As a veteran journalist and talk show host who is approaching 50 years in the business, you might think not much would shock Barbara Walters.
But Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie “Bruno” seemingly accomplished just that.
On “The View” Wednesday morning, Walters called the movie “almost as pornographic as any pornographic thing that I’ve seen,” adding that unlike porno flicks, you can catch this flick around the corner in your neighborhood movie theater.
Walters also strongly disagreed that the movie, about a gay Austrian fashion reporter on a quest for worldwide fame, would make people more accepting of homosexuality.
“I think this will make people, if you’re not homophobic, it could make you,” she said.
And for all those parents who thought the R-rated movie sounded like fun for the whole family, the host issued a stern warning.
“If you are a parent, do not bring your child to this movie,” Walters said.
She expressed particular distaste for scenes involving close-ups of male genetalia, simulated anal sex, and part of the movie that she felt made fun of little people.
At one point, by way of demonstration, she waved her hand up and down to convey the waggling movement of the aforementioned male parts.
“This is why Joy loved [the movie],” Elisabeth Hasselbeck joked about the male nudity, referring to Joy Behar’s positive reaction to the film.
Even Whoopi Goldberg found the film’s giant man parts to be out of her comfort zone, or a least not to her liking.
“A 12-foot penis on a screen is not my idea of a good time,” she said. “In the house, yes. But not on the screen.”
source[Daily News]
July 16th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
What a great point right at the end!!!! “Obviously he’s wacky, but If you don’t know the difference then there’s something wrong with you.”
July 16th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
you just have no sence of humor
July 16th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Well, she’s old. What do you expect. If you’re between the ages of 16-35 you’d like this movie. It really exposes a lot of homosexual prejudices. Plus, the “penis wagging” is the funniest part.
July 16th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
The real shocking news is that Barbara Walters watches porno movies
July 16th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Ahh Barbara that is SUCH a Samantha thing to say!
July 16th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
thank you Joy!
July 16th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Ich loved how she showed ze Grösse of ze Schwanzenstück
July 16th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
My 12 year old wanted to see this with her friends. After seeing this review, I will definelty not let her see this movie. Thank you for the post.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Barbera is right don’t bring your children under any circumstances, but the movie is to die for. Most guys won’t enjoy it however.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
“The little people”
OMG how pretentious.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
I loved the movie, my stomach was hurting so much when I came out of the theatre, although I think Borat was better.
The movie showed you what some people really think about homosexuality and that was the disturbing part. Same as in Borat which showed you how racist people are and judgemental. In alot of bits Sacha puts his own life at risk with alot of these extremist people just to bring across their true colours and thoughts.
Sacha Baron Cohen in a sense took a stand against homosexuality (I wont give away too much of the movie)
Sure alot of it is shocking, thats the intended reaction. It’s almost like how an artist does a really shocking work of art, it’s to get them remembered by people and cause alot of media response.
I’ve been a long time fan of SBC – to me he is a comical genius and I knew what to expect. If people didnt do their research before seeing the show then that’s their problem.
I was laughing my backside off. Who ever thought it was a “fun movie to take their kids too” is definately crazy lol.
I agree with one commenter in saying that it’s more for a 16-35 yr bracket, you really have to have a sense of humour for these things and not take everything so seriously.
Well done Sacha!
July 16th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Barbara is showing her own homophobia. She has no problem talking about lube on her daytime show when it’s regarding heterosexual sex, but God forbid two men should be depicted having sex in an R-rated movie.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
yes dont bring your children with you in the movies because they will find out that people have sex.
pornographic – I am so scared!
July 16th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I am totally against everything this movie stands for, not because I might be an old fashioned heterosexual male but because I have stong beliefs and I don’t need to question that. I find this movie exploitive and extremely graphic to an unfair degree! After this, I would love to see more vagina in movies!
July 17th, 2009 at 12:04 am
I am actually surprised that Barbara even laughed at all. I thought she would’ve been more of a prude. My daughter is 6 years old and we went to the movie and she laughed her head off! She said her 7 year old boyfriend wants to try those kinds of things all the time…hahaha
I’m kidding!
