Sacha Baren Cohen must bang his head against the wall, look over at his new baby and his loving wife Isla Fisher and cry out, 'Dear God, what was I thinking with this Borat / Bruno movie format...?!' every time a new lawsuit lands on his doormat. Before shuffling off to sit in front of Deal or No Deal's Trick or Treat special, head in his hands, and checking his bank balance. 'Ah yes... ' he'll say, before happily settling in to watch Bob from Coventry blow the chance of picking up a decent pay cheque to go home with a blue.
This time, things just might be a bit different for Mr. Baren Cohen though. He is currently being sued by a cameraman who claims that his civil rights were violated, when he was set upon by the Bruno film crew at a gay marriage rally - and he has video evidence...
Mike Skiff is the self-proclaimed gay journalist taking Sacha Baren Cohen to court, with a lawsuit demanding $25,000 in damages for alleged physical and emotional pain and suffering. The hissy-fit lawsuit claims that he was shoved, pulled and threatened with wooden signs as he filmed the British comedian in character as Bruno - the gay Austrian fashion journalist - after recognising him.
In the video he shot, a man can be heard shouting, "I know that's Bruno! I can get as much as I want," before Skiff is then seen being pulled away from Baren Cohen as police arrive to intervene.
So far, since the release of "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Khazakhstan" in 2006, and Bruno in 2009, Sacha Baren Cohen has been sued many times - the courts having sided with the movie-maker every time, up until now. This time though, with video evidence against him, maybe Sacha won't be so lucky!