HOLLYWOOD - Studio executives at Sony have scrapped plans to release Albert Brooks' new movie Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World because they fear itwill offend Muslims.
Brooks, who plays a comedian recruited by the U.S. Government to research what
makes Muslims laugh in the comedy, reveals politically correct movie bosses
told him they "didn't want to take a chance" with the film.
And, in a recent letter to the actor/director, Sony chairman Michael Lynton
told Brooks he wouldn't release the film unless the Broadcast News star changed
the title.
Lynton wrote, "I do believe that recent incidents have dramatically changed
the landscape that we live in and that this, among other things, warrants
changing the title of the film."
Brooks refused to change the title of the film, financed by Elizabeth Hurley's producer ex Steve Bing, and now plans to release the project through
Warner Independent Pictures next year.
Warner Independent Pictures boss Mark Gill can't understand what all the fuss
is about: "We saw the movie, and it was clear that Albert makes fun of himself
and America, not anybody else."
Meanwhile, Brooks reveals he was inspired to make Looking for Comedy in the
Muslim World in the wake of 9/11.
He says, "For so long afterward, whenever I heard anyone talk about Muslims,
it was in association with terrorism and I thought, what could I do in a teeny
way to defuse this?
"There had to be some way to separate the 1.5 billion people who don't want
to kill us from the 100,000 or so who do. I thought if I could get five Muslims
and six Hindus and maybe three Jews to laugh for 90 minutes, then I've
accomplished something."
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