video transcript

ROUGH CUT (No Reporter Narration) STORY: Sacha Baron Cohen has come out swinging after he was not so subtly told by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences that he should not appear on the Oscar carpet dressed as his newest character, General Aladeen, the dictator of a fake Middle Eastern country. In a video statement, Cohen, as Aladeen, said he was outraged over the 'ban' and poked fun at some Hollywood heavyweights. For the record, Cohen wasn't banned, but the Academy has let him and studio Paramount know that the Oscars red carpet is not the place for a publicity stunt but he's welcome to attend as a cast member of "Hugo" if he behaves himself.