14 DAY TRIAL // Shooting mockumentaries is a tricky job and no one knows that better than British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who literally took the genre and made it what it is today. Ahead of the release of the much-hyped “Bruno,” which features Cohen’s latest brainchild, an Austrian fashionista on a quest to conquer the fashion industry, the comedian and Universal are already being slammed with lawsuits, the first being filed by a woman who claims to have sustained brain injuries.
As we were also telling you the other day, Richelle Olson is suing NBC and Cohen for an alleged assault that took place while shooting for the film, in late 2007. According to papers, Olson sustained several brain bleeds from being manhandled by the comedian and the camera crew, is now confined to a wheelchair or walker and is asking for damages. The only problem is, according to Universal, that no such assault ever happened and she will most likely come to regret her decision if she pursues this in court.
“The allegations made by Richelle and Lance Olson in their complaint are completely baseless. Filmed footage of the full encounter, which took place more than two years ago, clearly shows that Ms. Olson was never touched or in any way assaulted by Sacha Baron Cohen or any member of the production and suffered no injury. If the Olsons elect to proceed with their frivolous action, we expect each of the defendants to be fully vindicated.” Universal says in a statement just released.
Cohen, of course, is used to being attacked by supposed victims from all parts, so this can probably explain why he has yet to respond to the lawsuit. Nevertheless, as we also pointed out, this is actually the first time that a Cohen “victim” says they’ve been permanently incapacitated – as fans must remember, “Borat” also drew in many legal complaints, but they mostly had to do with violation of privacy or withholding payment for the performances.
Olson, by contrast, claimed she was rough-handled by Cohen / Bruno and his crew as she was trying to make him shut up at an elderly bingo game, and then hit the floor and cracked open her skull on a marble slab. Since then, she says in court papers, she can only walk around in a wheelchair or with the help of a walker, and her condition continues to deteriorate still.