I think that second to last picture could be used in a post similar to the recent "Sexy and the Gender Binary" post. "Cheek leak" is often a seen from women who pose in skimpy shorts or "boy-cut" underwear and is frequently perceived as sexy. On Bruno/Cohen, I don't believe many people will view it the same way. I find Cohen very attractive, and I am even oddly attracted to his Bruno character, but I still have no interest in looking at his buttocks. I'd guess most people feel the same.

Yeah, Jennifer. What the hell is that. I'm oddly attracted to Bruno too. It's completely confusing to me.

Why would you assume most people feel the same way you do? While I admit I find the inner thigh in the last photo more attractive than the "Cheek leak", it's not an unattractive buttock.

I could figure out what was going on in every picture except the last one. Why are they silver/gray? In the first picture, am I the only one who thinks the guy on the far right is wearing a ridiculous pair of boxer-briefs? It's like they were aiming for the cutout 1 piece style bathing suit that is popular with women. Aaaaand he does have a nice butt in the 'cheek leak' shot.

Jane:

Because I was under the impression that most hetero women are not terribly attracted to men's butts, especially when those butts aren't overly tanned or toned. I'm not trying to present this as scientific fact, but I'd GUESS (the wording I used in my original comment) that MOST people aren't attracted to the "cheek leak" on Bruno.

I'm a hetero woman, and I'm attracted to SBC's cute butt. I also think it's interesting that people are "oddly" attracted to Bruno. Sascha Baron Cohen is a really attractive man. Is it odd that he's still attractive when he's acting goofy? I think it makes him more accessible and therefore hotter.

Nique, I think those women are supposed to be painted islver, to match his outfit.

I understand the comment about men of color, but I see plenty of women in these pictures who societally would probably be perceived as "white."

Ang,

I think lisa's original statement was intended to say that the rule is either A. women or B. men of colour. The way it was written it looks like either women of colour or men of colour, though.

Matt K,

Yes, that's what I meant. I revised to clarify, thanks.

FWIW, I think Sacha Baron-Cohen has a nice butt :3

Re: the pose, it's a standard for superhero comic book covers. Sequential Tart (a comic books website for/by women) had some fun with poses like that in a column called "Bizarre Breasts." This one, for example, dissects some horrible covers by Rob Liefeld, who is notorious for his very poor grasp of anatomy.

I guess I underestimated just how many people find pale, untoned buttocks titillating. My sampling of information is obviously much smaller than the whole of the internet.

Anyway, I'll leave this thread alone now so the readers and admins can go back to discussing real sociological issues, and not whether or not Bruno/Cohen's butt is cute. :)

Eh? I see women of colour in those pics. What I don't see is anyone who isn't slim, which may be a separate issue?

I'm wondering if the minority entourage is in reference to fashionista/singer Gwen Stefani and her minority squad the "harajuku girls" (sp?)

@Tiara: "Eh? I see women of colour in those pics."

Me too! Are they invisible to most people? I don't get why the OP doesn't see them. Also, the guys on the third picture are pretty light skinned. Without the costumes, I'm not sure most people would identify them as "of color".

I agree with hypatia. I think Bruno/Cohen is making fun of Gwen Stefani's trend of having an entourage of "harajuku girls." I always thought the Stefani trend was creepy--to use people as accessories is gross ... am surprised it's not criticized more in the mainstream press.

Questions of the attractiveness of SBC's butt aside, I think that the particular choice of using people different from Bruno in a specific way in each photo is due to Bruno's desire to stand out and be a star, and standing out is most easily accomplished as the odd person out in an otherwise fairly homogeneous group.

I read an interview with SBC which seemed to suggest that it's about using people as accessories that he is commenting on.

Ditto on seeing the women of color as well. Also, I'm not sure which country the bull fighting picture is from, but if they're Spanish... wouldn't that fall under White? I understand that Spaniards and Italians are considered the "Dark and Handsome" of the European countries, but I think it would be a stretch to call them POC unless this is a Latin American country.

I find Gwen's Harajuku bit disgusting, and I think his actions are extrapolating the ridiculousness of the whole thing quite well.

black man > average man
white models > average models
it's funny you analyse someone that works with stereotypes himself.
(by the way, better sociologist than the average)

Keeley wrote:

"Questions of the attractiveness of SBC’s butt aside, I think that the particular choice of using people different from Bruno in a specific way in each photo is due to Bruno’s desire to stand out and be a star, and standing out is most easily accomplished as the odd person out in an otherwise fairly homogeneous group."

There's that, but I think there's also the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Fetishize White [American] Men in Ridiculous Poses."

I don't think it's an accident that the bullfighters are little Spanish guys.

I think that many women have a more generous and varied idea of what's sexy in men. (Whether that's a reaction to be so viciously criticized ourself all the time, I don't know.)

But if you like boyish types, SBC is much more attractive than the more muscled guys in the lederhosen.

I also think that finding him attractive in his Brüno persona depends on your knowing that he is straight. At least if you're a straight woman.

Sue

"ourselves"

The OP clarified the "women and men of color but not both" thing already. She meant that his entourage includes either (option A) women in general or (option B) men of color, but never both men of color and women. The women may be white or they may be non-white, but there is never a mix of men and women and never (from her point of view) a mix of white and non-white men.

"I also think that finding him attractive in his Brüno persona depends on your knowing that he is straight. At least if you’re a straight woman."

Since when is finding somebody attractive based on their sexual orientation? I find that an extremely weird thing to posit since most of the time there's no way of knowing on sight. Also, everybody knows gay guys are hotter than straight guys.

Sue: I don’t think it’s an accident that the bullfighters are little Spanish guys.

Those hooves are platforms. we aren't that short, although Pablo Motos (the guy interviewing SBC) is frankly on the tiny side :D

my thoughts on this: if people are -noticing- this in the case of a fake model (bruno) that is good, because he is clearly commenting on the reality of fashion advertising, which is exactly like this. i do not think he is commenting on stefani in particular, but the ubiquitous trope of offsetting white people with non-white people or men with women. i mean, find some fashion ads that involve background people that do not use this method.

I considered myself a Sacha Baron Cohen fan, but after seeing the film at the weekend, I'd like to join the previous commenter who wished never to see his face again.

I can't speak for any of the other countries, but I know for the UK premier (4th row down), SBC's entourage consisted of both men and women.

If you look to the left in the background, you can see one of his male "Queen's guard" standing on the podium.

Also see:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1194562/Is-Brunos-outlandish-outfit-Sacha-Baron-Cohen-wears-anatomically-correct-body-suit.html

and

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1193742/Sacha-Baron-Cohen-marches-camp-Queens-guards-hot-pants-London-premiere-Bruno.html

and

Sociologically speaking... Bruno is a film that makes you see how full of paradigms this world really is... Cohen only takes real situations out of context and voila! he gives us an eye-opening film... again sociologically speaking...BUT MYYYYY HE RISKED HIS LIFE LIKE 10 TIMES!