Hold onto your Prada purses people! Next Friday (July 10th) famed Austrian fashion reporter Brüno will strut his way into a theater near you. The new mockumentary (starring Sacha Baron Cohen of "Borat" fame) chronicles the faux journalist's trip from front row at Stella McCartney to the checkout line at Sears.

In honor of its release, we emailed the flamboyant trendsetter to ask his opinion about pressing fashion issues. Namely, Michelle Obama's style, the omnipresent gladiator sandal, and which world leader he'd most like to make over (hint: it rhymes with "Schmahmadinejad").

Stylelist: What do you think of Michelle Obama's style; how does it compare to yours?

Brüno: Ich can understand ze pressure zat Michelle is going through. Every day she stands next to one of ze sexiest, most powerful men in ze vorld, und has to look AMAZING, but not steal ze limelight. Exactly ze same dilemma all Bruno's boyfriends have felt. As far as First Ladies' style goes, I think she's doing a good job und compares favourably to say Nancy Reagan's 'Microwaved Barbie' look, or Barbara Bush's 'Boris Yeltsin in drag' thing.

Regarding Barack, ich am very disappointed in him so far. Vhen he kept banging on about 'Change – yes ve can!'...Ich suggest Barack, zhat you change ze record – put on Just Dance by Lady Gaga, rip off your shirt, und give us all a glimpse of vhat we voted for! I am hoping zat he vill soon declare war on Iran, so that he has to visit troops in the desert und break out the beach wear.



SL: Have you and Eminem been out on a date since the MTV Awards?

Brüno: Ich expected him to call after vhat we had, it vas so real. We made ein connection, und it vasn't just physical. Ich thought it meant something to him, ich guess I was wrong. Stupid Bruno, fooled again. To him it's just another guy hanging upside down in his lap at an awards ceremony, but to me it's another broken heart.

SL: Are you over the gladiator sandal yet?

Brüno: Ich have ein real thing for ze gladiator sandal, probably because one of my all time favourite movies is Gladiator. Ich cried for an hour vhen Russell Crowe died at ze end. Und zen for a further 3 days when ich heard he was straight.

Zhen ich got really excited about "Cinderella Man," ich thought he vas coming out big time. But it vas all about boxing. He loves dressing up, he has real hissy fits, he loves spending time in ze gym working out vith ze guys. Russell, if you're reading this, ich am in Hollywood zis month, so if you want to seduce me vith your "Beautiful Mind" (und body), und be my "Master und Commander," ich vill keep our session "L.A. Confidential!"

SL: The fall fashion trends for women this season include fierce furs, neon hot pink, thigh-high boots, and bold shouldered jackets; how will you incorporate any of these trends into your fall wardrobe?

Brüno: Vhen you say fierce furs, zhat is for vearing, yes? Ich do not like ze idea of "fierce fur" on ze body. Wax wax wax! Imagine your body as an apartment – it vill be vorth more if it has polished floorboards, not carpets!

But I am SO glad fur is back zis season, who's zat label PETA, who do all ze great edgy runvay shows – ich LOVE vearing fur und zey seem to have some great pieces. Ze other styles you describe sound very 80s, which ich totally love. Ich love taking risks. Look at Britney, she's really out zhere – slutty, bald, drugged, crazy, you never know what she will come up vith next!

SL: Who would you most like to give a fashion makeover?

Brüno: Ze President of Iran, Ahmadinejad. I love his look – 'taxi driver chic' – but he would look even cuter if he broke it up vit some splashes of colour und simple accessories. Ich have got to admit something. Bruno's got a crush on him. He's SO cute – he's like ze Arab George Clooney! He famously said zat zere are no gay people in Iran, so he must be very sexually frustrated. Ze only nuclear bomb vaiting to go off in Iran is hidden underneath zose grey slacks of his, und Bruno vould like to press ze red button.