July 17th, 2009 at 6:22 am
c’mon… who cares what that old rich woman thinks about anything??? perhaps other old rich women… well, I think this movie wasn t meant to be watched by them… and Whoopi Goldberg doesn t like dicks at all, and… again… old rich woman… nobody likes her anymore, she was funny in the 80s … but… she wont make anybody laugh… otherwise, I think this people are being paid to say those things… I mean… telling kids DON T WATCH THIS, CONTAINS PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL! … jaja just will make them want to watch it even more… on the other hand, I don t think parents will take children to watch this movie, they will take them to watch harry potter…
July 17th, 2009 at 7:55 am
hes funny im gonna see it tommorow and so wat if your a kid it dont matter kids might find it funny just as long if they hav takin sex ed
July 18th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
I don’t like Barbara Walters. She obviously has no sense of humor – I think the pornographic-ish parts of Bruno were not less funny than the rest and it was as funny as Borat. I think the only reason Barbara Walters liked Borat is because he’s friendly and more discrete about sex
July 19th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Barbara keeps calling them little people. They ask her what she means by “little” people and she says that means unsuspecting people caught on camera. Since when does unsuspecting people mean “little” people??? I think this is Barbara’s way of saying that people who aren’t paid actors, or celebrities, such as her, are little people. C’mon Barabara, get off your high horse. Isn’t it nice that she calls all the rest of us “little” people? Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit snotty and odd???
July 19th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
BRUNO IS A GOOD MOVIE I CAN SAY BUT BORAT IS BETTER BARBRA IS JUST NO FUN BUT SHE IS KINDA RITE ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF SHE SAID I THINK SACHA IS EXPOSING HIM SELF TO MUCH BECAUSE HE HAS KIDS BUT ITS NOT MY PROBLEM
July 19th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
WHO THE FUCK CARES THE MOVIE WAS SOOOO GOOD
July 19th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
i showed my ten year old dauther and my 14 year old son bruno so what u have to learn that its ok to be gay or naked and say bad words
July 19th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
This movie sucked! I liked Borat and the Ali G Show – but Bruno was aweful. I don’t care about the money spent to watch it, but someday when I am on my death bed I will wish I had that wasted 90 minutes back.
July 20th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Chill peeps,
Firstly this is English humor done by one of Englands funniest guys,
so you Americans might have to watch it 6 or 7 times to get it lol
2ndly who gives a crap about what some aging granny like Babs Walters or some Boring Blonde slapper from survivor have to say LMAO
i am not gay and loved every minute of the movie HILARIOUS
any giy who dosent enjoy it just because of the homosexual angle seriously needs to slap himself lol,
its humor take it as such and stop being so serious lifes to short
July 20th, 2009 at 3:04 am
sabrina s. just so your kids a god damn porno then
July 20th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Good point about Barbara watching porno.. Who knew? Bruno was super fantastic and I loved the 12 foot swinging penis…it was the best part. No one has mentioned so far that Sacha brilliantly portrayed the straight swingers as far more disturbing than any gay sex/lifestyle scene. I didn’t feel that icky dirty feeling until I saw the scene with the foursome on the floor engaging with a female in that white trashy home. And the guy he was questioning about all the positions was positively filthy and herpe infested, no doubt. I guess that was Sasha’s point, though one has to wade through alot of sperm first to even ponder what the point was in the first place. Bravo, Sacha!
July 20th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Can I just say to every parent on this website who was considering letting their child go to this movie in the first place….IT IS RATED R. This is why we have a rating system on movies so we know which ones are not appropriate for certain people. You shouldn’t need barbra walters of all people to tell you what to do in this situation. I get tired of parents going up in arms about how bad movies are for their kids. DON’T TAKE THEM TO RATED R MOVIES!!! The same for video games if it is rated mature don’t buy it for your 13 year old son and complain about it.
July 21st, 2009 at 2:41 pm
I do understand where Barbara Walters would find this movie offensive. My Jewish mother would go into a cardiac arrest if she saw it! Come on folks…Barbara was around when Noah built the ark. This movie is for the “now” generation. I do disagree that the age appeal would be 18-35, because I am 46 and left with a sore jaw and a flat stomach from my fits of laughter. It is a PARODY of the gay lifestyle. It also exposes the blatant ignorance in religion, southern american culture, and what some parents will do so that their children will become famous. I just love Sacha Baron Cohen. I do agree that children should not be taken to see this movie; they should have to sneak around to do naughty things JUST LIKE WE DID!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
ok. First off the lady in red hair, im not good with celebrity names, says she saw the movie with “regular people.” Then barbara walters says “little people” as being regular people. Fuck these people. The movie was good btw.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I think Brüno is better than Borat, actually.
