2006-10-23 21:12:19 · 7 answers · asked by euphony 3 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
It is perceived as racist because that is the manifest content of his schtick as Borat. It is the latent content, however, which is more important. The ultimate butt of his jokes is not Kazakhstan or Kazakh people, but rather the people that he interviews and interacts with. By acting as the perfect stranger -- someone about which one known virutally nothing (the average American or Western European could not begin to locate Kazakhstan on a map...) -- "Borat" reveals a great deal about the people with which he engages. People will tolerate (and encourage!) the most ridiculous behavior from Borat because "that's how they must do it where he comes from", will reveal their innermost prejudices without hesitation because this stranger shares these prejudices, and will let him cross boundaries that they would not normally because they want to accomodate this strange person. In essence, the deepest humor of "Borat" is in revealing the hypocrisy of the people with which he interacts -- the differences in the way people behave when they are around members of their "in-group" versus how they behave when they think they are with a perfect stranger.
2006-10-23 23:28:04 · answer #1 · answered by coreyander 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If any humor is meant only as a joke then it is humor. Such as a stand up comedian on stage. But if this Borat is a news paper writer or something then it may be inappropriate.
I for one do not care if some one makes a joke about white people or christians, and that is the way it should be. A joke.
We must all be able to laugh at ourselves...
:o)
Jerry
2006-10-24 06:19:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure how a Jew making fun of Jews can be racist. Borat is a character, that is all. Its just comedy...if you are taking it seriously then you have some issues you should probably deal with. Better yet....if you don't like the Borat character...don't watch!!!
2006-10-24 09:44:25 · answer #3 · answered by Loli M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if Dave Chappelle's and Carlos Mencia's humor is racist.
They're all picking on the shortcomings of another people, Borat just picked a specific people to do a whole movie on.
2006-10-24 04:26:29 · answer #4 · answered by Answer 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, I remember the same type of Jokes we had as Irish People
to suffer up till the start of the 90's. On TV comedy shows had pleny of jokes about Paddies and Micks(Would you hear it now?) .. with the current hatred against people from Eastern European countries this so called 'Comedy' gives fuel to the ignorant. Interesting that he choose Kazakstan a Muslim country while Sasha Cohen is Jewish..appears to be someting very nasty underlying this
2006-10-26 06:55:38 · answer #5 · answered by john s 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no,its just good fun
2006-10-24 04:14:37 · answer #6 · answered by david UK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. Comedy is comedy...not racism.
2006-10-24 04:13:58 · answer #7 · answered by Just another nickname 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