Borat’s Sasha Baron Cohen Sued for Personal Injuries as “Bruno”

June 5, 2009

Los Angeles - English actor-comedian, Sasha Baron Cohen who is known for creating characters such as “Borat” is being sued by Richelle Olson who alleged that his character “Bruno” has caused her “life-altering” injuries over a charity bingo tournament scuffle.

According to Olson, 39, Baron Cohen and a camera crew ambushed her on the stage of a bingo tournament in the desert city of Palmdale in May 2007. She claimed she was told that contacted for a documentary on bingo and that a celebrity will call the numbers at the charity event to raise money for nursing students.

In his upcoming film, "Bruno," Baron Cohen plays an Austrian flamboyantly gay fashionista. In his character skits, he dupes people into interviews or settings where he films their reactions to his antics. Cohen showed up as Bruno in the event and began using vulgarity in front of the audience which according to the complaint, were mostly of senior citizens.

Olson, who organized the event, got into a struggle with the comedian over a microphone and Cohen’s crew accosted her, trying to provoke a reaction. The suit further stated that Olsen was found sobbing offstage by a co-worker and that when she tried to stand up, she fell and hit her head on a concrete slab. The suit stated that Olson suffered brain bleeds. It claimed that the injuries occurred as a result of the actions of Cohen and his crew and that Olson now has to use either a walker or a wheelchair.

Media mogul NBC Universal however, called the suit's allegations "completely baseless." A statement released by the company said that the filmed footage of the full encounter clearly showed that Olson was in no way touched or assaulted by Cohen or the production crew. The footage also shows that Olson never suffered any injury.

NBC Universal publicist Jen Chamberlain also said that they expect the defendants to be fully vindicated if Olson and her counsel would proceed with what NBC called, a “frivolous action”.