A message appeared on THE DICTATOR movie website yesterday. Coming from ‘the dictator” of the fictional Middle Eastern country of The Republic of Wadiya it said:
“Admiral General Aladeen will deliver a formal response tomorrow morning (Friday) to being banned from the Oscars by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Zionists.”
This message is yet another problem adding to the dilemma that the Academy executives are facing at the moment. The questions is: Let the maker and comedian of BRUNO and BORAT in or not?
The issue started when the Academy withdrew its tickets from the comedian after he intended to walk the red carpet on Sunday night dressed in a full DICTATOR outfit. After having been initially invited as part of the cast of Martin Scorsese’s top nominated HUGO, it was later revealed that there was an debate within the Academy whether to let Cohen on the Red Carpet in his fictional Middle Eastern Admiral General Alladeen and then allow him to change into a tuxedo to attend the show. But so far it seems that the decision of the ban stands. The Academy’s Managing Director of Membership Kimberly Rouch, it has been reported, called Paramount’s awards staff to notify them of the ban, unless he gives the Academy reassurances and promises not to show up in costume. Without this, he will not be issued tickets.
The most ironic part is the amount of media coverage THE DICTATOR is and will be getting due to this ban. Therefore, in a plan to avoid controversy, it seems much more of it might be created.
Source: Deadline
