NBC Universal and CBS have fired back in the $110 million defamation lawsuit filed in December by Palestinian activist Ayman Abu Aita against the networks, Sacha Baron Cohen and David Letterman over a scene in "Bruno" that allegedly portrayed Aita as a "terrorist group leader."
Aita claims that Baron Cohen represented himself during filming of the Universal-distributed comedy as a German filmmaker doing a project about the Palestinian cause. Letterman and CBS are defendants because "The Late Show" featured the scene during an interview segment with Cohen last July.
In responding to the case, the NBCU and CBS make a simple argument: The cases should be tossed, they say, because neither Aita nor Baron Cohen is a U.S. citizen. As such, they argue the court doesn't have jurisdiction to hear a complaint where "an alien plaintiff sues an alien defendant."
Read more from the Hollywood Reporter.
