SOME Austrians already are familiar with Bruno, a character Baron Cohen has channelled on 'Da Ali G Show.' Although Vienna isn't exactly in the throes of Bruno fever, movie posters depicting him in barely bum-concealing bright yellow lederhosen, a matching alpine cap and an over-the-shoulder pout adorn virtually every bus and tram stop in the Austrian capital.

Fans also have been hawking clothing and merchandise emblazoned with Bruno-isms like 'Get ueber it!' 'Nicht nicht!' and 'Ich don't think so.'

'Naturally Bruno is tasteless and always has one foot planted over the border of decency. But what else can you expect from Sacha Baron Cohen?' said Alex Rechsteiner, a philosophy student.

Austrian media generally have played down suggestions that Bruno will do irreversible damage and even discourage tourists from visiting. They note that some Australians feared the same after Crocodile Dundee was released, yet if anything, that film may have lured foreigners.

Baron Cohen is used to getting flak for his work.

After the 2006 surprise smash Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, officials and ordinary people in the former Soviet republic took great offence at being mercilessly lampooned as an incestuous and boorish backwater.

In the end, it didn't seem to inflict any lasting damage: Next year, Kazakhstan will hold the chairmanship of the 56-nation Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Alfons Haider, an openly gay Austrian cabaret singer and TV host who some believe helped inspire the Bruno character, has expressed admiration for Baron Cohen while repudiating what he describes as the movie's far-right and anti-Semitic undertones.

Vienna is one of Europe's most gay- and lesbian-friendly capitals, and its annual Life Ball - a glittery event that draws celebrities from around the world and raises millions for HIV/Aids research - is a highlight of the social calendar. -- AFP