14 DAY TRIAL // Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s most recent brainchild, is not even out in theaters and, just like in the manner of his Borat film, suits have already started to be filed to the left and right. This time though, as opposed to how it went down with Borat, things are more serious, as a woman alleged Cohen physically assaulted her and caused her injuries that have rendered her into a wheelchair and walker, as TMZ informs.
According to the papers just filed, the incident occurred in late 2007, when the woman was told a “celebrity” would come to her nursing home to host a bingo evening for the residents. What she got instead of a star was Bruno, meaning the comedian in character, about to start shooting for his upcoming mockumentary. Bruno was extremely offensive in both language and gestures so, when the elderly woman went to take the microphone from him, he tackled her and made her lose her balance, which, in turn, has caused her permanent damage.
“Richelle Olson is suing Cohen, NBC Universal and others over an incident in 2007, when she was emceeing a charity bingo match for the elderly. Olson says she was told a celebrity would come to call numbers, and none other than Bruno appeared. She claims she tried grabbing the mic back after he was ‘vulgar and offensive,’ and he allegedly attacked her. Olson says she suffered brain bleeds and is confined to a wheelchair.” TMZ writes based on the allegations made in court papers.
“Now we’re told that since the incident, people who play bingo with Olson say they have watched her deteriorate before their eyes. She’s lost ‘drastic amounts of weight’ and is extremely frail. In fact, we’re told just last Saturday Olson fell during a bingo game, hit her head and bled. An ambulance came... she eventually went to the ER where she was treated.” the same source further explains.
Friends of Olson have already offered testimonials to the media as to the woman’s condition, saying she seems to have aged over 20 years in the short time since she was assaulted by Cohen and had the brain bleeds. The exact amount that Olson is asking as damages has not yet been made public, as neither have the conditions she seeks to have fulfilled with the lawsuit. A representative for the British comedian was not immediately available for comment at the time of writing.