Sunday, November 26, 2006

Borat: For Make Benefit

Borat:_Cultural_Learnings_of_America_for_Make_Benefit_Glorious_Nation_of_Kazakhstan

Sasha Baron Cohen , aka AliG, aka Borat, is himself Jewish and British - something that has not hindered him of making humor about his origins; on the contrary, this only legitimates his humor, in the good old tradition both cultures share, of laughing of themselves.
His most recent film has been banned in Russia, is piling lawsuits in the US and even in Romania, country where the pretense "Kazakhstan" scenes where shot. Also needless to say, he is not welcome in Kazakhstan...


I guess Cohen picked Kazakhstan to be the homeland of his character because the name had the right ring; or perhaps for the vagueness of information about that country, in the west – either way, it must have been quite innocent, the reason for his choice.
As I see it, being European, I think there’s a bit of Borat in all of us, like there is an Ali G ready to get out, in all kids.


Some people find Cohen a genius, others a duchebag. Cohen probably finds it normal; I am actually one of the majority who find him a genius, and a quite brave one too.
I can understand that some people can’t see the funny side of his “setups” - but when States start to get offended… I mean, I don’t remember seeing Austria overreacting over Cohen’s pseudo-Austrian Gay fashion reporter…It's a spoof, relax, have a laugh!


Any resemblance with the Danish cartoons situation is, I hope, superficial.
Humor – according to Encarta Encyclopedia: “words or actions intended to cause laughter… often categorized broadly as Comedy, the humor of exaggeration or incongruity, and Wit.”

So, humor is humor, even if the joke’s on us… I, for one, don’t really mind to get hit in the face with cream pies, provided they are fresh…


PARTIALLY RECOVERED FROM: etquod 11.11.'06 SEE ALSO DOGMATISLAM 16.09.'06

No comments: