VARIOUS: "Borat" offends all in new film, supports Mel Gibson's anti-semitic remarks, and has harsh words for British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen

Record ID: 478677

  • Title: VARIOUS: "Borat" offends all in new film, supports Mel Gibson's anti-semitic remarks, and has harsh words for British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen
  • Date: 26th October 2006
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 20, 2006) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) SACHA BARON COHEN AS "BORAT SAGDIYEV," SAYING: "U.S. and A people are very nice, but something surprised me very much -- for example, you allow womens to drive a cars -- it is ridiculous! We say to let women drive a car is like to let a monkey fly a plane -- very dangerous! We have stopped letting monkeys fly planes ever since the 2001 Astan Air crash."
  • Embargoed: 10th November 2006 12:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVAKG3MCHRLN1B52UCKPPIH5XUE
  • Story Text: "Da Ali G. Show" star Sacha Baron Cohen's new film is bound to offend almost everyone when it opens world-wide next month. The British comedian plays the title role in "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," a learning journey that follows Baron Cohen's alter ego "Borat Sagdiyev" as he drives across the U.S. with his good friend, a camera, and a black bear. He encounters several Americans on his trip, and is taught how to interact in their society and blend in as one of them, even though it is a vastly different country from the Kazakhstan portrayed as Borat's homeland.
    "US and A people are very nice, but something surprised me very much -- for example, you allow womens to drive a cars -- it is ridiculous! We say to let women drive a car is like to let a monkey fly a plane -- very dangerous! We have stopped letting monkeys fly planes ever since the 2001 Astan Air crash," says Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as "Borat Sagdiyev."
    With his outrageous comments and behaviour, Borat has been a source of controversy -- both in the U.S and in Kazakhstan. The film depicts the oil-rich nation as a land of misogynists, racists and anti-semites whose favourite drink is fermented horse urine. Several groups have come to Kazakhstan's defense, but Borat's Cohen believes this to be a ploy from a nasty neighbour that borders "his" country.
    "There are advertisements claiming that we treat womens equally, that all religions are tolerated. These are disgusting fabrications that have been paid for by enemies of Kazakhstan, evil nitwits Uzbekistan, who as we know are very nosy people and they are using this opportunity to destroy the reputation of my country," says Sacha Baron Cohen as "Borat."
    Alarmed by the antics of the fictional TV reporter made popular on "Da Ali G. Show," Kazakh authorities recently invited Baron Cohen to come and see for himself the truth about their country. The Central Asian state's Foreign Ministry threatened Cohen with legal action last year after he hosted an international music show as Borat, who arrived in an Air Kazakh propeller plane controlled by a one-eyed pilot clutching a vodka bottle. The Kazakh authorities have shut down Cohen's www.borat.kz site, prompting a move to a new homepage, www.borat.tv. Regardless of the backlash, Borat claims the film is already a success in his homeland.
    "The film have already been released in Kazakhstan and it took the top spot from your Hollywood movie 'King Kong,' which had been the number one film in my country ever since it was released in 1932," says Sacha Baron Cohen as "Borat."
    The film's comic barbs target not only Kazakhstan but also other groups including Homosexuals, Jews, and Gypsies. In Germany, a group representing Roma and Sinti gypsies lodged a complaint with government officials in an effort to prevent the film from showing there, claiming it promotes violence and discrimination against Roma peoples as acceptable behaviour. The complaint is the latest to add to a series of protests against Baron Cohen, who was raised in a middle-class Jewish household in England.
    "I want to say one more time: I have no connection to Mr. Cohen and I fully support my government's decision to sue this Jew. I would like to agree with a statement by Melvin Gibsons when he said that the Jews created all the wars. This is not all -- we have evidence in Kazakhstan that they were also behind Hurricane Katrina, and were responsible for the end of the dinosaurs," says Sacha Baron Cohen as "Borat."
    "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" opens November 3rd.
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