David Letterman claims he's found a loophole in a lawsuit filed by a man portrayed as a terrorist in the movie "Bruno" -- and it all boils down to our diplomatic relations with the Middle East.
In new legal docs filed in D.C., Letterman -- along with Sacha Baron Cohen and other defendants -- claim that the $110 million defamation lawsuit filed by a self-described Palestinian man named Ayman Abu Aita should be dismissed ... partially because "Palestine is not recognized as a foreign nation by the United States."
Dave was dragged into the lawsuit because he ran the "terrorist" clip from the "Bruno" on his show last year when Cohen was a guest. Abu Aita had claimed that he is simply a shopkeeper ... and not a member of the militant Al-Asqa Martyrs' Brigade.
According to the docs filed by Letterman's lawyers, the lawsuit cannot proceed in the United States because Abu Aita and Cohen are both foreigners.
The judge has yet to rule on the motion to dismiss.
Sacha Baron Cohen, along with the producers of "Bruno" and David Letterman's company -- are being sued by a man who claims his reputation has been smeared all over the world because people now think he's a terrorist.
Ayman Abu Aita is a grocer on the West Bank -- he says in Palestine. He was featured in the movie "Bruno," in which he is described as "terrorist group leader al-aqsa martyrs brigade."
According to the suit, filed in federal court in Washington D.C. and obtained by TMZ, Abu Aita claims Cohen appeared on David Letterman's show promoting the movie and during the interview Cohen and Letterman gave the "unmistakable impression" that Abu Aita was a terrorist.
Abu Aita also says he was defamed by Cohen on an NPR interview on the show, "Fresh Air."
The woman who sued Sacha Baron Cohen over a "Bruno" attack now says the actor never struck her, but beat her down emotionally to the point she's now confined to a wheelchair.
Richelle Olson has amended her lawsuit against Cohen, NBC Universal and others, claiming Cohen and his crew were "replete with deceit, fraud and misrepresentation" when they contacted the charity she ran, offering to send a "celebrity" to her charity bingo tournament for the elderly.
Olson claims the character Bruno showed up and began calling bingo numbers "using vulgar and offensive language over the loud speaker system." She says she asked him to stop but he didn't, and the film crew captured her "humiliating emotional reaction."
The suit claims Olson left the stage, went into a side room, began sobbing uncontrollably and lost consciousness, falling headfirst into a concrete slab. As a result, she's confined to a wheelchair and a walker.
She's suing for unspecified damages. And, we're told, the scene was cut from the movie. Welcome to Hollywood.
The Austrian media is going crazy over the new movie "Bruno" -- claiming Sacha Baron Cohen based his fake flamboyant Austrian TV host ... on a real life flamboyant Austrian TV host.
The dude caught in the middle is Alfons Haider -- he's proud to be gay, he's into fashion, and (just like Bruno) he's also been known to compare himself to Zac Efron.
Want more evidence? -- Alfons is the highest-paid presenter on Austrian state broadcaster ORF. In the film, Bruno works for a channel called OJRF. Coincidence?
The controversy has been raging in Austria for a while, but Haider just told The Telegraph newspaper, "I never understood the comparison to myself at all. The only comparisons I can think of is that I'm Austrian, I'm gay, and I work for television, but the rest is completely fiction."
Proving once and for all that golden, sparkly lederhosen are a man's best friend, Bruno struck this half-assed pose while sashaying through France today.
That Sacha Baron Cohen is one smooth, cheeky Brit.
The attorney for the woman who claims Sacha Baron Cohen assaulted her during the filming of "Bruno" says Cohen has radically changed her life -- for the worse.
Kyle Madison of the Madison Law Group calls the injuries Richelle Olson suffered "life-altering." Olson says in her lawsuit Cohen showed up at her charity bingo match for the elderly back in 2007 in his Bruno character, and began calling numbers in a vulgar, offensive way. The suit claims ... when Olson tried grabbing the mic away ... Cohen physically assaulted her. Olson says she suffered brain bleeds and sometimes requires assistance walking.
Madison tells TMZ, "The actions of Mr. Cohen and those acting in concert with him have resulted in life-altering injuries to my client. My focus is her well-being and to secure a fair, just and equitable remedy for her claims."
Madison says Olson's suit is different from the people who sued Cohen over the "Borat" movie. Those people suffered humiliation -- Olson's injuries are physical and severe. "This claim is distinguishable from Mr. Cohen's previous lawsuits as a defendant," Madison says.
To read Madison's full statement to TMZ, click here.
In case you still believe the Eminem/Sacha Baron Cohen incident from the MTV Movie Awards was real... Em just proved you're a gullible Gary by admitting he was knee deep in Sacha's butt stunt.
Em became the 496th person to confirm the whole thing was planned, telling RapRadar.com, "Sacha called me when we were in Europe and he had an idea to do something outrageous at the Movie Awards. I'm a big fan of his work so I agreed to get involved with the gag."
It looks as if, unlike some people, Em has emerged from this Bruno encounter unscathed.
Maroon 5 stud Adam Levine says he wouldn't mind getting a helping of ass to the face, depending on whose derriere it was -- and judging by the hot chick who rode on his hog, we doubt he wants Bruno's.
The head writer of the MTV Movie Awards has finally cleared up something everyone already knew anyway -- the cheeky exchange between Bruno's bare backside and Eminem's face was completely staged.
The L.A. Times spotted the following note on Scott Aukerman's website:
"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."
It was shades of Shaq last night at the MTV Movie Awards, when Sacha Baron Cohen gave Eminem a taste of "Bruno." The question -- was Eminem genuinely pissed or was it choreographed like a Britney concert?
In case you still believe the 
