Interview, it is nice · Issue 826

This week gair rhydd met Kazakhstan’s fourth most famous journalist, Mr Borat Sagdiyev. Si Truss had the privilege of getting a little advice from a fellow hack and learnt a thing or two about Kazak foreign policy along the way.

“I will not take questions from a woman.” A firm statement from the moustachioed Kazak sex symbol, it seems Borat is unlikely to be folding his controversial views to suit British etiquette. Meanwhile said woman, a perplexed-looking Scottish journalist, struggles to get her question acknowledged as Borat merely stares ahead ignoring every word.

It is quickly established that any present female wishing to address the man is going to have to do so through by having a male translator. Evidently this is not going to be an ordinary press conference.

In fact, when the Scottish gentleman in charge of proceedings attempts to keep Mr Sagdiyev in line he comes under the hammer of Borat’s unforgiving humour (“Ah Scottish! Like a drink, like a drink. You remind me of Braveheart, played by anti-Jewish warrior Melvin Gibson.”)

Political incorrectness aside, there is a purpose to Borat talking to us today. Out this week is his debut movie, the elaborately titled Borat: Cultural learnings of America to make benefit the glorious nation of Kazakhstan. This afternoon, stood on a makeshift podium in front of a shoddily assembled Kazak banner, Borat is here to tell us about his travels in America.

So what did the great man learn in the US?

“I was very surprised to learn something new, which is that you are no longer allowed to shoot at Red Indians,” he tells us; “and may I take this opportunity to apologise to all the staff at the Nebraska casino, how was I to know? There were no signs.”

“I am also big fan of American popular music,” Borat tells us of his views on US pop-culture. “I particularly like your singer Madonna. It is a credit that a transvestite can be so successful: in my country he would be in the circus.”

It seems, though, that there is a lot America has to learn from Kazakhstan, such as a little advice on foreign policy.

“We in Kazakhstan are very busy worrying about our own threat from neighbours Uzbekistan. We are concerned about their weapons of mass destruction and in fact we have reason to believe that within 10 years they will have the technology to develop their own catapults.”

Apparently the Kazak journalist thinks he could also teach the Americans a thing or two about what makes a good wife.

“A good wife must be strong enough to pull a plough and have a very erotic physique.” Borat informs us. “I like very much a woman with teat that make danglings. Current Miss Kazakhstan have a pair that hang one point three meters, one point four including milk valve. In Kazakhstan we like to attach rocks to them so that when you bend over it looks like you have four legs.”

Of course, on a more serious note, Borat is, in reality, the invention of Ali G. creator Sacha Baron Cohen and, at present, quite a controversial figure on an international scale.

The character, which Baron Cohen has been developing in one form or another since 1995, originally caused controversy when his antics on Da Ali G show caused some critics to label him as anti-Semitic. However, Baron Cohen, who is himself a Jew of Persian decent, claims that the racist and anti-Semitic nature of the character’s beliefs is actually a way of exposing and ridiculing racism through comedy.

More recently the character of Borat has come under fire from the Kazak government. After presenting the MTV European Music Awards in 2005 a spokesperson for Kazakhstan branded Mr Cohen’s behaviour as “utterly unacceptable” and threatened legal action.

So what’s the verdict on Borat? Is it really just comedy at the expense of racist laughs? Well, after seeing the film and meeting the man himself, we say the answer is probably ‘no’.

True there are a lot of anti-Semitic jokes and quips that, if delivered seriously, could be very offensive to women, gypsies, Kazaks and a whole host of other groups of society. The point though is that there is absolutely nothing serious about Borat.

While critics claim that it is hugely unfair to target Kazakhstan as the source of the joke rather than any other country, the truth is exactly the opposite of this. The comedy in Borat is at the expense of ignorance and the jokes about Kazakhstan are entirely at the expense of the West.

The reason the idea of a ridiculous Kazak journalist works is because there is a large section of society in Western Europe and America who are ignorant enough to believe that Kazakhstan really is a country of incest, racism and widespread prostitution.

To criticise Borat’s portrayal of the nation of Kazakhstan is essentially like criticising Airplane for the way it represents the aviation industry.

When, in scenes in the film, we see the unsuspecting American victims of Cohen’s creation acting so ridiculously, it’s hard to imagine that the joke is on anyone except the ignorance of some westerners. Take for example the US car salesman who answers with all sincerity the question “how fast will I need to drive this to kill a gypsy,” or the rodeo owner who believes all Muslims are terrorists. All in all it’s definitely Kazakhstan who has the last laugh.

It’s probably true to say that the reason Cohen is doing all the publicity for the film in character is to avoid having to answer questions about the controversy head on, but do we mind? Of course not. The film itself, which is directed by Seinfeld director Larry Charles, is, in all honesty, a hugely well made film and a genuinely funny piece of work; it would be a shame for questions of controversy to overshadow that. Plus, from our point of view, it would be hard to find a more enjoyable piece of journalism and a better means of film promotion than inviting us to meet Borat.

So what does Borat himself have to say about the controversy?

“Any reports that Kazakhstan unhappy with me is actually propaganda by evil nincompoops Uzbekistan, who as everyone knows are very nosey people as they have a bone in the middle of their head.”

And on the behaviour of Sacha Baron Cohen?

“I have no connection to this Mr Cohen and I fully support my country’s decision to sue this Jew.”

So one final thing: does the fourth most famous reporter from Kazakhstan have any interest in the great nation of Wales?

“Yes, I would very much like to meet Welsh prostitute Charlotte Church. I hear she has voice of an angel…

..and a virgin like a horse.”