Sasha Baron Cohen | Harmless Fun or Criminally Offensive

[Trey of Diamonds]

Maybe I'm getting a bit long in the tooth but I just despise Sasha Baron Cohen. And it isn't recent either, back before America had heard of him, in his early Ali-G days I thought he was terrible. Then, when Borat came out I thought he was insulting and disrespectful, especially to the Kazakh people who I had spent 3 years with and didn't feel deserved such disrespect. Now we have Bruno whos latest stunt at the MTV awards was to stick his bare *** in Eminem's face. I can't say I'm a big fan of Eminem but I certainly don't think he deserved such disrespect and I can't see how forcing a gay character on a homophobe on national TV can be productive.

So, am I just too damned old or is this guy a real loser?

 

[Don Penguinoini]

He is as funny as hell, his Ali-G was amazing, as was Borat. Though his earlier Borat was much better than the movie.

I hate Bruno, though. He is a stupid annoying and most of all, un-funny character. Eminem had the right to punch him in the face if he wanted to.

But Sasha is a funny man, when he is not Bruno.

 

[Caladan]

Maybe I'm getting a bit long in the tooth but I just despise Sasha Baron Cohen. And it isn't recent either, back before America had heard of him, in his early Ali-G days I thought he was terrible. Then, when Borat came out I thought he was insulting and disrespectful, especially to the Kazakh people who I had spent 3 years with and didn't feel deserved such disrespect. Now we have Bruno whos latest stunt at the MTV awards was to stick his bare *** in Eminem's face. I can't say I'm a big fan of Eminem but I certainly don't think he deserved such disrespect and I can't see how forcing a gay character on a homophobe on national TV can be productive.

So, am I just too damned old or is this guy a real loser?

Back in the Ali G days I actually got kicks out of the show. Cohen made a spectacle of stiff people who take themselves too seriously, obviously there were those who got cought in the cross fire. I loved his Borat character at the time too, which was still a side kick of Ali G.

Many people found Borat (the movie) hilarious, and I have to admit I burst out laughing on various parts of the film. while his brutal method of entertainment has lots of proven potential (see 'throw the Jew down the well'), I have to admit I cringe at some of his methods and behavior.. I know that today its hard to be shocked by anything, and we all saw worse things, but the combination of having it on international medias doesnt always sit well with me. I guess im somewhere in between, on the one hand, I love the way he exposes the vanity and stupidity of many groups and individuals, on the other hand, I would love it if he toned down some of his actions, especially when not facing hillbillies, neo nazis, and other individuals who's mothers were scarced on milk and effection.

 

[Mister Emu]

I'd have to say that in all likelyhood that was staged...

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Personally, I find most of his bits hilarious. The exposure of peoples' hypocrisy and ignorance through humor contains a lot of insight and truth.

The Eminem thing was obviously a set-up, as everything on MTV (and pretty much everywhere else) is now.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

My problem with Cohen is his humor is disrepectful of others. I don't think its funny to make fun of people, I was always taught that was what bullys do. Cohen sets people up to look like fools so that he can make money at their expense. I don't care who they are, it isn't funny. Public humiliation used to be what was done to criminals, now its done to the innocents for a quick buck and often there is nothing they can do about it. How are we supposed to teach children that it's wrong to make fun of people and be a bully when Cohen is a hero to the masses?

 

[Caladan]

My problem with Cohen is his humor is disrepectful of others.

I can relate to that.

I don't think its funny to make fun of people, I was always taught that was what bullys do.

Although many if not most of his victims are bullies themselves.

Cohen sets people up to look like fools so that he can make money at their expense. I don't care who they are, it isn't funny.

Actually he doesnt need to make much effort in setting them for the show, many are genuine fools. if you notice many of those who are not, they either end up showing themselves in good light, or they turn the tables around at Cohen.

How are we supposed to teach children that it's wrong to make fun of people and be a bully when Cohen is a hero to the masses?

OK, I have to raise an eyebrow here. you dont honestly think that children and young adults are living in such a bubble? there will always be bullies, there will always be children who get their faces rubbed in the mud. best we can do is bring up children to be 'OK', not to be the bullies NOR the kids who get slapped around by the bullies.

 

[Circle_One]

I'd have to say that in all likelyhood that was staged...

I actually heard that it wasn't staged and Eminem was mad as hell. Heard he stormed out of the auditorium spewing profanities. That's what the local news said this morning, anyway...

 

[Kilgore Trout]

My problem with Cohen is his humor is disrepectful of others. I don't think its funny to make fun of people, I was always taught that was what bullys do. Cohen sets people up to look like fools so that he can make money at their expense. I don't care who they are, it isn't funny. Public humiliation used to be what was done to criminals, now its done to the innocents for a quick buck and often there is nothing they can do about it. How are we supposed to teach children that it's wrong to make fun of people and be a bully when Cohen is a hero to the masses?

I haven't seen him bully anyone. He sets people up to make themselves look like fools. I personally find it hilarious and poignant.

