Now here’s something you don’t hear a lot of around Hollywood: someone actually asking to have their scene cut. The frat boys who sued 20th Century Fox and the producers of Borat last month have asked a judge to order that their scene be removed from all future copies of the film. While the students signed releases allowing themselves to be used in the footage, they argue that they were drunk and misled when they signed them. The film footage shows the boys making racist statements.
The judge did not issue a ruling on Thursday, but will take the matter under advisement. “I don’t see people falling down or unable to articulate what they were saying,” he said. The students’ lawyer argues that the boys have lost opportunities as a result of being portrayed so negatively in the film. He says one was forced out of a prominent position within his fraternity, and the other missed out on a “prestigious internship” because of the film. “There are a lot of real-life problems raised by the movie,” he said.
“It’s like the Mel Gibson defense,” said an attorney for 20th Century Fox. “I only say the things I did when I’ve had a few drinks.”