Sacha Baron Cohen's Oscar Skit Yanked

By PopEater Staff Posted Mar 3rd 2010 07:24AM

If there was anyone who could fall into the "too racy for the Oscars" category when it came to writing a skit, Sacha Baron Cohen sits at the top of the list. So it's no surprise that the man behind raunchy-yet-hysterical alter egos like 'Borat' and 'Bruno' had his skit vetoed from this weekend's Oscars telecast. Why? Because it apparently contained some jokes directed at 'Avatar' director James Cameron, and the show's producers didn't want to insult the man behind the biggest movie ever.

In a report broken by New York Magazine's Vulture blog, the story goes like this: Cohen was announced as an Oscar presenter just last week, so he got going on penning his skit, which would be done along with Ben Stiller. One would think that has the potential to be hysterical, but in the mind of show producer Bill Mechanic, it was too risky.

Vulture reports that Baron Cohen's skit involved him dressing in a blue 'Avatar' female Na'vi costume, unable to speak English. Stiller would be his translator, but as the skit goes on, frustration between the two grows because apparently Stiller isn't translating properly. It all culminates with Baron Cohen showing everyone that he/she is pregnant ... with James Cameron's baby.

"Let's just say that Cameron isn't known to be, shall we say, 'self-deprecating,'" a Vulture insider explained.

So what now for Sacha? He's staying put in London and skipping the Oscars altogether. His spokesman explained the situation to Vulture.

"I hate to use the term, because it's so ubiquitous, but there were 'creative differences.' Nothing acrimonious, but both sides felt that since they couldn't agree, [Cohen] might as well remain in London," Matt Labov said.

As previously reported, Baron Cohen was also producer's first choice to host this year's Oscars, but the Academy similarly balked at the selection of the raunchy comic.

While we would have loved to see the skit, we get the apprehension on the side of the producers, as Baron Cohen has a history of extreme awards show shenanigans. At the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, a bare-buttocked Baron Cohen -- decked out in full 'Bruno' garb -- plummeted from the ceiling on a wire, landing crotch-first in the face of rapper Eminem. The accused-of-being-homophobic rapper stormed out in disgust, but it was later revealed that the whole thing was planned from the get-go. Video (Warning: Male butt) below:

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Tags: Avatar, james cameron, oscars, sacha baron cohen

Comments

(28)

Wednesday 03 March

By hughjassoliii

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"Let's just say that Cameron isn't known to be, shall we say, 'self-deprecating,'" a Vulture insider explained. Translation: "Cameron takes himself much too seriously and has no sense of humor whatsoever." BTW - first!

By fatherdjohnson@aol.com

Gee, for a group that routinely views itself as taking on authorities and tearing down idols, it seems pretty craven where James Cameron is concerned. Is it just possible, that in a town where nothing is allegedly sacred (especially if it any way stands in the way of making money), that some things (or persons) are sacred? It would appear that Maybe Hollywood's self-imputed heroism isn't worth the playbills it's printed on...

By Lazarus Long

Yes. It is ok to denigrate any other group of people in the world,but not Hollywood big shots.

The hypocrisy is nothing new. Rabid anti-gunner Steven Speilberg collects machine guns and other military weapons,and is said to have one of the best collections in the world. When was the last time you heard any of the gun-grabbers going after HIM?

Monday 08 March

By wreckonice

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How astutely written. U said it precisely so I will admire U from afar.

By foreqtew

eminem can take a joke(even a foul and tasteless one), and Cameron is a joke.

this smarmy Smurfs on steroids stuff and cheesy boat sinking is evidence of and contribution to the dumbing of America...

By Ankhorite

Cohen is a slug. If he were on the Oscars, I'd avoid the show.

By Schmice

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You have no class.

Wednesday 10 March

By mackensie

u ugly

By cj

I despise Cohen. He simply isn't funny and tries too darn hard to be "bad."

Pull your head out.

By Steve

WOW....the Oscars escaped another one! When I heard that moron was going to be a presenter I told my wife that the guy had no business being on stage....he's a piece of SH*T! I'm glad he's staying in London....I don't know why people continue to give that f**king moron publicity....

By Eilish

I agree! Now my friends and I can watch all of the Oscars broadcast.

By fr.duane

If anyone deserves to be ridiculed, it is James Cameron. He made an overly long, frightfully boring and cliched film, filled with all the latest bells and whistles but let's not mention the abundance of formulaic characters, situations, and lazy, sentimentalizing symbols.

And their censorship of Cohen (who would have been magnificent paired with Ben Stiller) is a disgrace. "Avatar" is techno-junk, pure and simple: long on effect but dismally deficient in content. It never rises above the level of Saturday morning cartoon fare.

Schmice, you are all class and very intelligent. Now go take your medicine, little man.

By Bonbon

I so hope Cameron loses, anyone but him please win, he is so full of his freakin self, he shouldn't have won the golden globe!

By Oscar

Cameron isn't talented enough to carry Cohen's Jock-strap... But he can sniff MINE !!!... Cameron is a LOSER !!!

By m blanks

The only thing original about this movie was the 3-d. I felt like I was watching Pocohantas in the future. Nothing original in the story but very cool to watch! As for Cameron, he directed another version of Pocohantas but the real talent lies with the special effects crew..etc..! Bravo to them!

By Dale

Good! The guy is a wanker!

By bunton21

James Cameron really needs to get over himself. Avatar was just a venue for him to promote his own political agenda.

By peggy

The only way to cure Naomi Campbell is to have someone beat the crap out of her and put her in the hospital for a long, long time and make sure she's disfigured after the attack.

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