I think it is provocative but deeply thought provoking in some sense because we don’t question normally whether or not we are complicit in “earning” discrimination and I am increasingly disturbed by a sense in the gay community that somehow we must “be nice” and inoffensive in order to earn the respect of heterosexual society sufficiently to be regarded as equals.

As somebody who grew up influenced heavily by the politics of the UK kickback against such atrocities as Section 28 and the deliberate entrapment of gay men who broached sexual norms by the police I find it a bit disturbing as increasingly I see the old sense of diversity and tolerance in the community breaking down and being replaced with a self-policing moralising.

Much as Brüno is painful to watch, it does raise the question of whether or not to justify homophobia as a gut reaction to “provocative” behvariour or not.

The Life of Brian offended a lot of people, Team America World Police offended people, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut offended people, Borat offended people… Even Fawlty Towers offended people (the Spanish, the Germans, Psychiatrists, the hyper-sensitive.)

It’s ok to be offended by comedy, but I suspect (even though I haven’t seen it yet) that the people who should be most offended/embarassed by Bruno, as with Borat, are not the gay community or the good people of Kazakhstan, but Americans. Borat highlighted throw-away prejudice against the Jewish community amongst others and a lot of Americans were very embarassed and hopefully were inspired to question the common throw-away comments often bandied about among homogenous groups about people ‘not like us.’

Using comedy to highlights people’s irrational prejudices (whether they be against the gay community, the people of Kazakhstan, Spanish waiters) is briliant, even if on a superficial level the humour can be perceived as crude or offensive.

‘I know nothing!’