Well, it can't be worse than a very bad gypsy attack.
November 17, 2005 4:56 PM Subscribe
Borat likes you. Do you like Borat? Not everyone does. Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry is threatening to sue to prevent the country from being presented in a "derogatory way" by the caricature, a brainchild of UK comedian Sacha Boren Cohen, aka Ali G. [more inside, dziękuję]
Borat's perceived anti-Semitism has provoked the ire of various Jewish institutions, but it's not just Kazakhs and Jews who want to throw Borat Sagdiyev down the well (coralized wmv): "I hope you kill every man, woman and child in Iraq", he told a Virginia audience, and he talked one Mississippi Republican Congress candidate into stating that Jews will go to hell (embedded QT).
Meanwhile, UK newspapers are rushing to the fore disspell some of the myths about Kazakhstan created by Mr. Sagdiyev.
Bonus links:
New Yorker article | Borat at the MTV Europe Music Awards | Borat soundboard (swf) | Unofficial Borat Homepage
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:01 PM on November 17, 2005
Meanwhile, UK newspapers are rushing to the fore disspell some of the myths about Kazakhstan created by Mr. Sagdiyev.
Bonus links:
New Yorker article | Borat at the MTV Europe Music Awards | Borat soundboard (swf) | Unofficial Borat Homepage
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:01 PM on November 17, 2005
False advertising: that wmv is not coralized. It should work though.
I'm sorry, I like you.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:06 PM on November 17, 2005
I'm sorry, I like you.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:06 PM on November 17, 2005
Are we in such a state as a world society that we learn our international sociology from a comedian?
(At least this time no one can say, "Stupid Amurricans don't know nothin' about the world outside their borders." Now it's Europe and Asia that are the silly ones!)
posted by Fontbone at 5:10 PM on November 17, 2005
(At least this time no one can say, "Stupid Amurricans don't know nothin' about the world outside their borders." Now it's Europe and Asia that are the silly ones!)
posted by Fontbone at 5:10 PM on November 17, 2005
(from the 'Jewish Institutions' second link):
While we understand this scene was an attempt to show how easily a group of ordinary people can be encouraged to join in an anti-Semitic chorus,” the letter read, “we are concerned that the irony may have been lost on some of your audience
And the irony of the irony being lost of some of the audience is lost on you. Wow, that hurt to think, much less type.
posted by lumpenprole at 5:12 PM on November 17, 2005
While we understand this scene was an attempt to show how easily a group of ordinary people can be encouraged to join in an anti-Semitic chorus,” the letter read, “we are concerned that the irony may have been lost on some of your audience
And the irony of the irony being lost of some of the audience is lost on you. Wow, that hurt to think, much less type.
posted by lumpenprole at 5:12 PM on November 17, 2005
Are we in such a state as a world society that we learn our international sociology from a comedian?
I like the Daily Show. Do you like the Daily Show? Dziękuję!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:13 PM on November 17, 2005
I like the Daily Show. Do you like the Daily Show? Dziękuję!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:13 PM on November 17, 2005
Are we in such a state as a world society that we learn our international sociology from a comedian?
Well, I now know that in Kazakhstan, horse can vote, but woman cannot.
Also, sue him how? In comedy court? How does the government of Kazakhstan sue a British citizen? I mean, they can do it in absentia and issue one of those blanket "should he ever set foot in this country..." bench warrants, but, oh, no, then he'd never get to go to Kazakhstan!
Plus, I thought Jews were the experts on the whole subject-position-humor thing. I mean, its ok to laugh at the singing, dancing Hitler in the The Producers because it was written by a Jew, right?
posted by ChasFile at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2005
Well, I now know that in Kazakhstan, horse can vote, but woman cannot.
Also, sue him how? In comedy court? How does the government of Kazakhstan sue a British citizen? I mean, they can do it in absentia and issue one of those blanket "should he ever set foot in this country..." bench warrants, but, oh, no, then he'd never get to go to Kazakhstan!
Plus, I thought Jews were the experts on the whole subject-position-humor thing. I mean, its ok to laugh at the singing, dancing Hitler in the The Producers because it was written by a Jew, right?
posted by ChasFile at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2005
If you haven't read the articles from "Jewish Institutions" link and the last name Cohen didn't mean anything to you...he is jewish.
