Borat!

[meta]

Carol---I think the intention there is that Khazakstan is supposed to be a very anti-Semitic place <...>
I don't know if that is in fact a big component of Khazak society, but I think Cohen wants us to understand him as saying it is...

I grew up in Kazakhstan, and it is definitely not an anti-semitic place. But then, very little of what you see in Borat is a big component of the Kazakh society.

Some people in Kazakhstan are outraged by Borat. I don't share their feelings, but I find it sad that someone would just randomly pick a country and make it the target of his jokes.

 

[exile]

I grew up in Kazakhstan, and it is definitely not an anti-semitic place. But then, very little of what you see in Borat is a big component of the Kazakh society.

Some people in Kazakhstan are outraged by Borat. I don't share their feelings, but I find it sad that someone would just randomly pick a country and make it the target of his jokes.

Meta---you grew up there??? Wow...

I suppose all this Borat stuff looks really different to someone who actually knows the place...

 

[meta]

I suppose all this Borat stuff looks really different to someone who actually knows the place...

It sure does

Hm... I wanted to comment on what Kazakhstan is really like, but this is really not the point. Why anyone would pick a country (any country) and make its people look like, hm, idiots is completely beyond me. Oh well

 

[exile]

It sure does

Hm... I wanted to comment on what Kazakhstan is really like, but this is really not the point. Why anyone would pick a country (any country) and make its people look like, hm, idiots is completely beyond me. Oh well

Yeah... why Khazakhstan...?

There's precedent for this sort of joke, though not at the same level of ferocity that Borat seems to be at. Rick Mercer, a very clever Canadian comedian and all-around wise guy, had a show a few years back called Talking to Americans, I think it was, where he would show up in American cities with his crew of `reporters' and interview people about amazing new developments in Canada, like the fact that Canada was supposedly going off `metric time' and adopting the 24-hour clock instead (wild enthusiasm for the idea!), or vital pressing questions---e.g., how Canada was thinking of scrapping its navy, since it didn't have any coasts, and what Americans think about this (sage agreement from a bunch of students and the odd faculty member at some Ivy League college, if I recall)---hysterical!

 

[matt.m]

I saw it this past Saturday. I thought it did a good job at making fun of stupidity.

 

[Kreth]

I think I'll be looking forward to this about as much as Napolean Dynamite. In other words, not at all.

 

[crushing]

I grew up in Kazakhstan, and it is definitely not an anti-semitic place. But then, very little of what you see in Borat is a big component of the Kazakh society.

Some people in Kazakhstan are outraged by Borat. I don't share their feelings, but I find it sad that someone would just randomly pick a country and make it the target of his jokes.

Apparently people in Kazakhstan aren't the only ones upset with the way they are depicted in the movie.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061114/ap_en_ot/romania_borat_backlash

I haven't seen it.

 

[mantis]

Apparently people in Kazakhstan aren't the only ones upset with the way they are depicted in the movie.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061114/ap_en_ot/romania_borat_backlash

I haven't seen it.

people are only suing him because he made money doing the film. But hey, this is another lesson about america that he should have learned! Anybody can sue you in the US

 

[Cruentus]

I grew up in Kazakhstan, and it is definitely not an anti-semitic place. But then, very little of what you see in Borat is a big component of the Kazakh society.

Some people in Kazakhstan are outraged by Borat. I don't share their feelings, but I find it sad that someone would just randomly pick a country and make it the target of his jokes.

I don't know if it was so "random" though, that he picked Kazakhstan. I am not sure what it was like when you grew up there, but the government is frequently cited for human rights abuses:

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61656.htm

Now, the government is not synonomous with it's people. For example, I have met many people of Iraqi, Saudi, and Arabic descent that are good people who don't fit the profile of extremist Islamic terrorists. But, certianly the Kazakhstan government doesn't appear to be a champion of civil liberties.

As to religion, it seems that Kazakhstan claims to be a secular state, so I would have to agree that it doesn't seem overtly anti-semetic. However, relegious organizations have to be licensed by the government to operate, which has led to reports of different Christian and Jewish practitioners running into problems with law enforcement and citizens, who again aren't exactly being reported as good examples of protecting human rights.

What makes the movie "Funny," however, is not that Cohen makes fun of a country or it's people. It is the reactions of some of the people in our country (U.S.) who can be so egocentric in world view and not understanding of other cultures, and who didn't realize that "Borat" isn't for real. But, if I have to explain that to someone, it probably won't be funny to that person anyhow.

What I would be interested in, Meta, is hearing about your experiences growing up in Kazakhstan, the culture, and what it is really like. I know that would certianly help broaden my worldview, as well as others here. Perhaps that would be the topic of a good thread in the study? I don't know, but I think that would be cool...

Paul

 

[Ceicei]

I have not seen the movie, and I'm not sure if I really want to. The type of humor it is said to show isn't really my line of humor.

Anyway, I found an interesting opinion commentary about how the journalists are reacting to the Borat character. See the link below:

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_4664851

- Ceicei

 

[Cruentus]

Old daily show clip with Cohen:

Recent news clip with "Borat"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elu1AxDHupA&mode=related&search=

It's interesting to see him how he "normally" is out of character...

 

[Cruentus]

Here is Cohen on Letterman, talking about all his characters, including Borat:

 

[meta]

I don't know if it was so "random" though, that he picked Kazakhstan. I am not sure what it was like when you grew up there, but the government is frequently cited for human rights abuses

Paul, thank you for your comments. I visit Kazakhstan often enough to know what's going on there and I must say life has gotten much better in the past few years. These are not just my observations; I hear it from my friends and acquaintances all the time.

This is not to say that there are no human rights or other abuses, but I don't think that this is the reason why Kazakhstan was picked by the creator of Borat.

I don't think this is the right place to discuss politics. Thank you for suggesting starting a new thread in The Study, but this thread is likely to turn into a heated discussion, which is something I want to avoid.

 

[Cruentus]

Paul, thank you for your comments. I visit Kazakhstan often enough to know what's going on there and I must say life has gotten much better in the past few years. These are not just my observations; I hear it from my friends and acquaintances all the time.

This is not to say that there are no human rights or other abuses, but I don't think that this is the reason why Kazakhstan was picked by the creator of Borat.

I don't think this is the right place to discuss politics. Thank you for suggesting starting a new thread in The Study, but this thread is likely to turn into a heated discussion, which is something I want to avoid.

You won't get anything "heated" from me, because I am not emotionally invested enough in the issue. Also, I genuinely would like to hear different viewpoints on the subject. So, if you do decide to talk more about it, I'm all ears. Thank you for your reply.