2008 Woodie Awards
Borat discovers the true America
Healy, Brittany
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: Points Of View
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Despite mass belief nationwide, the republic of Kazakhstan does not keep women in cages. Nor can one earn a living being a Gypsy catcher.
Also, their nation's wine is not made from fermented horse's urine. These and many other falsehoods have been pushed in the limelight with last month's release of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
Sacha Baron Cohen, better known as Borat Sagdiyev himself, introduced his character "long ago" in 1994. By the year 2000, along with the huge success of Da Ali G Show, anyone who had premium cable knew exactly who this character was… and they loved him.
After the release of Borat, two Romanian villagers who were depicted as thieves and racists sued both the filmmakers and 20th Century Fox. The lawsuit stated that "the film didn't use a make-believe village or actors. It used a real village, with real life [villagers] and affected real lives."
Gregg Brilliant, a spokesman for Fox, replied saying that the village was used to represent a fictional village in Kazakhstan. "This scene and the entire movie uses satire to expose racism, bigotry, and intolerance," Brilliant said.
Sacha Baron Cohen is not unintelligent by any means, and his motives were not provoked by malicious intent or racism. Baron Cohen himself was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, and to this day he practices the religion.
He told Rolling Stone that he chose Kazakhstan simply because it was unknown - therefore he could make his own farfetched stereotypes about a former Soviet country. The movie is not poking fun at Kazakhstan, but at the people who believe that a country like the one Baron Cohen created could actually exist.
Borat is clearly making fun of America, not Kazakhstan. The majority of the movie takes place in the states, highlighting what America is famous for (or infamous, for that matter).
Borat tries to buy a Hummer, has an extreme infatuation with Pamela Anderson, visits women's rights activists, and even invites a prostitute over to have "dessert" at a Southern Baptist pastor's house.
Borat surely discovered America in his journey - the America filled with homophobia, racism, and above all, ignorance.
Also, their nation's wine is not made from fermented horse's urine. These and many other falsehoods have been pushed in the limelight with last month's release of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
Sacha Baron Cohen, better known as Borat Sagdiyev himself, introduced his character "long ago" in 1994. By the year 2000, along with the huge success of Da Ali G Show, anyone who had premium cable knew exactly who this character was… and they loved him.
After the release of Borat, two Romanian villagers who were depicted as thieves and racists sued both the filmmakers and 20th Century Fox. The lawsuit stated that "the film didn't use a make-believe village or actors. It used a real village, with real life [villagers] and affected real lives."
Gregg Brilliant, a spokesman for Fox, replied saying that the village was used to represent a fictional village in Kazakhstan. "This scene and the entire movie uses satire to expose racism, bigotry, and intolerance," Brilliant said.
Sacha Baron Cohen is not unintelligent by any means, and his motives were not provoked by malicious intent or racism. Baron Cohen himself was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, and to this day he practices the religion.
He told Rolling Stone that he chose Kazakhstan simply because it was unknown - therefore he could make his own farfetched stereotypes about a former Soviet country. The movie is not poking fun at Kazakhstan, but at the people who believe that a country like the one Baron Cohen created could actually exist.
Borat is clearly making fun of America, not Kazakhstan. The majority of the movie takes place in the states, highlighting what America is famous for (or infamous, for that matter).
Borat tries to buy a Hummer, has an extreme infatuation with Pamela Anderson, visits women's rights activists, and even invites a prostitute over to have "dessert" at a Southern Baptist pastor's house.
Borat surely discovered America in his journey - the America filled with homophobia, racism, and above all, ignorance.
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