Pete Rose Contemplates Human Sushi Platter in Outtake from Bruno

In a scene identical to the one he used to punk Paula Abdul, Bruno degrades the gardeners by having them serve as furniture for a Pete Rose interview, and then rolls out the human sushi platter.

Abdul wisely fled the situation. Rose instead, sat and responded to the sushi offer: "The only problem it's all got hair with it. I don't eat hair."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sacha Baron Cohen Steps Up Security After Brüno Terrorist Threat

Sacha Baron Cohen has increased security around him and his family after a terrorist group he mocked in the film Brüno made a threat against him:

"The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a coalition of Palestinian militias in the West Bank, said it was “very upset” that it featured in the film starring Baron Cohen’s homosexual fashionista alter ego. Baron Cohen’s Austrian character ridicules the terrorist group when he attempts to get himself kidnapped during a meeting with Ayman Abu Aita, who is identified in the film as the leader of the Martyrs’ Brigades...The Martyrs’ Brigades has issued a statement to a Jerusalem-based journalist including a veiled threat against Baron Cohen, 37. 'We reserve the right to respond in the way we find suitable against this man,” it said. “The movie was part of a conspiracy against the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.' ... The group is alleged to be responsible for dozens of suicide bombings and shootings. It has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and United States. Baron Cohen’s Austrian character is shown telling Mr Abu Aita: 'I want to be famous. I want the best guys in the business to kidnap me. Al-Qaeda is so 2001.' Before Mr Abu Aita can respond, Brüno suggests that he remove his moustache, explaining: 'Because your king Osama looks like a kind of dirty wizard or homeless Santa.'”

Watch the clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

The Ladies of The View Moved by Brüno

 

Barbara Walters and Joy Behar weigh in.

Walters warns of the giant wagging penises: "I think this could make people — if you're not homophobic — make you."

Says Behar: "I just want to address one thing about the homophobia. I don't think that people are gonna become anti-gay from the movie cause he is such a stereotype and so out there as this "gay, queen wacky" that there are straight people who are just as crazy, so if you don't know the difference there's something wrong with you."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #508

SIEDAH GARRETT: Writer of "Man in the Mirror" delivers a tribute performance.

SUMMER MUNCHIES: Guinea pigs eat watermelon.

HOWARD STERN: Gets a visit from Brüno. Here are parts two and three.

MADONNA: In Belgium on tour, a moment for Michael Jackson. Shot by Guy Oseary.

For recent Guides to the Tube, click HERE.

Did Twitter Cost Bruno Filmmakers $20 Million?

On Friday morning, Hollywood Daily was declaring Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno a potentital $50 million hit: "Sacha Baron Cohen has done it again. Based on $1.6 million in post-midnight shows in nearly 700 theaters this morning, and pre-sales for its weekend release into 2,757 North American theaters, Brüno looks like a big hit for Universal.  'If it holds up, we'll do $50 million,' one insider tells me. 'Yet this is a movie that people may or may not attend spontaneously.' That's double the $25M to $27M which Universal and even rival studios have been predicting for the mockumentary's weekend debut."

Turns out, Bruno did a not-so-shabby $30.4 million after plunging 37% in its box office from Friday to Saturday. TIME wonders if Twitter was the culprit:

"Bruno's box-office decline from Friday to Saturday indicates that the film's brand of outrage was not the sort to please most moviegoers — and that their tut-tutting got around fast. Bruno could be the first movie defeated by the Twitter effect."

Finally, was Bruno "below the belt" (as GLAAD suggests and CNN asks, AFTER THE JUMP) for you? Please let us know if you think Bruno enforced stereotypes, or were the bigots (or those who paid full price for a ticket) the butt of the joke?

Watch CNN's weekend report on gays and Bruno (and let us know how you felt),
AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Senators Do the Darnedest Things, The Jackson 3 & A New Zealand Travesty

In honor of Bruno's opening today, check out this love him/hate him piece from the New York Daily News. "Show me someone who's really offended by [the character] Bruno and I'll show you a highly self-righteous person," says psychiatrist Mark Goulston.

President Obama met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. (Pictured: Obama being greeted by Bishop James Harvey.) Despite their differences (to put it mildly) on abortion and stem cell research (and don't forget the gays), Obama thanked the Pope for receiving him and said, "It's a great honor."

Senator Roland Burris, controversially appointed by then-Governor Rod Blagojevich to fill a vacancy in the Illinois Senate created by the election of President Barack Obama, will reportedly not seek a full term in 2010.

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) has admitted that his parents (they're alive???) paid his mistress's family nearly $100,000 "out of concern." Concern for their son's career and reputation? The money was allegedly not taken from campaign funds.

Senator John Kerry has announced his support for Massachusetts A.G. Martha Coakley's federal lawsuit challenging DOMA.

Convicted American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Iee were supposed to be sent to a prison labor camp in North Korea, but rumor has it they're at a guest house while officials seek talks with the U.S.

Gay Panic on Holiday: In New Zealand, 32-year-old Hungarian tourist Ferdinand Ambach beat 69-year-old Ronald Brown to death with a banjo and then rammed the instrument down his throat. He's just been found guilty...of manslaughter.

The ladies who Tweet.

Naked!—an exhibition of art that exposes "sundry flesh"—opened last night and runs through September 19 at the Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York. "Naked is not nude nor 'naturalist'—it is altogether more intriguing, predicating perhaps a state of desire, whether narcissistic or voyeuristic, that sense of being naked as an active, self-conscious state of heightened awareness if not arousal." The show features contributions from Jack Pierson (work pictured), Andy Warhol, David LaChapelle, Charles Hovland and many others. (Site is art, not porn, but is still probably NSFW.)

The Amateur Gourmet's singing, dancing tribute to...cooking fish.

In males, sexuality can be determined by birth order. The more older brothers he has, the more likely he is to be gay. Wait, I think I saw this movie—wasn't it pre-condom?

Michael Jackson's dermatologist may or may not be the father of his children, but he doesn't want them turning into "the next version of the Jackson 3."

Singapore will keep homosexuality illegal. But don't worry—they won't prosecute you for it.

According to Levi Johnston, Sarah Palin resigned for one reason only—greed. Palin's spokesman Meghan Stapleton fires back: "It is interesting to learn Levi is working on a piece of fiction while honing his acting skills." Oh, snap. But if Levi's working on a piece of fiction, Sarah's Barbara Cartland.

Was Ernest Hemingway a failed KGB spy?