It's satire isn't it?

By being so over the top Borat actually exposes a lot of what is wrong with the world.

I think that if laughing felt right, then laughing was right.
Mr. Cohen is no different than any African-American comedian using the "n" word. He, as a Jew, plays a character that illuminates things we would prefer we did not know about our society. We may be laughing our fool heads off, but we are also thinking. I am proud of Mr. Cohen.

What's also nice about Cohen is that he has three characters that he plays.

Ali G is cast as a stereotypical black man from the ghetto (I guess?) who scores interviews with leaders of many societies and asks foolish questions and acts very...loud.

Borat, the news reporter from Kazakhstan (sp?) is portrayed as anti-Semetic, anti-gay, and naive. He comes from a male dominated society in which the women are treated as farm animals. Then, he travels across the US spreading these lies about Kazakhstan and people believe him. It's an indication of how poorly Americans (and probably Canadians as well) understand other parts of the world. And when you have nobody else to confirm or deny the statements made, people tend to believe them.

Then, there is Bruno. He is a newscaster for the Amsterdam Gay TV station. He hasn't made a film yet but has signed a $42.5 million contract to produce one. Bruno goes to fashion shows and tries to model some designer's clothing, chats with male sports teams without revealing what the interview is for until afterwards, things like that. He is showing that people don't pick up on the homosexual vibe all the time but when they are told that the interview is for something like gay TV, they freak out.

Overall, Cohen is an amazing comedian in that he can stay in character under any conditions and can successfully pull off three widely varying characters in a way that makes it hard to believe that it's the same person in each situation.

Cohen reminds me of that legendary comedian Andy Kaufman of T.V. series Taxi. Kaufman was one of the most imaginative, original, and somewhat rude mocu-comic-dramatists in his ear. I am still haunted and humored by his characters: 'Latka', 'Tony Clifton', 'Intergender Wrestling Champion'.

I can think of a few names that could be added to the list. Lenny Bruce, who spoke alot of truth amongst his expletives. Andrew Dice Clay also comes to mind. I was supposed to be offended by Dice. My friends hated that I laughed at him, he offended my "group". I found him funny, even if I wear a few of the labels he saw as bullseyes.
Mr. Cohen hits a few of my labels too. Then again, he is still funny.

The ONLY people taken in by Cohen/Borat are people whose attitudes stretch to thinking that his wildly satirical character is is "real"; they are busting their butts to get on tele or in movies, even in Kazakhstan (a place for which they have nothing but the most crass and stupid stereotypes).
Now they are revealing themselves even further but less amusingly by suing on the basis that they were duped and their few moments of sought-after celebrity make them look like the assholes they are.
Believing Borat takes a sad mind to start with; and of course the bigots leap into the hole Cohen's dug for them.
He's merciless: his satirical humour reveals the dark side of his subjects and, yes, they are real people and their attitudes are frighteningly, disgustingly real too. look around and you'll find them.
Borat just puts bait our for them, and they come flocking.
Laughter's a good way to deal with at least some of the things you'd otherwise weep over.
Bravo Borat.

I haven't seen Borat but have heard that it's racist and sexist and laugh-your-ass-off funny... Here's my problem with it:

We could sit here all night and somehow find humour in racism, the Holocaust, hate crimes, pornography and more. Don't say we can't. Some people are very funny and clever and can twist everything into a riot.

But the bottom line? It's still wrong.

Taste, tact, morality and empathy are just a few of the things that enable people to refrain from crossing the line into those areas - whether just poking fun at the crime of it all or partaking in the crime itself.

I rarely go to films and I definitely won't be seeing Borat.
I have heard about his insults toward the Kazak people and his exploitation of rural Romanians, and it sounds to me that he is just a racist bully humiliating vulnerable people for laughs.
The fact that this comedian is a Jew is frequently mentioned. Is that significant, and if so, why?
Racist caricatures have a long history, including the blackface minstrel shows of the early 20thC US and the repugnant humiliation of Africans in old Mae West movies.
As far as the cause of anti-racism goes, I have to ask if this Cohen asshole is creating bridges between people or making peace. No? I didn't think so.
Will Cohen be doing any comedy acts to satirize racist, fascist Jews in North America and the Middle East?

People usually stick to what they know, maybe you should give it a try! Marzo

Borat is comedy.

Haha.

I have loved Borat since I first saw Da Ali G Show. Come on people it is time to laugh at how ridiculous our racism has become. All of Sacha's characters are funny and if you watch them and realize it is satire, you will be shocked that our world is in such a state.