Vassup?! Alabama Pastor Has Brüno to Thank for Mayoral Run

Hapless Brüno victim makes most out of 15 minutes, runs for mayor of Birmingham

How's this for über-fame?

The youth pastor and gay converter who prankster Sacha Baron Cohen poked fun at in Brüno is running for mayor of Birmingham, Ala.,  and he's crediting his awkward appearance in the satirical hit comedy for helping him spread the Gospel to voters.

As moviegoers will recall, Jody Trautwein of Point of Grace Ministries was lampooned in one of Brüno's more memorable scenes by Cohen's flamboyant Austrian fashionista alter-ego, who attempted to seduce him as he talked about his conservative Christian beliefs about homosexuality and complimented him on his "blow-job lips."

Responding "these lips were made to praise Jesus," Trautwein denied being gay and didn't react to Brüno's hilarious advances. But the minister couldn't ignore all the "fabulous" attention it got him once the movie came out.

Can you say Austrian Gay TV?

Making the most of his 15 minutes of fame, the 39-year-old Trautwein now aims to use his sudden turn in the spotlight to persuade conservative Birmingham citizens to back his long-shot candidacy, which is garnering some serious press thanks to interviews he's done on Christian radio stations in more than 30 states.

"It's turned into a tre­mendous plus," Trautwein told the Birmingham News. "I was able to share my mes­sage. I used it as a platform. It turned into a tremen­dously positive experience. People know that I stay true to myself."

That's such a Samantha thing to say.

Of course, along with persuading people to come to Christ, Trautwein's doing what Jesus would do, natch—advocating tax breaks and incentives for business owners and working to ban gay marriage.

"It is important for us as Christians to stand up for what we believe is right, such as traditional mar­riage," the pastor said.

So just asking: ach ja or nicht nicht? We'll let the voters decide that one.