Also, this isn't really humor for children.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

I haven't seen him bully anyone. He sets people up to make themselves look like fools. I personally find it hilarious and poignant.

Also, this isn't really humor for children.

They still watch it

 

[Kilgore Trout]

They still watch it

Children watch all sorts of things that aren't appropriate for them. It's never an argument to stop producing those things, but it is an argument for more parental responsibility.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

OK, I have to raise an eyebrow here. you dont honestly think that children and young adults are living in such a bubble? there will always be bullies, there will always be children who get their faces rubbed in the mud. best we can do is bring up children to be 'OK', not to be the bullies NOR the kids who get slapped around by the bullies.

Oh I agree that you can't raise them in a bubble but it's hard to get them to understand being a bully is bad when bullying is rewarded to such an extreme. If I tell my child that being a bully is something you get punished for she could say, but why does Sasha get to do it and he makes lots of money doing it so why can't I?

Not that this is the only example of bad morals being glorified but it is one that really annoys me personally. He was actually easier for me to ignore before Borat, but that one really ticked me off because I had just come home from spending 3 years in Kazakhstan and none of the people I met there deserved the disrepect Cohen showed them.

 

[Caladan]

Not that this is the only example of bad morals being glorified but it is one that really annoys me personally. He was actually easier for me to ignore before Borat, but that one really ticked me off because I had just come home from spending 3 years in Kazakhstan and none of the people I met there deserved the disrepect Cohen showed them.

I hear you. but the fact that the Kazakh government has taken it as a personal offence to their national pride and the way they used the media to counter Borat has only played into Borat's satire and popularity.

I can relate to your sensitivity to Borat, but at the same time in the past years I got kicks out of his shows, so im trying to take the good with the bad. satirists of the likes of Cohen are bound to take it too far. but perhaps in a way its people like him who break social taboos and myths.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Children watch all sorts of things that aren't appropriate for them. It's never an argument to stop producing those things, but it is an argument for more parental responsibility.

I watched all of his stuff since I was young. I think i'm fine. (Enter comment)

 

[3.14]

personaly i find borat a bit offencive because he breaks one of the unspoken rules
(using 1 of the forbiden tactics to gain popularity and money)

 

[monta]

Mostly I find him funny though I admit watching threw my fingers sometimes, but I have to say I thought there was no need for Borat to be based on a real country it could just as easily been fictional and if anything it would have been funnier, that people didn't know it wasn't even a real country.

In general he is about exposing peoples hypocrisy and prejudice and Ali G interviewing the head of the FB aye is still one of the funniest things I have seen. He should never be forgiven for that Madonna video though.

 

[Poisonshady313]

Oh I agree that you can't raise them in a bubble but it's hard to get them to understand being a bully is bad when bullying is rewarded to such an extreme. If I tell my child that being a bully is something you get punished for she could say, but why does Sasha get to do it and he makes lots of money doing it so why can't I?

Not that this is the only example of bad morals being glorified but it is one that really annoys me personally. He was actually easier for me to ignore before Borat, but that one really ticked me off because I had just come home from spending 3 years in Kazakhstan and none of the people I met there deserved the disrepect Cohen showed them.

It's too bad that you're unable to appreciate his humor for what it is... instead you personalize it. Like a Jew getting offended at Jew jokes... or a black guy getting offended at black jokes... or whoever south park makes fun of getting angry at the makers of south park.

The people he's trying to fool don't know any better... and the people he's trying to entertain do. Anybody can find something to be bitter at borat about... and not just Kazakhstanis.... women, Jews, homosexuals...... but they don't complain so much, because rather than take it personally, they get the humor.

And... if I'm not mistaken, the movie did incredibly well in Kazakhstan.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

It's too bad that you're unable to appreciate his humor for what it is... instead you personalize it.

I admit that Borat brought it to a personal level but why is it too bad for me not to appreciate Cohen? Does everyone have to appreciate other peoples humor? Am I some how less of a person for not laughing at him?

Like a Jew getting offended at Jew jokes...

Shouldn't Jews be offended at Jewish jokes? I've heard some that offended me and I'm not Jewish.

or a black guy getting offended at black jokes...

They do, does that make them wrong? What a strange position.

or whoever south park makes fun of getting angry at the makers of south park.

South Park humor pokes fun at groups more than individuals and even when they make fun of an individual they aren't doing it under false pretenses. Where I disagree with Cohen is his representing himself as one thing to gain trust of an individual in order to make them look foolish for his own personal gain.

 

[Zephyr]

I don't really find him all that funny, but I have to respect those who would take trolling off the internet and into real life.

 

[Poisonshady313]

I admit that Borat brought it to a personal level but why is it too bad for me not to appreciate Cohen? Does everyone have to appreciate other peoples humor? Am I some how less of a person for not laughing at him?

No... but to deem him a loser because you think he's offensive, in my opinion, says you missed the point, regardless of whether or not you think it's funny.