Actor and Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, known for playing Borat, is suing a cannabis company over a Borat billboard.
On Monday Cohen filed a lawsuit against a cannabis company for using the likeness of his famous character Borat in its billboard advertisement.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Cohen is suing Solar Therapeutics for depicting his character Borat on a Massachusetts interstate billboard giving a thumbs up and saying, “It’s Nice!”
“By use of the Billboard, the Defendants falsely have conveyed to the public that Mr. Baron Cohen has endorsed their products and is affiliated with their business,” Cohen’s attorney David Condon wrote in the lawsuit.
“To the contrary, Mr. Baron Cohen never has used cannabis in his life. He never would participate in an advertising campaign for cannabis, for any amount of money.”
According to the suit, Cohen does not personally believe using marijuana is a healthy choice.
The suit also said that Cohen has never taken any sort of corporate brand deal despite having received “countless opportunities.”
“With his ‘Ali G’ character, portrayed by Mr. Baron Cohen in the HBO television series Da Ali G Show Mr. Baron Cohen has spent much of his career making a mockery of ‘stoner’ culture – a culture which the Defendants’ Billboard overtly celebrates,” Condon stated.
“In addition, Mr. Baron Cohen was born into an Orthodox Jewish family; he is an Observant Jew; and he is proud of his cultural heritage,” Condon added. “He does not wish to be involved in the heated controversy among the Orthodox Jewish community about whether cannabis can be used under Jewish traditions, customs, and rules.”