It is like doing it with my sister!
posted by reverenddrjice at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2005
It is like doing it with my sister!
posted by reverenddrjice at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2005
Borat isn't telling you the full story. There are around 50 things about Kazakhstan worth knowing.
posted by takeyourmedicine at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2005
posted by takeyourmedicine at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2005
During the last uproar over this, I'm sure I saw a Kazahk representative on television having to meekly admit that some ridiculous game about hunting women on horseback in owl masks* that Borat referenced was actually true.
*or similar
posted by fire&wings at 5:19 PM on November 17, 2005
*or similar
posted by fire&wings at 5:19 PM on November 17, 2005
Welcome to Metafilter, takeyourmedicine. Maybe you'd like to start by reading some links. :)
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:19 PM on November 17, 2005
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:19 PM on November 17, 2005
47. The international dialling code for Kazakhstan is +7.
Oooh, that totally invalidates this post!
posted by interrobang at 5:20 PM on November 17, 2005
Oooh, that totally invalidates this post!
posted by interrobang at 5:20 PM on November 17, 2005
Damn, yeah, fire&wings, I forgot to mention:
Previously discussed: (1) (2) (3) (4)
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:21 PM on November 17, 2005
Previously discussed: (1) (2) (3) (4)
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:21 PM on November 17, 2005
Upon hearing that Borat represented their country as a place where women were kept in cages and the national drink was made from fermented horse urine, Kazakh embassies officially protested.
*cries for the death of irony*
posted by matteo at 5:24 PM on November 17, 2005
*cries for the death of irony*
posted by matteo at 5:24 PM on November 17, 2005
Stupid Amurricans don't know nothin' about the world outside their borders." Now it's Europe and Asia that are the silly ones!
Um, I didn't read about any Europeans singing 'throw the jew down the well' to a Jewish presenter.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:26 PM on November 17, 2005
Um, I didn't read about any Europeans singing 'throw the jew down the well' to a Jewish presenter.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:26 PM on November 17, 2005
Welcome to Metafilter, takeyourmedicine. Maybe you'd like to start by reading some links.
Whoa, that was totally snarky, wasn't it? Let merephrase truncate that:
Welcome to Metafilter, takeyourmedicine.
Ahh, that's better. I'm sorry, I just took my medicine.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:27 PM on November 17, 2005
Whoa, that was totally snarky, wasn't it? Let me
Welcome to Metafilter, takeyourmedicine.
Ahh, that's better. I'm sorry, I just took my medicine.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:27 PM on November 17, 2005
No, no matteo. This is the death of irony:
The national drink is actually called kumiss, and it's made from fermented horse milk, not urine. If one meal can claim to be the "national dish", it is beshbarmak - flat noodles with boiled horseflesh on top, usually eaten with the hands.
posted by felix betachat at 5:28 PM on November 17, 2005
The national drink is actually called kumiss, and it's made from fermented horse milk, not urine. If one meal can claim to be the "national dish", it is beshbarmak - flat noodles with boiled horseflesh on top, usually eaten with the hands.
posted by felix betachat at 5:28 PM on November 17, 2005
he is jewish
Not just jewish, but according to the New Yorker, he's observant.
I guess that means he keeps kosher and sends his girlfriend to the mikvah once a month?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:31 PM on November 17, 2005
Not just jewish, but according to the New Yorker, he's observant.
I guess that means he keeps kosher and sends his girlfriend to the mikvah once a month?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 5:31 PM on November 17, 2005
Meh, I'd eat horse if offered. Probably tastes like gyros, right off the bone.
posted by interrobang at 5:32 PM on November 17, 2005
posted by interrobang at 5:32 PM on November 17, 2005
Not only is Cohen unfunny (in my opinion), he's not exactly original. Does anyone else see just a little bit of Mahir in Borat?
I like sex
-Mahir
I like sex
-Borat
Hmm.
posted by gohlkus at 6:09 PM on November 17, 2005
I like sex
-Mahir
I like sex
-Borat
Hmm.
posted by gohlkus at 6:09 PM on November 17, 2005
"Are we in such a state as a world society that we learn our international sociology from a comedian?"
