cast of ‘Best Picture’ nominee Hugo, he will not be allowed in the show. There are still a few days until the show and time for the decision to be reversed, but barring any strong statement guaranteeing a humorless red carpet appearance it doesn’t look promising. Even if he’s stuck outside, all this press has created a buzz for his new film from director Larry Charles, the same man behind the surprise hit Borat.
This kind of behavior shouldn’t come as a shock for fans of Cohen – and anyone else who tunes in to award shows. In 2007, he agreed to present on the stipulation that he could come as his character in Borat. It was the same story for the MTV Movie Awards when he collaborated with Eminem on a stunt as his character from Bruno. But clearly, the Academy is on a different wavelength.
Do you think the Academy overreacted? Let us know!
