Bruno

Posters promoting the new Sasha Baron Cohen movie, “Bruno”, appear on every tube train, every billboard and commercials show on every channel. This is no surprise, seeing that the movie has just been released... the fact that they make me think of my boss is, and now I will tell you why.

So I am sure all of you are well aware through all the unbelievable coverage, the premier of the film “Bruno” was about a month ago. The outrageous character who played Borat in his last film...”Borat”, Sasha Baron Cohen, has once again concocted an extreme portrayal of one his unforgettable characters from “Da Ali G Show” in real life situations. The flamboyant yellow lederhosen wearing man, turns out to be good friends with...drum roll please...LAURENCE, managing director at Baby!!!

So about a month ago I am working away when Laurence proclaims he has to leave to go to some premier thing...and I wasn’t really listening, but everyone was kind of laughing and joking and then he left the office. As soon as he left Fab said “Did you know that Inga?” and I replied “Know what?”...clueless...what’s new. Fab then said, “that Laurence is really good friends with Sasha?” and I asked, “Sasha who?” and they replied “Sasha Baron Cohen” and I said “who is that”...still clueless. Fab replied patiently, “you know...Borat?” At this point in the conversation I was thinking he was going to say “he is Borat’s father in the movie” or “he is the guy at the beginning standing with the goat that says Shlama alukh (hello in Assyrian, I didn’t already know this, I had to google it...)” or some really minor character. But then to my surprise Fab replied “Yeah”. And then it dawned on me, he wasn’t talking about an extra...he was talking about ‘The BORAT’, and Laurence, my boss...Laurence, was going to the premier! “They shared a flat at “uni” (in college). I then obsessively Google imaged Sasha and his wife, Isla Fischer, for the last 30 minutes of work.

The next day when Laurence got into the office everyone was of course asking him about the movie and Sasha. To sum up, Laurence basically said the movie was outrageous and it made Borat look like Mr Roger’s Neighborhood. He said he talked to Sasha’s mother at the after party, and the whole conversation revolved about her relief of him surviving the making of the movie.

This is as close I have come to a celebrity sighting in London this entire summer and I am basically two degrees away from knowing a celebrity, so I am going to bask-in-reflecting glory until every single one of my friends has heard this story about 3 times.