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:08 am
Thank God not everythink is made for kids – why do parents think because of their children everyone else needs to be restricted? Bruno is a great movie, outrageous and extremely funny and for ADULTS ONLY. Sacha Baron Cohen exposes the homophobia of the two church men who ‘convert’ gays and the incredibly hostile attitude of these straight American boxing fans towards the end of the film and these people certainly deserve that their attitudes are exposed. SBC is extremely courageous to get himself in such situations, well done.
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:28 am
My problem with people like this is that they dont realize that Baron Cohen has been doing Bruno for years; and that kids watch that part of it…
July 24th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Joy Behar is really a woman of our times, and for God´s sake, Barbara Walters is sooooooooooo 2 centuries behind. It is an extraordinaire shame that Barbara has not learned anything from all her years in journalism, maybe she has not realized that the world has evolved, thanks God!!!
Joy Behar was brilliant and open minded,
Poor Barbara…. let her take her valium and go to her nursering home…
By the way, I am expecting the movie to come to Mexico!!!
When you guys are going to release it down here???
Cheers Brunno…
July 24th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Okay, saw the movie tonight. 10% Bored, 40% Mouth agape at what I was watching, 50% laughing my ass of as tears rolled.
I am NOT a prude by most any standards. Laughed at the over-the-top anal sex scenes, swingers party, and most other “raunchy” parts. I have let my 11y.o. son watch some rated R comedies (Little Miss Sunshine, Tropic Thunder, Step Brothers, etc.), but this is just over the top for me. Even my best friend that is even more permissive than me said, “No way!”
I REALLY STRONGLY suggest previewing the movie prior to letting ANY kid under 16 watch this.
The part of the movie I found most offensive were the parents wanting to get their children into “the business” – to the extent of agreeing to LIPOSUCTION on their toddler! Those people should not be allowed to have children IMHO. I guess these parents don’t want their children (obvious extensions of themselves) to be what Babs refers to as “little people” (all puns intended).
July 24th, 2009 at 4:15 am
Barbara is so 1960…
July 24th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I liked Bruno much more than Borat.
laughed immediately at the cheezy dance music in the beginning.
it was so scary and funny to see how people would rather see two men kill each other than love.
wanna see lots of Bruno’s on the street for Halloween!
July 25th, 2009 at 8:49 am
OK, c’mon. Borat may not have contained a close up of a dick, but it did contain naked wrestling and a large silicon fist meant to be inserted up the butt. Bruno wasn’t really anymore shocking than that, it just took that sort of thing a step further.
Admit it: people liked Borat because anti semitism is old news. It’s so comfortably politically incorrect that we can all laugh because nobody will take it seriously. Bruno, on the other hand, is about our CURRENT issues with homophobia and it taps into things that genuinely make people VERY uncomfortable. Hence, it’s “tasteless.”
July 26th, 2009 at 8:01 am
“with regular people” haha how ignorant
July 26th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
i saw this on the soup XD
i think Barbara is just getting old, and annoying, i can’t wait to watch the movie, i know it will be hilarious!
July 26th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
i’m sixteen years old and i saw the movie three times already and i thought it was hilarious! some parts were completely disgusting though , but i laughed anyway. sacha is sooo funny and knows just what to say at any given moment.
i’d say my favorite part was the gay converter scenes!
i agree to not let people under my age to see it. my little sister asked me to take her and i said yeah right. ha.
but sacha brings out the “evil” inside those people that you would never expect. it’s shocking to see the things citizens like us do and think on regular basis.
but i do give this movie two large thumbs up!
July 27th, 2009 at 1:20 am
I saw this movie and laughed till my sides hurt and had tears rolling down my cheeks,and couldn’t get my breath. I thought it was better than Borat. I also think Walter’s shows her own kind of warped and vile underpinnings in herself when she calls the unsuspecting people in Cohen’s movie “Little People”…
Cohen has a genius for offending the sensibilities in each one of us even when we are laughing like Hell!
