Comedian Steve Martin titled his 1979 album "Comedy Is Not Pretty."

Three decades later, filmmaker and actor Sacha Baron Cohen continues to prove the truth of that title. Baron Cohen is the king of the put-on artists, and he's made outrageousness his trademark. He creates characters that evoke astonishment and indignation from the people his on-screen characters encounter and audiences as well.

As the Eastern European journalist Borat in "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," Baron Cohen used the character's insensitivity, naivete and outrageousness to provoke those qualities in others. During a segment shot at a Salem Civic Center rodeo, the reckless provocateur barely escaped an old-fashioned, Southern butt-kicking.

"Bruno," with Larry Charles returning as the director, uses the same kind of gimmick, though it's not always as successful.

Maybe the originality has worn off. Maybe this kind of commando comedy is more forced. Maybe the humor is not as convincing in its spontaneity. Still, Baron Cohen sticks to the courage of his convictions. He's not afraid to risk life and limb to get a laugh, and he does get some guilty chortles here. No gag is too tasteless or offensive to escape his attention. Be warned, though, the R rating is stretched to its limits.

Bruno is the flamboyantly gay host of an Austrian fashion TV show. Bruno loses his gig when he makes a shambles of a Milan fashion event and is blacklisted by the industry he loves so much. Take note that Bruno, himself, is a fashion train wreck.

So the jobless fashionista heads to America to become famous. Forget about achievement. Bruno, like so many reality television contestants and stunt-oriented newsmakers, sees celebrity as an end in itself.

Bruno first finds an agent and attempts to launch a TV show devoted to celebrities. Paula Abdul, the "American Idol" judge, is his first interview. At this stage, Bruno and his adoring assistant have no furniture. So they hire Mexican gardeners to serve as chairs and tables.

Another who is certainly not in on the joke is Texas congressman Ron Paul, who made a run at the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Bruno decides that one key to fame is making a sex tape with a celebrity, and he chooses Paul as his subject. The congressman thinks he's doing an interview when Bruno starts hitting on him. His reaction will not win the politician any gay voters.

Then Bruno decides to bring peace to the Middle East. During an interview with an Israeli spokesman and his Palestinian counterpart, Bruno confuses Hamas, the Palestinian political party, with hummus. During an interview with an Islamic terrorist (who appears very real) Bruno insults Osama bin Laden's appearance. The result is not funny: It's downright scary.

In one of the movie's funniest and most sensitivity-challenging segments, Bruno decides to adopt a third-world orphan because that's what celebrities like Madonna and Branjelina do. He names the child O.J.

When you get right down to it, lack of tolerance for gays isn't the real issue among most of those who get punked. The real issue is a lack of tolerance for wack jobs oblivious to the conventions of civil behavior.

If you hated "Borat," you don't need to be within a mile of anything showing this follow-up. If you liked "Borat's" ambush humor, you'll find some of that here. It's just not as fresh.