Well, it's an improvement over writing "Here be dragons" on that part of the map. Sorry to ruin the "information age" for you, but not a whole lot of people know a whole lot about places they've never been.
posted by Eideteker at 7:35 PM on November 17, 2005
Well, it's an improvement over writing "Here be dragons" on that part of the map. Sorry to ruin the "information age" for you, but not a whole lot of people know a whole lot about places they've never been.
posted by Eideteker at 7:35 PM on November 17, 2005
I mean, its ok to laugh at the singing, dancing Hitler in the The Producers because it was written by a Jew, right?
That is true. We also get to make jokes about our WASPy, white-bread peers, the amount of bacon they eat, and how blonde and vanilla they all are.
/poking fun
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha'olam shelo asani goy!
posted by Jon-o at 8:54 PM on November 17, 2005
That is true. We also get to make jokes about our WASPy, white-bread peers, the amount of bacon they eat, and how blonde and vanilla they all are.
/poking fun
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha'olam shelo asani goy!
posted by Jon-o at 8:54 PM on November 17, 2005
i (heart) borat!
posted by chronic babe at 9:29 PM on November 17, 2005
posted by chronic babe at 9:29 PM on November 17, 2005
There are around 50 things about Kazakhstan worth knowing.
I love this:
Sacha Baron Cohen's comic creation portrays them as a band of goat-punching, woman-caging, urine-drinking anti-semites; the Kazakhs, understandably, object, and are threatening legal action. So what is central Asia's most obscure nation really like? Ed Caesar reports . . .
13. Borat's sister is a prostitute - "maybe second or third in whole of Kazakhstan". She is not alone. The country features in an official American report as one of 15 countries that has not done enough to combat people-trafficking.
Whew, I'm glad they cleared that up. There for a second the world might have bought Baron-Cohen's vicious slander about Kazakhstan's lack of female sex slavery.
posted by dgaicun at 9:32 PM on November 17, 2005
I love this:
Sacha Baron Cohen's comic creation portrays them as a band of goat-punching, woman-caging, urine-drinking anti-semites; the Kazakhs, understandably, object, and are threatening legal action. So what is central Asia's most obscure nation really like? Ed Caesar reports . . .
13. Borat's sister is a prostitute - "maybe second or third in whole of Kazakhstan". She is not alone. The country features in an official American report as one of 15 countries that has not done enough to combat people-trafficking.
Whew, I'm glad they cleared that up. There for a second the world might have bought Baron-Cohen's vicious slander about Kazakhstan's lack of female sex slavery.
posted by dgaicun at 9:32 PM on November 17, 2005
that'd be ♥ borat, chronic babe
♥ = & hearts, minus the space
posted by Jon-o at 9:35 PM on November 17, 2005
♥ = & hearts, minus the space
posted by Jon-o at 9:35 PM on November 17, 2005
A friend of mine teaches a graduate student pre-teaching (for their assistanceships) writing class at my university and last week, while his students were presenting their home countries, a young man from Kazan, Tatarstan talked about problems with "jews and gypsies." I can imagine Borat making such a presentation in a classroom.
posted by vkxmai at 9:47 PM on November 17, 2005
posted by vkxmai at 9:47 PM on November 17, 2005
That's "♥", Jon-o. & — because recursion is fun!
posted by Eideteker at 9:58 PM on November 17, 2005
posted by Eideteker at 9:58 PM on November 17, 2005
I like to make romance in the mouth - high five!
posted by jikel_morten at 6:02 AM on November 18, 2005
posted by jikel_morten at 6:02 AM on November 18, 2005
Yet it is true that Kazakhstan has a problem with transport, because it is very big.
posted by iamck at 9:49 AM on November 18, 2005
posted by iamck at 9:49 AM on November 18, 2005
Agreed. But that doesn't mean throwing the entire notion of transport down the well would solve anything.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:57 AM on November 18, 2005
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:57 AM on November 18, 2005
Oh! Yes, then we would have a big par-TEE.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 8:10 AM on November 19, 2005
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 8:10 AM on November 19, 2005
You must watch out for his claw!
posted by ludwig_van at 11:44 AM on November 25, 2005
posted by ludwig_van at 11:44 AM on November 25, 2005
gohlkus - Yes, I have been pointing that out for about a year at least that Borat is a poorly disguised Mahir. I do however, still find him funny.
posted by longbaugh at 11:59 AM on November 25, 2005
posted by longbaugh at 11:59 AM on November 25, 2005
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posted by docgonzo at 5:01 PM on November 17, 2005