Sacha Cohen, Eminem get lots of attention
Bruno
Viewers of the MTV Movie Awards seem to be beside themselves trying to find out whether the stunt Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno pulled on Eminem was staged.
It is obvious based on the amount of work that must have gone into suspending Sacha Cohen from the ceiling of the Gibson Amphitheater that it was planned. But people want to know whether rapper Eminem knew that a bare-buttocksed Bruno would end up in his lap.
Financial analysis
The MTV Movie Awards is a live show, but advertisers paid a pretty penny for airtime in between “Twilight” awards. Awards shows are elaborate events that require tons of money to pull off. I have no doubt that every minute of the MTV Movie Awards was planned out.
So, when the Daily News reports that Sacha Baron Cohen “forced Eminem to make an early exit,” I am skeptical to say the least. I know a lot more about same day payday loans in Minnesota than I do about show business, but I can think of a few points that might help uncover the mystery behind whether the Eminem, Bruno feud was staged.
Making money on madness
People have attached a lot of labels to Eminem, one of which is homophobe, thanks to some gay-bashing lyrics. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Eminem that the most lengthy part of the Wikipedia entry on Eminem is “disputes.”
He has made a career out of shocking audiences , and I would argue Eminem’s staged dustup with Bruno is nothing other than a publicity stunt to get him some attention and consequently sell tons of copies of his album “Relapse” released two weeks ago.
Banking on controversy
Few people know that before “Slim Shady” went multi-platinum, Eminem independently released an album called “Infinite.” A Wikipedia entry on the album says it’s “relatively inoffensive compared to the subsequent albums that would make Eminem famous.”
Needless to say, sales of “Infinite” were dismal. However, the album that earned Eminem his “homophobe” title sold 9 million copies worldwide. Eminem had found his persona: an angry, offensive rapper who could shock people in an increasingly desensitized world.
Playing a part
Just as Sacha Baron Cohen isn’t really a gay Austrian fashion designer named Bruno, I would wager that when Eminem gets put in front of a camera he adopts a false persona as well.
Of course he got angry and stormed off the stage. Of course he swore up a blue streak. That’s his persona. With all of the rehearsing and planning that went into the MTV Movie Awards, is it really possible that Eminem wasn’t part of the plan?
The man knows how to make money
Eminem’s anger, hate and swear-word-filled albums have made him rich. Very, very rich. “The Marshall Mathers LP” and “The Eminem Show” both sold 19 million copies. Eminem knows that an anger, hate and swear-word-filled outburst on the MTV Movie Awards will no doubt translate into a big, fat paycheck.
Sacha Baron Cohen will certainly reap the benefits of this little episode as well. His big, mainstream breakout film, “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” was steeped in controversy from the get-go because of its offensive content. It was also an $18 million movie that made $262 million.
Cohen’s new movie “Bruno,” which had a $42 million budget, comes out next month. Eminem just released an album. What better way to generate hype and money for two masters of controversy than to pit Eminem and Bruno against each other?
