Austrians fear the Return of Borat

By Ivonne Marshall Nov 16, 2006, 3:57 GMT

Austrian tourist marketers tremble in anticipation of Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen's next incarnation.

After the worldwide success of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, that turned the central Asian country into global laughing stock, Austria now fears becoming the irreverent British comedian's next victim.

Universal Studios announced that after Borat wreaked havoc in the United States, he will be succeeded by Bruno 'a gay, stupid, self- centred and Nazi-adoring Austrian, lifestyle journalist.'

Bruno works along the same lines as Baron Cohen's alter ego Borat Sagdiyev from Da Ali G Show. Both show alarming dress sense, misbehave unscrupulously and provoke even more embarrassing reactions from their unsuspecting, but often not undeserving victims.

Bruno hosts 'Funkyzeit mit Brueno' (funky time with Brueno) on a fictional Austrian TV channel, conducts interviews on fashion, celebrities and homosexuality. Needless to say, disaster is never far behind, once Bruno starts torturing interviewees in his faux-German accent.

Be it by extracting extreme opinions or revealing the interviewees' apparent stupidity, Bruno's guests never end up looking too good. Bruno himself is fearless when doing his job, getting into serious trouble when declaring America's south a 'happy gay place' or asking straight-laced Americans to appear on Austrian gay TV.

Kazakhstan has become a household name since Borat hit global movie theatres. However, not to the unfettered delight of the Kazakhs who are unimpressed by the portrayal of their country as a primitive and misogynist anti-Semite backwater.

Kazakh officials came out in force and blasted Borat's antics, and spoke of plots to discredit the nation of 15 million people while reassuring everyone that no, homosexuals do not have to wear blue hats in Kazakhstan.

Borat's impact on the image of Kazakhstan are disastrous, several analysts said, asking who would want to do business with a country where people drink fermented horse urine?

Similar panic is now spreading among Austria's tourism marketers, who fear that the gay fashionista, Bruno, will trigger images of a country brimful of Nazis instead of the advertised mountains, blue lakes and pretty girls in Dirndl folk costumes.

If Borat's success is indicative, they are justifiably terrified.

Bruno's air-headed adoration of Adolf Hitler could well remind prospective visitors that Austria still has a number of unresolved issues with its Nazi past, not to mention an active and rather successful rightist party.

Austria's Tourist Board is officially unconcerned. 'I don't see any reason for speculation, as the movie has not been shot yet,' spokeswoman Eleonore Gudmundsson said.

People would be well aware of what was real and what was fictitious, she added. Even with Bruno romping around Austria's green hills, tourism marketers will continue to convey the image of Austria that 'every educated person has anyway.'

'We will go on presenting Austria as the most charming place in the world where to spend your holidays,' Gudmundsson said.

Others, however, do see dangers to Austria's squeaky clean image. Even before filming starts next summer, Austrian media are awash with discussions on how to react to the country's portrayal as a homophobic Nazi enclave.

Of course, some argue that Austria could follow the Kazakh example and send its politicians on missions to reassure the international community that holding hands is not a criminal offence for men in Austria.

Another option might be to openly admit that 'Yes,' Austria does have a problem with its past, but it's dealing with it and so earn extra brownie points among moviegoers.

Then again, there are positive sides to the whole hubbub ­ in the B.B. (before Borat) era, not everyone knew Kazakhstan existed, now its light blue and yellow Kazakh flag is almost a household item.

While Austria does not suffer from equal obscurity, a little extra airtime might not hurt.

So, Austrians should be inclined to follow the mantra that bad publicity is better than no publicity and laugh along when Bruno holds up a mirror of Austria, the US and the world of intellectually lightweight fashionistas in-between.