Humans, as a general rule of thumb, try to stay away from uncomfortable situations. I like not being naked in public, for instance, and when I can I try to avoid doing things like falling down in front of Officer Benny at prom (sober). Of course, it doesn’t always turn out that way, but I do my best. People try to keep awkward moments to a modicum, and for good reason — there’s less risk involved, and nobody likes being embarrassed. This is why there are few people I respect more than Sacha Baron Cohen.

Cohen realized long ago, with the conception of “Da Ali G Show” in 2000, that, while no one wants to end up in uncomfortable situations, they are indisputably hi-larious to watch. And thus, he fashioned himself a career out of moment after blisteringly awkward moment, never hesitating to cross the line even further in the name of comedy. “Da Ali G Show” simmered along underground for a while, a British show about three eccentric journalists, all played by Cohen, who carry out ridiculous and painful interviews with unsuspecting celebrities and politicians.

The first is Ali G, a.k.a. Alistair Leslie Graham, who is a self-proclaimed gangster and “voice of the yoof.” He is British and incredibly ignorant, and wears bright yellow sweatsuits that say “WEST SIDE” and huge chains and wraparound sunglasses and do-rags. He is outrageous. Believe it or not, a wholly fictional, scripted movie focusing on him, entitled “Ali G Indahouse” was released in 2002 to mixed reviews. Don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of it either until ten minutes ago, but I’m watching it now as I type and so far there have been two Mexican jokes, 12 sexist jokes, and four penis jokes.

The second character is Borat Sagdiyev. You have heard of him. You either loved 2006’s “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” or you were disgusted but can begrudgingly admit that it was funny, because it was.

The third character, and my personal favorite of the trio, is Bruno, a young gay Austrian fashion correspondent. He is totally fabulous and totally conniving. And he is the star of this summer’s most ridiculous blockbuster film, working title: “Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt.”

“Bruno” will follow in the same vein as “Borat” in that it will be in the form of a mockucumentary, featuring Bruno doing terrible things to real, unsuspecting people. On “Da Ali G Show,” Bruno interviews fashion designers and minor celebrities, making offensive statements and forcing his victims to agree in order to avoid conflict. Thusly, Bruno has cajoled interviewees into saying that fashion has saved more lives than doctors have, that all unfashionable people should be put on a train to Auschwitz, and that Liza Minelli should get a malignant tumor. The movie takes Bruno a step further, challenging homophobia and racism in America by embracing both.

Watch Bruno take off his pants in a failed effort to seduce Ron Paul in a Washington hotel room! Listen to him use cutting-edge Austrian slang like “poopenschafte!” Watch him adopt an African baby (who arrives in a box on the luggage carousel at the airport) and name him O.J.! Cringe as Bruno talks dirty to a pastor! Follow his struggle to win back his boyfriend Diesel! See them enter a cagefighting contest against each other, and then watch as they start making out! And see the dozens of homophobic, blindsided heterosexual men strewn helplessly in Bruno’s wake.

This is why Sacha Baron Cohen is so admirable. He is willing to sacrifice absolutely everything for the sake of comedy. He knows where the limit is; he just doesn’t care. He just embraces the facts. Fact: Uncomfortable situations are funny. Fact: German accents are funny. Fact: Flamboyant men are funny. Fact: Mesh t-shirts, assless chaps, and ridiculing crazy conservative homophobic people are HILARIOUS.

“Bruno” comes out in theaters July 10. To no one’s surprise, it will be rated NC-17. It will be crass, coarse, and completely offensive. No matter. I will bet you my poopenschafte (as well as the poopenschafte of every other Messenger staff member, because I can do that) that it will also be totally fierce.