He takes no prisoners and shows that all of the various tribes of the world are equally qualified to be a target for his ridicule and humiliation. I say Bravo for Cohen’s courage and his uproarious illumination of the human condition.
July 27th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Barbara is SO completely out of touch. It’s alarming to me that she is still on TV – still commenting on pop culture as if she can somehow relate to what’s actually happening in the world. And alarming that she can somehow align with the people in this movie who are so completely homophobic. And parents that are willing to give their kid liposuction to get a commercial or print ad.
I love ze Bruno!
July 27th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
barabra walthers is an old dried up softy christian bitch
July 28th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
people are just gettin crazier and crazier by making films more like pornos…me and my gf left the cinema in this film bcuz its pure filth
July 29th, 2009 at 1:19 am
I’m sorry, but Barbara Walters opinion (being a hundred years old) is irrelevant. This movie is the funniest movie I have ever seen in my lifetime. I’ve seen thousands and this one ranks as number one. Sasha is ahead of his time and not everyone who is prudish, and uptight can appreciate his outlandish sense of humor. Go see it yourself and make up your own mind. However, do not bring your children. I happen to bring my 25 year old son and we both laughed practically non stop. I kept hearing the guy next to me say, “OH, MY GOD, OH MY GOD” and laugh hysterically. That made me crack up even more. What a great time we had!
July 29th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Forgot to mention, Bruno was WAY BETTER than Borat. Leaps and bounds better. Bruno had me laughing so hard, I was in tears!!
July 29th, 2009 at 10:11 am
I think some people are missing the point. It’s not the penis wagging that’s funny, it’s that the penis wagging was presented as a pilot for a new tv show to a test audience. It’s the test audience’s response to it that’s funny. That they would believe that this was going to be a real show. And how about the reaction of the people that were running the screening. It just gets worse and worse, with it finally getting so absurd that it shows Bruno’s penis swinging around to waste time.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I’ve never enjoyed a movie like that before and I think all who say “Borat was so much more funny… and Brüno is too pornographic” like this pink Republican granny have real problems with homosexuals and their own sexual identity!! I’m glad that most of young people like and understand this movie!
August 6th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
some people just don’t understand that Sacha is trying to make us look at society and ourselves, and yes this movie is RATHER pornographic (but i have to say it isn’t as bad the second time). But we really need to loosen up as people if we cannot realise that this is meant to shock and make people take notice. Sacha is an AMAZING actor anyone who can put his life on the line like he did to expose the total contradiction of the worlds society should be congratulated not only that, he is taking acting to a totally different level, to stay in charatcer for that lenght of time is a difficult thing to do and not many actors would be able to do it. sure it’s explict… very explict… but even that is there to totally take the piss.
August 8th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
that red-head next to goldberg has the right attitude. she seems open-minded and has a sense of humour.
August 11th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Again, to all parents who are wondering if they should show ‘Bruno’ to their kids: The film is rated 18 – EIGHTEEN – for a good reason: IT IS NOT FOR KIDS! Don’t consider showing it to your kids then, don’t check films for their watchability for your children when they are rated 18. I don’t understand the problem – some things are meant to be for adults only, not for kids.
August 15th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
It’s a show…
Some parts he did go too far and put too much on the line, but he’s risking his own life…
he did bring out some very stereotypical stuff and the reactions of scoiety in general…how some people pretend to be prudish but are actually not such a saint
August 17th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Priest: “You know who changed my life?”
Bruno: “Karl Lagerfeld?”
Pure genius ! ! !
August 22nd, 2009 at 9:16 am
Ummm I am really trying hard to understand the “little people” term I think she means, people who don’t know any better and getting tricked by this..(like kidding about a farmer not knowing for example what a moccachino is I dunno). And I understand that…but I am sorry this is not about something geographical, this about people who think they are right and everyone else is wrong and I just can’t tolerate the idea of people accepting there view of the world and only theres’.
Anyways the movie is an absolute jaw dropper (I really gave up on that feeling until I saw this movie), Granted I don’t like “pornographic sales”, BUT thats the thing…”sex” scenes on this movie are so not hot/lusty at all, infact if you read between the lines (which no one these days wants to unless they can relate very directly) have alot of ‘points’…I believe so anyways…the movie is not perfect but I really feel its honest and I want more like this (not the wagging penises just brutal honesty about what the world is not the hollywood crap).