A Palestinian man who was interviewed by Sacha Baron Cohen for the film Bruno is suing Baron Cohen and NBC Universal, who released the film. The man, Ayman Abu Aita, owns a grocery store near Bethlehem and is Christian. In the film, a scene portraying Abu Aita has the following caption to describe the man, “terrorist group leader, al-aqsa martyrs brigade”. Since the film was released Abu Aita says he has recieved numerous death threats and his reputation has been damaged. He has come to the United States to file a libel and slander suit against Baron Cohen and NBC Universal. He seeks a settlement of $110 million dollars and requests that the film be taken out of commercial distribution.
I am sure all of you remember the controversy that surrounded Baron Cohen's first film Borat. Several people who were featured in the film also filed suits against the actor but they were unsuccessful. I think that in this day and age Baron Cohen needs to be mindful of the environment in which we live. By labeling Abu Aita a terrorist in an area as full of conflict as Palestine he practically put a death sentence on the man. Baron Cohen has a moral and ethical obligation to think before he so dangerously labels people. I hope that Abu Aita wins his suit, if for no other reason than to send a message to Sacha Baron Cohen that he needs to be more responsible.
The full article can be found here:
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/12/02/palestinian-deemed-terrorist-in-bruno-sues-nbc-sacha-baron-cohen/
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Wow. Cohen's movie can really get people killed. I know Cohens movies are very distasteful and offensive to Americans. I can imagine how disgusting it is to the rest of the world. The man did sign a release form, but what effect will international law play?
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