Brüno 's Over-the-Top Deleted Scene

Sacha Baron Cohen's Brüno is intended to raise eyebrows. But the most shocking scene of all was axed in test screenings. Out director Richard Bay saw the film with that scene in place -- and he was not amused.

BY William McGuinness

July 08 2009 12:00 AM ET

Jennifer Chamberlain, a representative of NBC/Universal, told The Advocate that the studio did not make the decision to cut the controversial scene; she had no further comment.

Like Borat , critics say Brüno is intended to hold a mirror to the deep-seated prejudices of this country. Day, however, is unconvinced. He said the movie does not expose homophobia because the most offensive scenes, including one in which Brüno pumps his ex with a dildo attached to an exercise bike, occur when no onlookers are present to be offended.

"If the answer is supposed to be 'the audience's,' then something went horribly wrong," Day told The Advocate . "In executing the material he, like any comedian, went where he knew the big laughs were -- on us gays."

Day said gay viewers can get proof by seeing the movie with a straight audience. "You know exactly why they're laughing, and it's not at the homophobes."

Essentially, Brüno has two story lines: one in which he seeks fame and the other in which he purges his gayness to get it.

Day said Brüno's gayness isn't separate from the other story line but central to it.

"What is fame but mass acceptance? What is gay marriage and the right to serve but mass acceptance?" he asked. "Here comes a $40 million movie sold by a $40 million ad campaign saying, basically, aren't gays clueless for thinking we'll love them when they act like that?"