The Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, February 26, 2012, was potentially disrupted by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who arrived on the red carpet dressed in a white military uniform, dark sunglasses, and a thick beard to promote his upcoming movie, “The Dictator.”

He was also holding a golden urn which he claimed contained the ashes of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.

Baron Cohen stated that it was the dictator’s dying wish to have his ashes sprinkled over the red carpet and Halle Berry’s chest.

The comedian then jokingly spilled the contents of the urn over “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, who was conducting an interview with him at the time.

Seacrest was visibly surprised, but he smiled as security personnel physically removed Baron Cohen from the area.

He later commented that “anything can happen, and it most certainly did, all over my lapel.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had expressed concerns about Baron Cohen’s potential antics during the awards ceremony.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times, Academy President Tom Sherak revealed that he had warned Paramount Pictures, the studio distributing “The Dictator,” that Cohen showing up in character was “a bad thing to do.”

However, Sherak also acknowledged that he did not have any control over the red carpet area, which was managed by E!, the entertainment network responsible for broadcasting the ceremony.

Following the incident, a spokesperson for E! released a statement saying that the network had “no prior knowledge” of Baron Cohen’s plans and that his actions were “unacceptable and disrespectful.”

The spokesperson added that the network had taken appropriate measures to ensure that such incidents would not happen again in the future.

Baron Cohen’s spokesperson later released a statement saying that the comedian had intended to have a little fun on the red carpet and did not mean any harm by his actions.

The statement read, “Ryan Seacrest is a good sport, and Sacha Baron Cohen was honored to have him as his guest at The Dictator’s premiere.”

Seacrest himself also commented on the incident during his radio show the following day.

He said that while he was initially “alarmed” by the incident, he eventually saw the humor in it. Seacrest also joked that he had to have his tuxedo cleaned as a result of the incident.

Meanwhile, Baron Cohen’s stunt generated mixed reactions from celebrities and fans. Some people praised the comedian for his boldness and sense of humor, while others criticized him for being disrespectful and inappropriate.

Actor George Clooney, who was nominated for an Academy Award that night, reportedly refused to take part in any interviews with Baron Cohen as a result of the incident.

However, Baron Cohen was not the only person causing a stir on the red carpet that night.

Actress Angelina Jolie also attracted attention for her provocative pose, which involved thrusting her leg out of her high-slit dress.

The pose became an internet meme and inspired numerous parodies and imitations.

Despite the controversy surrounding Baron Cohen’s stunt, “The Dictator” went on to become a commercial success, grossing over $175 million worldwide.

The movie, which was directed by Larry Charles and also starred Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley, followed the misadventures of a fictional dictator from the Middle East who comes to the United States to address the United Nations.

Baron Cohen is known for his provocative and controversial humor, which often targets politicians and celebrities.

He gained worldwide fame for his character Ali G, a satirical gangsta rapper, and later created the characters Borat Sagdiyev, a bumbling journalist from Kazakhstan, and Bruno Gehard, a flamboyant fashion reporter from Austria.