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Borat on Stern

Nov 27, 2006 8:18 AM
Tags: borat, film, humor, video

The film passed $100M this weekend.

Here's his appearance on Stern (xxx for language):

He deftly avoids saying anything quotable about Hitler.


Comments: Borat on Stern

The media pretending like he's a real person being being interviewed is annoying. The Daily Show is satire and Howard Stern is just a radio version of a trashy talk show, so they can be forgiven, but the "real" media can't.

Posted by: Od*ll on November 27, 2006 5:46 PM | permalink

Meant to add this to the last message...

His racial/national/ethic crap is accepted by everyone, why is that? Some of the stuff he says is pretty bad (eg, the utter bullshit about Kazakhstan).

Could Richards have pulled off similar if he acted like he didn't mean what he was saying? Could a Muslim go around pretending to be an Israeli and get away with the same stuff?

Posted by: Od*ll on November 27, 2006 5:58 PM | permalink

Well, the stuff he says about Jews is probably the most outrageous.

I think that the fact his *character* is a bigot grants him a lot of leeway (this is nothing new -- Archie Bunker was doing it before we were born), but it's hard to speculate what wouldn't be tolerated.

I think that, three years ago, it would have been unthinkable that a character who espouses anti-Semitism, anti-gypsyism(?), sexism, homophobia and slanders an entire nation would be the basis of a blockbuster film and part of a whirlwind tour of media appearances.

So, who knows -- any speculation I would have made on Borat's prospects would have been grossly innaccurate.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on November 28, 2006 9:17 AM | permalink

At least he has his limits (the Hitler bit). Do you think he was just not wanting to be quoted? I thought I sensed a bit of sadness/anger in his voice during that part.

Posted by: Od*ll on November 28, 2006 10:43 AM | permalink

Nah, I just think he's aware that if he did say something quotably positive about Hitler, it could have been the kernel of a backlash.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on November 28, 2006 11:18 AM | permalink

I couldn't watch all of it, it was just so uncomfortable. I got the feeling that Stern and his staff were trying to bait him into saying outrageous things, and the whole "let's pretend he's real!" thing is just overdone. I think that at this point, Borat is finished. Cohen should just move on.

Posted by: Steve Meister on November 28, 2006 4:56 PM | permalink

No more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.