Enter The Dictator

British actor Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays Admiral General Aladeen, arrives for the World Premiere of 'The Dictator', at a cinema in Southbank in central London, Thursday, May 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)

British actor Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays Admiral General Aladeen, arrives for the World Premiere of 'The Dictator', at a cinema in Southbank in central London, Thursday, May 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan)

Published May 12, 2012

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London: He has attracted a flurry of negative headlines with his risqué publicity stunts for The Dictator. But, despite wielding a golden gun, Sacha Baron Cohen appeared to be on his best behaviour for the film’s London premiere this week.

Surrounded by “bodyguards” in miniskirts and red military berets the comic turned up as his new alter-ego, despot Admiral General Aladeen, loosely based on Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein.

The only sign of potential trouble was when he started pointing his revolver at the head of Harrods boss Mohamed Al-Fayed.

This was tame in comparison to his antics on the red carpet at the Oscars in February, when he tipped the “ashes” of Kim Jong-il over a reporter’s head.

The star arrived standing in the back of an open-top Lamborghini, which was clamped on the back of a council tow truck, and surrounded by Harrods bags. As he pulled up, he shouted: “Death to the West. I’m sorry I’m late. I was doing some shopping at British Home Stores and I got clamped.” Posing with Al-Fayed, he joked: “We have a lot in common. We were both friendly with Lady Diana. To cut a long story short, I am the father of Prince Harry.”

The Dictator tells the story of a despot “who risked his life to ensure democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed”. – Daily Mail

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