Sasha Baron Cohen

This is almost too funny to be believed. You all remember the beginning of Borat where he’s introducing people in his impoverished village in Kazakhstan as rapists, prostitutes and abortionists? It turns out this is a REAL village in Romania and the inhabitants had no idea Sacha Baron Cohen was making fun of them – now they’re thinking of taking legal action. They told reporters from the UK’s Daily Mail that the movie people misled them -implying it was a documentary – and paid them only around $5 each. “We couldn’t understand a word they said and they made us look like uncivilized savages. ” The remote mountain village called Blod has around a thousand gypsies living mostly on welfare, in dilapidated huts without toilets, with only donkeys for transportation. None have seen the movie because the closest theater is 20 miles away. They’re trying to get organized enough to sue, but it costs money. And they’re not getting a lot of respect from their own leaders. The local vice mayor remarked “They got paid so I am sure they are happy. These gypsies will even kill their own father for money.” It makes you want to see the movie AGAIN.

As we left the theater, after laughing ourselves senseless watching the movie Borat, my companion raised the question of how much of the movie was staged and how much was spontaneous. It never occurred to me that ANY of the situations were staged – the victims seem so real. After investigating, we have decided that almost all the embarrassing encounters with innocent Americans were real. In fact, people victimized and humiliated in the film have started coming forward, calling themselves “Victims of Borat. ” The Veteran Feminists of America are particularly talkative about their “interview.” Borat’s “secret” is to have an apparently normal young woman make arrangements to pay victims and have them sign releases in advance. The feminists endured many hilarious jabs – Borat referred to one as “he” and at the end of the interview asked the women to lift their skirts. Pat Haggerty, the Washington DC public speaking coach who reeled when Borat mentioned having sex with his mother-in-law, simply said “They paid me money and deserved an hour of my time.” And he admits he’s enjoying his newfound fame. But, according to Fox’s Roger Friedman, TV news anchor Dharma Arthur claims Borat ruined her life. She was producer of the Jackson, Miss noon news show where Borat wreaked havoc and she ended up fired for booking him. It looks like Borats victims are very real and destined for notoriety themselves.

Sasha Baron Cohen (maybe the funniest man alive today) is busy promoting his new movie “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” which opens November 1. The movie looks like a sure hit but Sasha’s personal life is on hold. Whenever he’s appearing as Borat, Sasha grows out the bushy mustache and goofy hair and he’s stuck with the look for months at a time. Sasha says wherever he goes on a daily basis, people don’t recognize him and are repelled by his appearance and avoid him. He’s lucky to have a fiancee (actress-model Isla Fisher) because he says girls CRINGE when he looks their way. He looks forward to getting OUT of character.