The "Bruno" Bombast

That, and other news, in today's Roundup and Recap.

I went to a screening of Sacha Baron Cohen's "Bruno" on Monday, anxious to see a film that has already created expressions of concerns from gay rights groups for its stereotypical depictions. Was I offended? Sure, but Cohen also manages to offend homophobes, Bubbas, born agains, celebrity publicists, Darfur activists, Arabs and Israelis, terrorist organizations, Ron Paul and, perhaps most of all, Austrians. I'll have more later, but suffice it to say, it is the type of movie that will make your jaw drop --- and certainly laugh in parts. The version I saw still included a "gayby" scene --- in which Bruno holds his African adopted child while in the hot tub with a group of sexually charged gay men. That was cited as one of the concerns among officials of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, although they have not issued any official judgment on the movie and say that context is key.

Service Star: Maria Shriver and Michelle Obama launched the Obama administration's United We Serve initiative in San Francisco on Monday, and they both addressed the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. The event included a host of celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Jon Bon Jovi. They repped their own foundations as well as the Entertainment Industry Foundation, which is working with the networks to incorporate service themes in shows in October.

At the White House: The latest visitors are Styx.