Borat Make Funny Joke On Idiot Americans! High-Five!

[Djamila]

Sacha Baron Cohen is either horrible or hysterical. You choose.

By Joel Stein, TIME Magazine

The giant mustache, the mesh underwear, the cara*dragged by mules, the wine made of fermented horse urine--sure, it seems as if comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is mocking Kazakhstan.

He is not.

He's mocking you.

After all, you're the idiot who doesn't know where Kazakhstan is or if it's the kind of place where, as Borat claims, there's a "Running of the Jews." And more important, you're the idiot who believes so much in cultural relativism that you'll nod politely when a guy tells you that in his country they keep developmentally disabled people in cages. Or, worse yet, you're the person who tells him it's not a bad idea.

( Full Article Here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1552026,00.html )

Well, as expected BORAT is receiving much attention in Europe and America, as Americans laugh at the silly Kazakhs and Europeans laugh at the silly Americans who don't even know the whole thing is a joke.

It's reminiscent of "Talking with Americans" shows in Canada, France, Germany, and a few other European states like Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia, and Lithuania.

What do you think of such a movie?

 

[ayani]

that's a humiliating, but wholly accurate and rather funny assesment there, Mila. jeez.

*russian accent* "vat a country!"

 

[RevOxley_501]

amerikans are stupid


cept me


and you guys here

 

[Djamila]

I don't think Americans are that bad. It's one of the only countries in the world where you are likely to function your entire life without ever having to leave.

I think that's why they know so little about the rest of the world? But you have similar situations in Canada, Australia, and so on - and they're at least vaguely aware of the world.

Maybe it's just because America is so isolated in so many spheres? I mean, I couldn't tell you what the capitals of most American states are, but I could list every capital in Europe without problem (except always saying Istanbul, Turkey, even though I know it's Ankara). I think it's just we get away with knowing so much because I can say:

I know everything about 10 countries.

And that sounds big, but it's like an American saying, "I know everything about two states" - our countries are much smaller.

It's almost more connected. I get German television shows, French, even some from Morocco on basic cable in Bosnia.

I don't know a whole lot about Kazakhstan, but I'm vaguely familiar with the world enough to know what it isn't. I know the people are probably Muslim, the cities are probably communist architecture, the race is Eurasian of some kind, the language is probably Turkic or close, etc...

So I don't really understand it, but oh well. It's an interesting circumstance.

 

[evearael]

I think Borat is terribly funny... though I feel he goes a bit far sometimes.

As far as the mocking of American goes, we have our brilliant people and our village idiots just like everywhere else. I remember driving home from work one day, listening to the radio, when the dj announced a contest: Name three African countries and you get some prize. I thought, "Oh, that's too easy..." I drove all the way home without hearing ANYONE win. *Twitch* I was hopping mad. When I was a little girl, I had to memorize every country and capital, and be able to locate them along with major geographical features on the map.

 

[Djamila]

Yes, same with me. I did an online geography quiz, where it was broken up in regions.

I got all of European national capitals right almost flawlessly (mixed up Latvia and Lithuania), got all of Canada's provincial capitals right, got all of the Middle East's national capitals right (except Oman/Yemen, mixed up), got all of North Africa right, got all of both coasts of the US right... But Oceania (Australia, Far East), Central USA, and sub-Saharan Africa I gave up... I couldn't get them at all.

 

[Halcyon]

He's funny, but it's also scary how easily he can get people to show anti-semitism by mearly pretending he's culturally anti-semitic himself.

Getting people singing along to "Throw the Jew down the well" and asking which gun is best for killing "the ones with the big nose and the money", and then getting advice on which gun would be best, its funny in an ohmygod kinda way.

 

[Djamila]

Halcyon:

Yeah, I agree - hahaha. I remember when he goes into the country line dancing in America, and teaches them the "beat the Gypsy" dance - and they're just going along getting right into it, throwing punches to dance music. LOL

 

[Draka]

I don't think Americans are that bad. It's one of the only countries in the world where you are likely to function your entire life without ever having to leave.

I think that's why they know so little about the rest of the world? But you have similar situations in Canada, Australia, and so on - and they're at least vaguely aware of the world.

Maybe it's just because America is so isolated in so many spheres? I mean, I couldn't tell you what the capitals of most American states are, but I could list every capital in Europe without problem (except always saying Istanbul, Turkey, even though I know it's Ankara). I think it's just we get away with knowing so much because I can say:

I know everything about 10 countries.

And that sounds big, but it's like an American saying, "I know everything about two states" - our countries are much smaller.

It's almost more connected. I get German television shows, French, even some from Morocco on basic cable in Bosnia.

I don't know a whole lot about Kazakhstan, but I'm vaguely familiar with the world enough to know what it isn't. I know the people are probably Muslim, the cities are probably communist architecture, the race is Eurasian of some kind, the language is probably Turkic or close, etc...

So I don't really understand it, but oh well. It's an interesting circumstance.

