How come Sacha Baron Cohen is able to act this way? Wouldn't I be called racist if I made a film this way??

Question

He's allowed to produce and film an altoghether tainted and biased view of a country (Kazakhstan) in fact quoting Yahoo today "ALMATY (Reuters) - Alarmed by the antics of a fictional TV reporter who portrays their country as a nation of horse urine-drinking misogynists, Kazakh authorities have invited the comedian who plays the character to come and see the truth for himself. " Which will undoubtably convince people out there that that is how these people live, eat, sleep and conduct business. I find it offensive that he's allowed to do this and I'm not from there!!
I thought the days of the 'Black and White Minstrels' were long gone. This is just the same but without the face paint! It is ridiculing these people/what have they done to this Jewish boy?Who can forget his country and western song called THROW THE JEW DOWN THE WELL which he did. Maybe THEY will if he continues! What do you think the public should do? Watch it or veto it? Does he need stopping? Hasn't he offended enough?

Answer 1

I agree that he is extremely offensive. I absolutely understand why someone would be and I'm not even Jewish. I guess the reason he is allowed to is that there is a difference between hateful deliberate racism and joking about it. Now that doesn't mean I support it, but Sacha is actually not racist himself. he is simply try to make jokes that shock and entertain. yes he makes fun of Kazakhstan, but he is also making fun of the stereotype Americans place on such countries. he went around acting absolutely crazy and ridiculous and many Americans were none the wiser! isn't this poking fun at the ignorance of Americans and how quick many of us are to accept stereotypes or be shocked if someone doesn't fulfill them? it goes in line with a lot of other comedians who have shocked such as George Carlin. they say really offensive things, but all in all there is a point behind it. How did Eminem the rapper make songs about hating homosexuals and basically slaugthering his wife?? the point is to offend and possibly (for the comedians anyway) to make someone laugh. the fact that they shock and offend is what gives them attention in the first place!! by getting angry you are simply fulfilling their intentions. should he be stopped? maybe, maybe not. he isn't going to be. he is simply going to have to accept responsibility for those he has offended. should we stop george carlin or chris rock or any other sharp mouthed comedians??? where do you draw the line??

Answer 2

OK lets get one thing straight, i HATE this guy, but his humour is tongue in cheek and ment sarcastically, in a similar way to lenny henry's 'it's because i'm black' sketch. To an extent he is trying to break down barriers by ridiculing stereotypes, unfortunately this is something which has to be understood before it could be found funny. The problem is that there are a minority people who do not understand this and either find it offensive or agree with him. In general i think it's a minority who don't understand which is why he is allowed to continue. Even taking away the underlying 'racism' i just find that the guy is reeeeeeaaaalllllly irritating!!

Answer 3

That's what he's aiming for. He is Jewish himself. In this film, he is mocking the Americans (Who, due to this film's evidence, seem to believe anything). Borat was soon realised to be fake in this country (UK), so he tried the American world. They fell for it hook, line and sinker!

If you read the quotes from the Kazakh spokesman he says (not exact words) "Some Kazakh people are offended, but we realise that this is simply a joke, and we are generally taking it as a joke."

He even invited Mr Baron-Cohen to visit Kazakhstan.

Answer 4

A very good question. I suppose it's all about context. Cohen's work is obviously MEANT to be humorous. I doubt if he has anything against Kazakstan, he just wanted a name that sounded remote, and a bit 'soviet', somewhere that very few Brits or Americans would have visited.
He couldn't really invent a name, that would have just sounded silly. Remember, we're supposed to consider 'Borat' a monster, like Alf Garnet, not sympaphise with him.
Go and see the movie, I'll be interested in your opinion of it.

Answer 5

Just so you know Sacha Baron Cohen is jewish himself so its kinda like matt stone being jewish and south park making fun of jewsa pretty much in every episode and also the prime minester of the country said that they felt no offence from it as they rarely get any publicity in the first place and those are hs words not mine.

Answer 6

Its meant to be satirical. He doesn't actually make the statement that he has the same beliefs as the character Borat. He is instead condemning them. He turns these racist slurs into being ridiculous and unacceptable. So in effect, anyone you come into contact with who seriously holds these beliefs you will be able to ridicule them using the satirical tools Sacha Baron Cohen has invented.

Answer 7

I can really see SBC playing the late great Freddie Mercury. Aside from the Borat/Freddie look, the fact that these two Brits also have other heritage in their blood (other than the whole uber hairy trait, I mean). It'll definitely be something interesting.

Answer 8

You don't get it do you?
as a Jew Sacha has the right to expose redneck behaviour and other in tolerances. his Ali G character was not black but took the mick out of white people who thought it was cool to take on a black persona....read between the lines and dont just jump in with criticisms before you have seen the bigger picture.
I`m sick to death of people taking things out of context and miss interpreting them. Knee jerk reactions are counter produtive.

Answer 9

Name me a comedy that doesnt take the mickey out of fraction of society? Thats why its funny because its a JOKE. Think for example of the Harry Enfield show. Do you think thats wrong? 'Tim nice but dim' takes the mickey out of the posh upper class English. 'Wayne and waynetta slob' Poor council estate English. Or what about Little Britain? They poke fun at nearly every british culture. Its just Harmless Fun. Do YOU think badly about Kazaks because of Sacha Baron Cohens character Borat? Please tell me you dont.

Answer 10

but he is not being racist - he is showing up racism - if anything he is offending the USA, and showing them up to be very stupid.

No one would be stupid enough to taint a full country of people from one COMEDIAN, i hope,

and the irony of Throw The Jew Down The Well, is that he is infact Jewish.

Keep going with your disguist and help to promote this very funny and poignant film!

Thanks