# DAMN Sacha Baron Cohen is funny funny funny **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347 "2009-06-01T13:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/161 "2009-06-03T19:13:19Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > I haven’t gone looking for the genitalia, but earlier posters said that screen caps showed testicles. And if someone shoves their testicles in my face without my permission, you’d better believe I’m going to have charges brought. > > And there’s nothing accidental about SBC’s humor. The joke was that it _appeared_ accidental, but everyone knows it was intentional. I’m not sure if the whole thing was staged or not–we haven’t heard anything from Eminem, have we? If Eminem comes out and says that they planned the whole thing, and that his response was feigned, then nothing to worry about. But if Eminem did not consent to have a bare ass and nearly-bare genitalia in his face, no amount of “it was a joke” should cover that sort of behavior. I’m sure the frat boys in my initial analogy got a lot of yuks out of it too. That doesn’t make it right. There was no exposed genitalia, and no, you would never get a prosecutor to charge this. Lighten the fuck up. It wasn’t a sexual assault. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/162 "2009-06-03T19:31:15Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Suppose your wife, or mother, or girlfriend were on vacation, relaxing by the pool. She gets tired, so she decides to sleep a bit in the lounge chair, only to awake and find a strange man wearing a Speedo crouching over her with his ass and balls a half inch from her face. How many seconds have to go by before it stops being funny? Eh, probably after he managed to crawl out of the pool after I shoved his ass in there? Look, I think we can agree that yes, it was crass. But sexual assault? No. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/163 "2009-06-03T19:45:59Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > If it was happening to one of my brothers or friends, it would NEVER stop being funny…especially if it was Borat. But what about your wife? Or is sexual assault not something that one man can do to another, in your opinon? [QUOTE=Guin] Eh, probably after he managed to crawl out of the pool after I shoved his ass in there? [/QUOTE] So it would be funny \*until \*you shoved him in the pool? Then why are you shoving him? It’s just a joke, right? [QUOTE=Cisco] Totally different, but I still don’t think that would be criminal assault. [/QUOTE] Totally different? As in no common aspects at all? I have to disagree. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/164 "2009-06-03T19:49:02Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Well, for one thing we don’t know for certain that Eminem had prior knowledge of the stunt. One would have to be pretty naive to assume he didn’t. > [@](#): > > \*Second, in most (all?) jurisdictions, consent to sex acts as a defense to sexual assault or battery is invalid if the victim subsequently withdraws consent, so at the point at which Eminem said, “get offa me!”, Cohen would have been guilty of sexual assault (assuming the act was found to meet the definition). \*It’s called “acting”. Maybe you’ve heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/165 "2009-06-03T19:53:11Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > So it would be funny \*until \*you shoved him in the pool? Then why are you shoving him? It’s just a joke, right? I’d shove him because it’s annoying. But he’s not ASSAULTING me. He pulled a joke on me, I pulled one back on him. For the record, I can see my Uncle Craig doing this to someone in our family. Not ME, probably but say, maybe my Dad or one of my other uncles. They’d probably end up getting him back in some similar way. My uncle has a thing for bathroom humor. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/166 "2009-06-03T19:54:53Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > It’s not witty, it’s not clever, it’s certainly not “biting satire”. It’s a guy plopping his ass in someone’s face. I outgrew that level of humor right around junior high. You do realise that he has done other stuff than this? And that doing one thing that is juvenile doesn’t negative everything else he has done? > [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > **mr. jp** , there were two seasons of Da Ali G Show on HBO. Get yourself to the nearest DVD-renting facility to see 'em all! Yes? Watched them all 5 times too. The English stuff is also quite good, that canned laughter just annoys me to no end. Oh, and I liked “Assfacegate” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/167 "2009-06-03T19:56:30Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’d shove him because it’s annoying. But he’s not ASSAULTING me. The shove, however, is an assault. It’s interesting that you would be compelled to escalate the encounter, if it were of so little consequence. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/168 "2009-06-03T19:59:21Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > The shove, however, is an assault. It’s interesting that you would be compelled to escalate the encounter, if it were of so little consequence. “Hey poliiiiiiiiiiiiiice, hey man, hey officer, hey this lady shoved me into the pool for putting my balls in her face. I cry foul! That’s foul! I want her arrested.” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/169 "2009-06-03T20:00:45Z")
> [@cisco](#): > > “hey poliiiiiiiiiiiiiice, hey man, hey officer, hey this lady shoved me into the pool for putting my balls in her face. I cry foul! That’s foul! I want her arrested.” foul balls! Yeeeeeeer out! ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/170 "2009-06-03T20:03:59Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > You do realise that he has done other stuff than this? And that doing one thing that is juvenile doesn’t negative everything else he has done? I’ve seen other things he’s done, and it’s left me completely cold. I think I just don’t like humor that depends on making someone else look like an ass, no matter how deserved. Partly because it’s not a difficult thing to accomplish, and partly because, I don’t know, I guess because there’s always another side to the story that we don’t see. I’m absolutely sure that, if someone wanted to, they could make me or you look like a huge jackass too. I’m not stating myself clearly. Anyway, I don’t intend to be the guy pissing on other peoples’ fun, so I’ll bow out here. Please enjoy the rest of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/171 "2009-06-03T20:16:21Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > “Hey poliiiiiiiiiiiiiice, hey man, hey officer, hey this lady shoved me into the pool for putting my balls in her face. I cry foul! That’s foul! I want her arrested.” You’ve missed the point. Shoving someone is an assault. Can we agree on that? Whether or not a particular officer in a particular jurisdiction would arrest someone is beside the point. All sorts of stuff happens all he time that is technically illegal, but never prosecuted. It satisfies the definition of assault. And shoving someone into water just makes it worse. Now \*\*Guin \*\*has indicated that the balls in her face is not an offensive act, so it fails as a defense for the assault. The assault was, apparently, unprovoked, and does not require an explanation from the assaultee. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/172 "2009-06-03T20:17:49Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > You’ve missed the point. No, I’m pretty confident you have. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/173 "2009-06-03T20:19:28Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > But what about your wife? Or is sexual assault not something that one man can do to another, in your opinon? It wouldn’t be sexual assault either way, just gross, but it’s funny if it happens to a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/174 "2009-06-03T20:20:21Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > No, I’m pretty confident you have. I may have misunderstood what you have tried to convey to me, but it is clear that your response was off point. I am open to further dialogue, should you be interested, but I’ll be offline until sometime tomorrow. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/175 "2009-06-03T21:06:05Z")
I haven’t read this entire behemoth of a thread but even on the 4th page there still seem to be some people expressing doubt as to whether the stunt was staged or not. Let’s remove all doubt: [Eminem stunt “staged”](http://uk.news.launch.yahoo.com/dyna/article.html?a=/090602/340/ilzpw.html&e=l_news_dm) > [@MTV writer Scott Aukerman](#): > > MTV head writer Scott Aukerman today admitted the incident was “staged”, in a posting online. > > “That’s all anyone wants to talk about, so let’s get it out of the way. They rehearsed it at dress and yes, it went as far as it did on the live show then”, he wrote. So there you have it. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/176 "2009-06-03T22:15:04Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It wouldn’t be sexual assault either way, just gross, but it’s funny if it happens to a guy. I wonder if your wife would disagree. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/177 "2009-06-03T22:17:14Z")
I thought this was staged If that’s not assault, or something punishable by law, then I think it should be. I don’t think any man or woman should have a right to put their crotch in my face, (and presumably their face in my crotch). That’s not to say if it were happen to me, I would take any legal action… especially if it would be a bad PR move not to “laugh at yourself” in that particular situation. I not only thought this was staged, but I think a lot of SBC’s work is more ‘smoke and mirrors’ than his realize. I remember him, (when was actually playing… himself), being a guest at Letterman, revealing some secrets on how Ali G actually got these interviews, and thinking that we’re just as much a ‘mark’ as some of his victims. So, I’m a reluctant and weary fan. I can’t say for sure if what he does fits my ‘moral guidelines’, but also find it pretty brilliant. Especially if staged and were the one’s getting ‘duped’. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/178 "2009-06-03T22:38:27Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > I not only thought this was staged, but I think a lot of SBC’s work is more ‘smoke and mirrors’ than his realize. I remember him, (when was actually playing… himself), being a guest at Letterman, revealing some secrets on how Ali G actually got these interviews, and thinking that we’re just as much a ‘mark’ as some of his victims. Yeah, and all those stories Mark Twain wrote? Lies! All of them! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/179 "2009-06-03T22:41:55Z")
In case there was any doubt - [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090603/ap\_en\_ot/us\_people\_eminem\_bruno;\_ylt=AmyNpLwIMF39hIl2Tfr3T3ZxFb8C;\_ylu=X3oDMTJuaXBrZm5hBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNjAzL3VzX3Blb3BsZV9lbWluZW1fYnJ1bm8EY3BvcwMyBHBvcwM0BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2VtaW5lbXRocmlsbA--](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090603/ap_en_ot/us_people_eminem_bruno;_ylt=AmyNpLwIMF39hIl2Tfr3T3ZxFb8C;_ylu=X3oDMTJuaXBrZm5hBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNjAzL3VzX3Blb3BsZV9lbWluZW1fYnJ1bm8EY3BvcwMyBHBvcwM0BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2VtaW5lbXRocmlsbA--) ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347/180 "2009-06-03T22:49:56Z")
You know, I’m beginning to think this was staged. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-sacha-baron-cohen-is-funny-funny-funny/498347.md?page=10)