Thursday, September 28, 2006

Kreplachistan

I have not seen the Borat movie, but nonetheless I will opine about it. I think Borat would like that.
It is unfortunate that Sacha Baron Cohen chose the name for Borat's country of an existing country which is having a zirotsky because Borat is making fun of it.
Apparently, it is not the most democratic of places, like so many of the other former Soviet states. They should lighten up. I bet that all the publicity may even increase tourism to Kazhakstan. Capital: ?
Perhaps he should have called it Kreplachistan (this lovely name comes from one of the Austin Powers movies) or something made up. But he didn't. I understand their concern. If somebody did the same thing about Mexico, it would hurt my little heart, as it does when I see others making stupid fun of it (not witty fun of it, which would be cool).
However, in defense of Borat, the point is not that he represents Kazakhstan, but that he represents a brand of stupid, boorish person that is ubiquitous pretty much everywhere. Ignorant, mysogynistc, homophobic and antisemitic: there are people like that all over the world. The humor comes from the fact that people like Borat seem to think it is normal in this day and age to behave as if you live in the stone age, and hate women, gays and Jews. His innocence about modern civility is hilarious.
I welcome Borat because he shows these people (not the Khazakhs, but the Borats of the world) for the troglodytes they are. If only they were as sweetnatured as him.

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