At the 2013 BAFTA Britannia Awards on Saturday, Sacha Baron Cohen essentially “Punk’d” the entire audience, and without Ashton Kutcher in tow.
Cohen was at the event, accompanied by wife Isla Fisher, to receive the Charlie Chaplin Britannia for Excellence in Comedy award. He was presented with the honor by Salma Hayek and an older woman in a wheelchair identified as Grace Cullington, the oldest living actor to have worked with Chaplin.
Instead of going the serious route with his acceptance speech, Cohen aimed to show why he was being celebrated in the first place.
After being handed Chaplin’s cane from 1931′s “City Lights,” Cohen gave it a little test run. Yet as he wrapped up, he accidentally leaned onto Cullington’s wheelchair and pushed it off the stage.
The audience can be heard gasping in shock as the older woman goes flying.
When Cohen began to make light of the accident in his acceptance speech, it became clear that his oopsie was a prank. (It seems “Grace Cullington” was really a stuntwoman.)
“Grace Cullington is the oldest — no, sorry, was the oldest surviving (Chaplin co-star),” Cohen told the audience. “I dedicate my award to her. This is obviously a tragedy. But on the bright side, what a great way to go, giving an award to me. … I’d like to say a few words to her family: Do not try to sue me. If you decide to get the lawyers involved, I will take you down just like I did your granny. The cane that woman forced on me was clearly defective and I’ve got lots of witnesses. At least 400 in this room and at least 500 watching on TV. Anyway, tonight is not about her, it’s about me.”
By Breeanna Hare
CNN
