AUSTRALIA: Borat arrives in Sydney, satires Mel Gibson

Record ID: 554180

  • Title: AUSTRALIA: Borat arrives in Sydney, satires Mel Gibson
  • Date: 15th November 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMEDIAN, SACHA BARON COHEN PLAYING THE CHARACTER OF BORAT, SAYING: "Neither, I am hope to receive the Oscar for best anti-jewish film. Although of course there is very stiff competition from your Melvin (Mel) Gibson . I would like to say that we in Kazakhstan fully support the statements of Mr Gibson when he say that the Jews started all the wars. We
  • Embargoed: 30th November 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Australia
  • Country: Australia
  • Reuters ID: LVAAA1FG67FDQFJ0MS110113GPIW
  • Story Text: The English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays the character of a Kazakh journalist called Borat, is in Australia on Monday (November 13) to promote his new film, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for make benefit of Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan".
    Sacha Baron Cohen was surrounded by media and tourists as he arrived at the Sydney Opera House.
    The comedian was in character, talking to people on the street and giving his trademark cheesy smile and 'thumbs up' to the cameras.
    Baron Cohen entertained journalists with his politically incorrect remarks as the character of Borat.
    "How are you, Jagshemash. Good morning gentlemen and prostitutes. My name Borat. I like you, I like sex. I like very much Australia. Good day mate! Please put another crustacean (shrimp) on barbeque," he said to a press conference.
    Cohen's film, which takes a satirical look at American culture through a proclaimed Kazakh perspective, has already courted controversy for it's anti-semitic content.
    Asked whether his film would fall under the category of documentary or drama, Borat replied: "Neither, I am hope to receive the Oscar for best anti-jewish film. Although of course there is very stiff competition from your Melvin (Mel) Gibson . I would like to say that we in Kazakhstan fully support the statements of Mr Gibson when he say that the Jews started all the wars. We also have proof that it was the Jews who was responsible for the end of the dinosaur period. It's true".
    The film, in which ordinary Americans are interviewed without knowledge that the interviews are not real, has received threats of legal action for misrepresenting people featured in the film.
    But despite the controversy, the Borat movie has topped the US box office for a second week and worldwide box office in its first weekend.
    When asked which Australian woman he preferred, Borat picked Kylie Minogue's pop-singer sister.
    "I am also a fan of your Dannii Minogue. Waa-waa wee-waa. Very nice. And my eleven year old son Bilak is travelling here from Kazakstan and if he survives the journey I have promised he can make sexy time inside of her," he said.
    Baron Cohen is also the creator of the satirical Da Ali G Show, where Cohen plays the character of Ali G, an outspoken gangster character, known for his brash interviewing style.
    Borat has also been accused of displaying a derogatory portrayal of Kazakhstanis. Cohen, himself was born in to an Orthodox jewish family.
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