Sponsored message
Live now: LA mayoral race, Bass and Raman talk environmental issues
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Video: Sacha Baron Cohen 'Kills' Elderly Presenter At Last Night's Britannia Awards

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

The Britannia Awards, put on by the Los Angeles branch of BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) at the Beverly Hills Hotel last night, went off mostly without a hitch. That is, until comedian Sacha Baron Cohen decided to have a little fun with the audience.

Cohen, star of "Borat," "Bruno," and "The Dictator," was on hand to accept the "Charlie Chaplin Brittania Award for Excellence in Comedy," which was presented to him by Salma Hayek and Grace Cullington, a frail, elderly woman in a wheelchair. Hayek introduced her as, "The oldest living actor to have appeared with Chaplin in a silent movie."

When Cohen approached the podium to accept the award, Cullington gave him a cane, saying that it was the same cane used by Chaplin in his iconic film "City Lights." After doing a cute little impression of Chaplin's signature walk, Cohen "breaks" the cane and falls into Grace, which sends her tumbling face-first into the audience floor. It was all a prank, though: "Grace" was merely and actor and Cohen once again had fun at everyone's expense.

The gag begins at 2:00, unless you want to watch Salma Hayek speak for a little bit (I totally won't fault you if you do).

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today