Sasha Baron Cohen and Borat

British-born comic, Sasha Baron Cohen wrote his Cambridge thesis on Jewish involvement in the U.S. Civil Rights movement. In September of 2000, he was voted Personality of the year at the TV Quick Awards in London. His cousin, Simon Baron Cohen is a pre-eminent psychologist famous for his theory that autism is caused by an extreme “male” brain. Clearly, this London family did not lack for education.

He is also Borat Sagdiyev, Russian, a Kazakhstanian, the son of Asim Balat Sagdiyev and Boltolk the rapist. He is the former husband of Osana Sagdiyev who was the daughter of Mary Anne Pulakby and Boltolk the rapist.

Twentieth Century Fox released the movie, adding the disclaimer that the news corporation in no way supports the opinions stated in any interviews; or, commentary provided by this picture.

“Borat” opens with our Kazakhstanian Reporter covering the event of The Running of the Jew 2004. Apparently, an annual event, which is rather gruesome in spite of the fact that there is no violence. That is three minutes into the movie. From there, “Borat” is one long nasty Jewish joke. In an effort not to ignore folks who aren’t Jewish, Baron Cohen, or rather; Borat becomes a Born Again Christian at story’s end.

KAZAKHSTAN LEGEND?

If you have lost your mother recently or your younger sister has taken up prostitution, you may want to skip “Borat.” A scene more comic than any attempt made by Woody Allen thus far, is Borat’s and his Producer’s stay in a bed and breakfast on their way west across America. It is run by an elderly Jewish couple, who collect portraits of Jews.

Terrified and convinced their deaths are immanent at the hands of these Jews; our duo believes their hosts are shape shifting according to Kazakhstan legend. They flee the lodging in the middle of the night, convinced two cockroaches scattering on the floor have arrived to finish them off. However, not before Borat throws money at the bugs hoping to ward them off for good.

BORAT BASED ON FORGOTTEN RUSSIAN DOCTOR

Baron Cohen almost exclusively appears publicly as his alter egos: “Ali G.”, a lower class white male who acts like a Jamaican Londoner who pisses off his politically active and powerful guests with stupid questions; Borat; and, Austrian fashion expert Brüno, who gains great pleasure from making men uncomfortable with his blatant homosexuality. He was asked to appear in character as Borat at the 2006 Oscars, but he refused and went as himself.

When Sasha Baron Cohen appears as “himself,” he gives us a disappointing look into what inspired him to create Borat. In an interview with IMdB, Baron Cohen tells us that, “Borat is based actually on a guy I met in southern Russia. I can’t remember his name. He was a doctor. The moment I met him I was totally crying. He was a hysterically funny guy, albeit totally unintentionally.”

In the same interview, with regard to his fame in general, Cohen says, “I’ve been in a bizarre situation, where a country has declared me as its number-one enemy. It's inherently a comic situation. I mean, it's always risky when you don't go down the normal route. I wish I would've been there at the briefing that Bush got about who I am, who Borat is. It would have had to be great."

The inclusion of Borat’s retarded brother in the movie is simply another accomplishment in his shot for ridiculously bad taste.

Sasha Baron Cohen

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