Was Kazakhstan make benefit?

If you want to make coke-flavoured slushy spew out your nose (and I know you do), go see the new Borat movie, like Dara and I did, with friends Laird and Harrison. As long time fans of Borat (having owned the Ali G DVDs for a long time now), Dara and I were so excited to see the latest (and possibly last) work of genius from comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, at least in his Borat character. For those who get offended by Cohen's portrayal of Kazakhstan as being a backward society of anti-semites and trogladite prostitutes, or who deride his comedy as an attack on American society, I have this to say: this is satire people.

Satire is offensive because it challenges accepted notions of society, and shines an awkward light at the things we value. Borat plays an outrageous character who either repulses people with his behaviour, or finds acceptance, as when real people in the film advise him on the most efficient speed for running over a gypsi, or the best weapon to kill a jew. "Borat: The Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," is not for the faint of heart. Desensitized young men like me who didn't cringe through most of "Freddy Got Fingered," found themselves covering their eyes during one or two key moments in the movie. Hilarious, yes. But disgusting.

Few people will question Sacha Cohen's brilliance: his ability to totally immerse himself in character, while thinking quickly on his feet. He is the epitome of quick-witted, and his brand of comedy, while being impossible to reproduce, will cast a long shadow for future comedians to measure themselves against. But this movie shouldn't be over-analyzed. At its heart, it is a simple comedy that will make you gush coke-flavoured slushy out your nose.


Side note, I just saw a preview for a new show about the Canadian Secret Service called "Underfunded." The only related agency I can think of in Canada is actually called C.S.I.S. (Canadian Security Intelligence Service), but it looked funny anyway. The agent takes the bus from place to place, and connects to the internet through dial-up. Might be funny.