PRANK BRUNO

Sunday Mirror, May 4, 2008 by GRAEME CULLIFORD

BORAT star Sacha Baron Cohen is facing fury over his latest spoof character - an outrageously camp gay fashion expert called Bruno.

Americans have been horrified by the prankster's antics, which include him tightly hugging a man in an airport dressed in a blond wig, figure-hugging lycra shorts and a handbag.

He even duped Hollywood star Ben Affleck, 35, into being interviewed by "Austrian fashion show presenter Bruno" - and shocked him by asking outrageous questions.

He is now hobbling around on crutches after apparently breaking a leg.

His aides refused to say whether he had had an accident - or been assaulted by one of his prank victims.

Sacha, 37, has secured a pounds 7.5million deal for the Bruno movie - follow-up to his boxoffice sensation featuring Kazakhstani TV buffoon Borat. Its full title is Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America For The Purpose Of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable In The Presence of a Gay Foreigner In A Mesh T-Shirt.

But he got more than he bargained for when he tried his kissing stunt in Wichita Airport, Kansas - the heart of the God-fearing US Mid-West.

The crew were thrown out after passengers claimed the scenes - in which Sacha also wore a thong and pranced about carrying a bunch of balloons - were pornographic.

Airport assistant director Brad Christopher said: "People were really mad about what they were seeing. You have to realise there were children watching."

Sacha, who has a baby daughter with actress Isla Fisher, claims he is trying to show up prejudices in sections of American society.

A showbiz source said: "The film is months away from being ready. But it's already causing huge offence."

The movie is due to be released in October.

SEE SACHA'S ANTICS ON www.sundaymirror.co.uk/bruno

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