Eminem/Bruno Stunt Was Staged (Duh)

Sacha Baron Cohen (as his alter ego, gay Austrian journalist Bruno) landing nearly butt-naked on Eminem‘s face at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards was all planned, sources reveal.

MTV Movie Awards writer Scott Aukerman reveals, “Yes, the Eminem-Bruno incident was staged. They rehearsed it at dress [rehearsal] and yes, it went as far as it did on the live show.”

“That was staged!,” actress Taraji P. Henson, who helped introduce Eminem‘s performance at the show, told USA Today. “Do you really think it wasn’t? They would not put a man’s naked (butt) in Eminem‘s face and not let him know. Come on! They’re not stupid. When something crazy didn’t jump off, I was like, ‘Oh, OK! He knew!’

Life & Style reports that producer Mark Burnett cleared the prank with the rapper beforehand. Eminem was actually Burnett‘s second choice after heiress Paris Hilton, who obviously declined to participate.