Vienna - As Sacha Baron Cohen's controversial comedy Bruno premiered in Austria Thursday, local media were less concerned that the film's depiction of a politically-incorrect gay Austrian, but about who may have served as the original role-model. In the mock documentary, the British comedian plays an outrageous fashion reporter, who places himself and his unwitting interlocutors in even more ridiculous situations - a concept pioneered in Cohen's first film, Borat.
One magazine called News on Thursday declared it had found the "real Bruno", namely Alfons Haider, an openly-gay entertainer and moderator for public broadcaster ORF.
"I really look better than Cohen," Haider told News.
To make his point, Haider had his picture taken in lederhosen, which was published alongside that of Cohen in a tight yellow knitwear version of this traditional Austrian garb.
Other Austrian media identified Adi Weiss, the young fashion editor of Madonna lifestyle magazine, as the original Bruno.
Although Bruno makes references to famous Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger and Austria's most infamous son, Adolf Hitler, in the movie, the satire has not caused particular outrage among the Austrian public, and received mostly mild approval from film critics.
The only critical voice was that of Austria's designated ambassador in London, who said earlier this week he thought it was "completely improper and inappropriate" that the movie links Austria with National Socialism.
Reviewers noted that Austria was not really the focus of Cohen's humor, but rather people's attitudes towards homosexuality in the United States.
"No, there is no need for Austria to get terribly angry with Sacha Baron Cohen," the reviewer at the daily Salzburger Nachrichten wrote.
