Sacha Baron Cohen was on The Late Show on Tuesday promoting his film Bruno, but he wasn’t in character and just told some stories about working on the films Borat and Bruno. He’s almost as entertaining when he’s himself and you can tell what a clever, funny guy he is.

Today Cohen was on “The Today Show” for an interview with Matt Lauer, but he went as the flamboyant faux-Austrian TV host Bruno and Lauer completely played along with it. In fact Lauer asked him questions relating to his character as if some of the plot lines from the movie (not the stunts in particular) really happened to him. It was pretty much genius on Lauer’s part. He deserves a lot of credit for keeping a completely straight face and not busting out laughing, especially because you could hear people in the studio laughing hysterically through the interview. Lauer laughed at times but then completely pulled it together and kept plugging away with the questions and making it seem like a real interview. He is a consummate professional.

Lauer: It also ruined your career in Europe. [The Fashion show stunt] You lost your job hosting a fashion television show. You were blacklisted from basically every fashion event in Europe. Is that what made you come to the United States?

Bruno: You know, Ich vanted to come here and become like an internationally respected figure, like Heidi Montag from da Hills.

Lauer: And to seek uber fame…

Bruno: Ich vanted to become the most famous celebrity from Austria since Hitler.

What has the reaction been in this country as compared to how people in your home country of Austria tend to reactto you.

Bruno: They treat gay Austrians really well here. In California, they made one of them governor.

Lauer [laughs, but then pulls it together quickly]

[On Bruno’s trip to the Middle East] You seem to be confused about some very basic things. For example, in speaking to an Israeli and Palestinian… you confused Hamas with hummus.

Bruno: yeah, they’re basically the same thing.

Lauer: Do you know they’re not the same thing? Are you a little clearer on that issue now?

Bruno: The situation there is like really complex. The Palestinians have got their enemies, the Israelis, but I’ve got my enemies too. My enemies is carbohydrates. I’ve had to declare jihad on Haagen Dazs.

But the real problem there is fashion, right? I mean if I opened my vardrobe and all I saw was like a black burka and some sandals I’d blow myself up too.

[Lauer starts laughing, quickly gets straight-faced again]

[Roughly transcribed from Bruno’s appearance on The Today Show, 7/8/09, video above]

Matt brought up the statement from GLAAD which expresses concern that Bruno will make things worse for the gay community. Bruno asked “Why all this backbiting from my community? I never saw the astronaut community getting upset about Buzz Lightyear. The great thinkers have always been persecuted. Plato, Aristotle, Shakira.”

Lauer also mentioned that the Austrian minister to England is calling for a boycott of the film Bruno, and Bruno started faux crying, said it was the first he’d heard of it, and asked Matt for a hug.

This interview was just so funny and I’m really geared up to see Bruno this weekend. It’s out in many countries by tomorrow, July 10.

Here’s Sacha Baron Cohen outside the Late Show on 7/7/09. He did a photo op in character but was himself for the interview with Letterman. Credit: WENN.com