Eminem and Bruno’s MTV Awards Stunt Was Staged, Writer Says

After the now-epic collision of Brüno and Eminem at the MTV Movie Awards, a debate raged in the comments of Rock Daily and across the Net: Was the failed stunt — which featured Borat mastermind Sacha Baron Cohen dressed in feathers and a thong flying through the air and landing extremely uncomfortably on the seemingly shocked Slim Shady — staged, or was it scripted? Sources tell EW it was no surprise, and according to the head writer of the awards show, the incident was planned and rehearsed.

As the Los Angeles Times’ Pop & Hiss blog first spotted, a Tumblr post by the show’s head writer Scott Aukerman, who was hired by host Andy Samberg and his cohort Akiva Shaffer, stated, “Yes, the Bruno/Eminem incident was staged. That’s all anyone wants to talk about, so let’s get it out of the way. They rehearsed it at dress and yes, it went as far as it did on the live show then.” So not only did Eminem get a face full of Brüno in front of all of America, he had to stomach a similar dose during rehearsals. Eminem, such a good sport.

Aukerman, likely being forced to adhere with MTV’s post-show “It wasn’t staged!” claim, has since took down that Tumblr post. Still, what are the odds Eminem would be miked for sound while sitting in the audience if he wasn’t in on it, what are the chances MTV would allow for a high wire stunt to take place over hundreds — OK, dozens — of celebrities if they didn’t control every facet of the landing, and how convenient was it that every camera in the house was ready to focus in on Em?

Still, many Rock Daily readers are convinced the stunt was a prank on an unwitting and P.O.’ed Eminem. Reader kett posted, “That definitely was NOT staged. Em was furious, and I for one do not blame him. Joke or not, no grown man wants another mans balls and junk in his face.” Other commenters helped spread a false rumor that Cohen was beat up by Eminem’s bodyguards post-show. Even though the incident was staged, it won’t prevent the Eminem and Cohen sandwich from becoming one of the greatest, most hilarious moments in MTV awards show history.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/02/eminem-and-brunos-mtv-awards-stunt-was-staged-writer-says/