Rabbi Grossman and some of our respondents worry that the character of Borat will be taken as anti-Kazakh, which in turn triggers a mind-numbing satiric chain to untangle: a Jew mocking Kazakhs mocking Jews…
In fact, one of the most salient aspects of Baron Cohen’s performance is that he rarely gives an interview out of character, appearing in the media as Borat to the point that he routinely refuses to grant interviews to female and Jewish interviewers. (Apparently he’s willing to make an exception for Jon Stewart–even Borat’s not that dumb.)
Pushing his persona one step further heightens the absurdities of identity politics that Baron Cohen is looking to highlight. As Ali G would say, “Is it because I is black?”
Borat--Archie Bunker or Andy Kaufman?
Thursday November 2, 2006
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About Virtual Talmud
This blog is no longer updated and is closed for comments. We welcome your comments about Judaism in our Judaism forums.
Brad Hirschfield currently blogs on Windows and Doors.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. Listed as one of the nation’s 50 most influential rabbis in Newsweek, and a regular commentator on Court TV, he is the creator of the popular series, Building Bridges, airing on Bridges TV, and the co-host of the weekly radio show, Hirschfield and Kula.
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I dont think Jews need another Jew beating himself up for fame and fortune. their is nothing funny about self hatred and further more all the people who already hate Jew's are enjoing this. Welcome to planet Earth!.
Iama, I think you've missed the point. Cohen is not self hating, he's exposing the ridiculousness of other's bigotry and prejudice.
Exactly so, kauko15. He points up how far folks will go to accomodate extremes and the danger in us all that is to be found in not wanting to stand out as the one that says, "Hey, wait a moment...that's not right." It's why we are looking at almost three thousand dead Americans while Iraq is no more peaceful and safe today than it was the day before we showed up to make it so.
I think Borat/Cohen is a genius. He's exposing anti-semitism while also mocking it, much as Lenny Bruce did in his routines. Offensive---probably. But brilliant comedy and social commentary---definitely.
revelation chapter 16 verse 13,14,,i saw 3 unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the beast the 3 spirits are demons working miracles,decieving the leaders of the earth.frog mythology around the world is about witchcraft,and fertility sexual rites,the book of exodus the frogs were egyptian frog gods,that were homosexual frog gods,each of the plagues against egypt were against egyptian gods,revelation,the 3 frog spirits are homosexual demons,deceiving the leaders,dove symbology is HOLY SPIRIT,sacrifice,lamb symbology is JESUS,frogs are witchcraft,homosexuality,today the witches are united,with homosexuality to attack christianity.revelation is about to be fullfilled