Well, knowing that the US is larger than the entire European continent, and each state has it's own governments as well, we seem to get tied up in our own muck over here. A lot of the people here would actually like our government to concentrate more on our home issues than foriegn ones. We have enough problems here that just seem to get brushed under the political rug alot. I think that is why maybe some people don't bother as much with learning about what is going on in a country on the other side of the world from us. We, as a people, are more upset that nothing is getting done in our own country. Here we are spending billions of dollars on foriegn endeavors and meanwhile we have social security problems, homeless, unemployment, abuse, high murder rate, law enforcement problems, and our judicial system is screwed up as well, not too mention the tons of other things that cause strife, we have huge problems and yet, what are we doing about them? Yes, we might be "the richest country", yet only about 10% of our population has that wealth. We have a lot of the same problems in our country that we are trying to help out in others.

Maybe not an excuse for American Joe Shmoe's lack of knowledge of certain countries, but perhaps that gives an idea of why it happens.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I didn't realise thier are people that think the culture 'differences' are real. I thought it would have been obvious just by watching the trailers when he kisses his sister, then proudly proclaims she is the fourth best prostitute in Kazakhstan. (Which I do know where thats located on the map.) I still want to see it though.

 

[Capt. Haddock]

Jagshemash!

I think the guy is hilarious!

I started watching it when he first started with the Borat character on da ali G show in the UK. Don't think it's just the Americans he's picking on, he put the Brits on the spot back then. I think he had to leave the UK because everyone already knew who he was so he couldn't do his shtick there anymore. Same thing will eventually happen here in the US, especially after the film comes out...so watch out Canada and Australia, he may be headed your way next!

If you thought "Beat the Gypsy" or "Throw the Jew down the well" were bad, this is truly cringeworthy:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-M1AKVGD-FU

I think even funnier than Borat is the "Funkyzeit mit Bruno" sketch...totally makes fun of airheaded fashionistas. Brilliant!

Wowaweewa, nice!

 

[Mercy Not Sacrifice]

^ really, really wants to go see this movie

 

[Booko]

Well, knowing that the US is larger than the entire European continent, and each state has it's own governments as well, we seem to get tied up in our own muck over here. A lot of the people here would actually like our government to concentrate more on our home issues than foriegn ones. We have enough problems here that just seem to get brushed under the political rug alot. I think that is why maybe some people don't bother as much with learning about what is going on in a country on the other side of the world from us. We, as a people, are more upset that nothing is getting done in our own country. Here we are spending billions of dollars on foriegn endeavors and meanwhile we have social security problems, homeless, unemployment, abuse, high murder rate, law enforcement problems, and our judicial system is screwed up as well, not too mention the tons of other things that cause strife, we have huge problems and yet, what are we doing about them? Yes, we might be "the richest country", yet only about 10% of our population has that wealth. We have a lot of the same problems in our country that we are trying to help out in others.

Good points, Draka.

And even here, if you don't live on a coast somewhere, you might as well not exist.

Images of Georgia here in the U.S. are about as silly as Borat's version of Kazakhstan.

I think the whole family wants to see this movie. We'd go tomorrow, but duty at the Irish Dance Exhibition calls. Ah...next week!

 

[Djamila]

<snip>

...Sacha Baron Cohen, whose Kazakh journalist alter ego Borat is here to promote the film Borat: Cultural learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan.

In a tightly controlled press conference yesterday, Borat took only pre-approved questions from the media and read prescripted answers from an autocue in his trademark mangled English.
The only time Baron Cohen dropped out of character was when a journalist, denied the opportunity to ask spontaneous questions, stood up and sat down several times. Baron Cohen fixed him with a stare and said: "I make the jokes."
Borat introduced himself with a token "G'day, mate" and "throw another crustacean on the barbecue". The journalists laughed.
Asked what he thought of Australian women, he read from the autocue: "I like very much Australia. I am a huge fanny of your country and I have been made feel very welcome here."
He also wanted to win an Oscar for the Borat movie, preferably "for best anti-Jewish film, although there is, of course, very fierce competition from your Melvin Gibson".
Asked his reaction to the film's success, Borat read: "If the film was not a success my Government had made it clear that I would be executed. They were also relieved because the last time they used the electric chair in Kazakhstan all the lights in the capital city went out."



http://www.theage.com.au/news/film/...-questions-only/2006/11/13/1163266481586.html

 

[Djamila]

The real Kazakhstan is just as funny - but in its own special way...

 

[Capt. Haddock]

Kazakhstan is the greatest country in the world.

All other countries have inferior potassium.

All rise for anthem now:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-3QVAlIfIZ0

Picture above is take in Uzbekistan.

In Kazakhstan, it is horse who ride on woman.

 

[MaddLlama]

My brother in law got me into the Ali G show not long after it came out, so it's a little disappointing that I already know the joke without seeing the movie.
Still going to see it though. I love Sacha.

 

[BUDDY]

I thought the movie was funny. I thought that many people in the movie went along with Borats comments because they didn't want to appear rude. What is really rude to me is the idea that European have that all Americans are idiots and have no concept of what is happening in the rest of the world. That is really sad, and I for one and somewhat offended at the idea. I am also offended at the superiority complex of many Europeans.

 

[Djamila]

True, but it goes both ways, trust me. Europeans are anti-American... and Americans are pro-American to a point that strikes Europeans as naive, extremist, etc...

So you might not realize we're annoyed, but it crosses both ways.

 

[lilithu]

True, but it goes both ways, trust me. Europeans are anti-American... and Americans are pro-American to a point that strikes Europeans as naive, extremist, etc...

So you might not realize we're annoyed, but it crosses both ways.

There is a difference tho between being pro-self and anti-other.