A dressed-down Brad Pitt – sporting a ’70s mustache and a fuzzy Alpine hat – was groped, poked, prodded and nearly tossed out of the premiere of his new movie by an overaggressive bouncer who appeared not to recognize him.
Pitt – who had just arrived on his own at an LA theater to promote his new flick, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” – was pushed around like a perp in front of horrified witnesses.
The security guard grabbed Pitt’s right arm, spun him around, then grabbed his left arm and tried to pin him to the wall, stunned witnesses said.
“We were all under the impression that he [the security guard] thought Brad was another photographer because he grabbed him so quickly and aggressively,” said one photographer who watched the whole fracas.
At one point, as these pictures show, the famously affable Pitt looks at the dense musclehead as if to say, “Don’t you read Us Weekly?”
Pitt laughed it off later on, and said he bore no ill will toward the bullying bald bouncer.
“Though they [the paparazzi] were exceptionally more aggressive than usual, breaking through a security barrier and into a private holding area, ultimately [it was] just another day in the life . . .” he told People.
The major manhandling of the Sexiest Man Alive happened on Monday, when he showed up at the Bruin Theatre in LA for a Q & A about his flick.
The superstar darted into the theater at 8:30 p.m. – with a pack of fotogs hot on his tail.
Security pounced on the snappers – and the beefy guard, wearing plain clothes and clenching a pamphlet in his teeth, pounced on the superstar.
“He grabbed him very aggressively,” said the photographer.
“Brad looked back really quickly and he connected eyes with him and the bouncer let go.”
The guard later gave a statement to “Entertainment Tonight.”
“It’s security’s sole priority to protect the talent and I removed Mr. Pitt immediately from what could have been a potentially dangerous situation,” said the guard, whose name was not revealed.