Friday Fun Link

The government of Kazakhstan is threatening to sue comedian Sasha Baron Cohen (of Ali G. fame) for his character Borat (a star of Kazakh state TV), which "Kazakhs say…promotes an inaccurate portrayal of them as backwards, illiterate and anti-semitic."

Comments

[Sam McManus]

I don't really know about all that. I think the real point of Borat is to hold up a satirized, exaggerated mirror to show how stupid Americans are. Just watch the one where he sings in a country bar and you'll know what I'm talking about.

[Borat]

High Five!

[ralphus]

The country bar was great, but my favorite was the wine tasting club in Jackson Miss.

(a black guy in a suit pores wine for Borat and two old crackers)

Borat: Is that your slave.

Cracker: No no. Slavery has been illegal in our country for a long time. Which is very good for them.

Borat: But not so much for you.

(laughter)

Borat: High Five!

(they all high five)

[scape]

...and threating to sue a comedian over a fictional character and obvious parody will enhance their image?

[Jeff P.]

I remember protests of various movies in the 70s and 80s for portraying gays/the clergy/whatever as being villains. I always wanted to see lawyers protest a movie like The Verdict.
"This film makes lawyers out to be opportunistic scum!
Astronauts protesting I Dream of Jeannie.
"We are not hapless buffoons! We train for years!"

Nanny state soccer moms against The Bad Seed.
Little people against Leprechaun.
And so on...

[mediageek]

Or the one where he visits with an interpretational dance troupe.

"Everybody dance now."

[Strat]

You may see his promo for MTV Europe here.

You can tell it's Europe. You could never use the word "fellatio" in a TV commercial in the U.S., could you?

I personally thought his interview with a matchmaking service was inspired. I have often wanted to find a woman with "good plow skills", but they are in short supply here in the Northeastern USA.

[VikingMoose]

"they are in short supply here in the Northeastern USA."

that's cuz that jackassed term "pie" is used for a pizza. 🙂

heh

[Jeremy]

Good satire is having a tough time in our PC culture...go Borat!

[Stevo Darkly]

You may see his promo for MTV Europe here.

Stevo is enjoying Borat promo! Also ifilm Madonna video with much stretching and bending. High five!

[erik]

If y'all haven't seen it, Ali G's Harvard commencement speechification is quite funny. And not just because he is either quite nervous/stoned and forgets his train of thought for a good 15 seconds at one point. It's on the bonus materials section of the Season 2 DVD. It is funnier than his cousin being struck in the hrum by and Uzbek giant.