I adopted from Kazakhstan: Should I hate Borat?
Not at all, I said. I think he's hilarious.
But the government of Kazakhstan did not appreciate the popularity that Borat was gaining--or the exposure that Kazakhstan was getting in this program. Most people barely heard of the country, but now they were hearing jokes about Kazaks having sex with animals and singing songs celebrating killing the Jews. The government didn't get the joke, and it is fighting Borat's soon-to-be released movie.
My first reaction was, Why doesn't Kazakhstan just use this opportunity to explain what Kazakhstan is really about? (Here's a good article on this.)
But now that the movie is coming out and I'm sure I'll be hearing jokes about Kazakhstan from lots of people, I'm wondering if I'll feel the same way...or if I'll feel the same way I felt when, upon learning my last name was Kruger, people--usually strangers---used to ask, "Any relation to Freddy?" (A little funny the first time...annoying the 100th time I was asked.)
The truth is, if Annie were 16, and not 5, she might feel uncomfortable having her ethnic heritage mocked by assorted relatives and acquaintances, who probably aren't getting the deeper message that Borat creator, Sacha Cohen, is trying to send.
Still....I will probably be first on line to see the movie, as I think the guy is really funny--and his jokes about Kazakhstan really aren't at Kazakhstan's expense so much as the racism and ignorance of Americans.
I just hope that those of us laughing at Borat will be laughing at the same jokes.
Stumble It!
posted by pam at 3:51 PM
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