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I Smell a Borat [A review by Ben Stein]
American Spectator ^ | December 27, 2006 | Ben Stein

Posted on 12/27/2006 8:36:11 AM PST by Quilla

Let's talk about Borat. I finally caught up with it at my local theater here in Rancho Mirage not long ago. It made me laugh a few times, but basically I hated it. Here's why.

1.) The auteur and star of the movie, Sacha Baron Cohen, is a Jew of high degree in England and now in Hollywood. But much of the movie is viciously anti-Semitic. This includes not just some but many "jokes" about killing Jews, about how Jews are the devil, about how Jews will kill for money, about how Jews are like cockroaches (the last a direct steal from Joachim Goebbels, who compared Jews with breeding rats and insects). This is in a world where we just lived through an anti-Semitic holocaust with the same themes and another is promised by the terrorists in Iran.

These are not funny jokes. These are really just old-fashioned sickening racism disguised as hipness. It's also a smug joke by Sacha Cohen which is basically his endlessly saying, "I hate Jews, too, even though I'm Jewish, and hey, I guess I don't look Jewish because I can say all these horrible Jew hatred things and no one says, 'Hey, what are you doing? You're a Jew.'"

It's repulsive.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antiamericanism; antisemitism; blameamericafirst; borat; christians; cohen; culturewar; jews; notfunnymcgee; propaganda
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To: Quilla

I'm Jewish and have no interest in seeing the movie. It's not the anti Semitism but his shtick is so lame. I gave this idiot a fair chance by seeing a few youtube videos of his.

But he is lame lame lame lame. Essentially recycled Polish jokes


161 posted on 12/30/2006 7:30:40 AM PST by dennisw
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To: Quilla

Ben, you need to buy a clue.


162 posted on 12/30/2006 7:32:16 AM PST by carolinalivin
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To: justshutupandtakeit

Stein is totally wrong here but for what it's worth, Hitler apparently loved Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator'. Chaplin later said that, had he known what was going on Germany at the time, he never would have made the film.


163 posted on 01/04/2007 3:19:09 PM PST by Borges
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To: Borges

Chaplin didn't know what was going on in Germany? That is hard to believe.


164 posted on 01/05/2007 8:06:34 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
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To: justshutupandtakeit
It was made in the late 1930s. The industrialized genocide in Germany that was to come was still only being planned.
165 posted on 01/05/2007 8:13:07 AM PST by Borges
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To: SunStar
Well, actually he just accurately showed how crazy the members of a certain Pentecostal church were. And they were indeed nuts (and not because they were Christian).

Why do I not even remember this scene?

166 posted on 01/05/2007 8:13:29 AM PST by TankerKC (32570 21R)
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To: Quilla
Ben Stein missed the joke completely. It's a send up on the Muslim nations of Central Asia - Borat's anti-Semitism is a mark of his deranged primitivism, as is his inability to use the toilet correctly.

Americans come across well in this film - warm and remarkably tolerant of Borat's antics, if somewhat bemused.

Regards, Ivan

167 posted on 01/05/2007 8:15:49 AM PST by MadIvan (I aim to misbehave.)
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To: Borges

Right and the plight of Jews there was well known throughout the world since most were desperately trying to get out. Given Chaplin's communist connections I find it impossible to believe his comment.


168 posted on 01/05/2007 8:17:33 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (If you believe ANYTHING in the Treason Media you are a fool.)
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To: Quilla

No way have I ever intended to see this flick. It's just one more representation of the crap that comprise 99% of what Hollywood spews out these days. Not worth the time or money.

Go see Night At The Museaum instead, if you haven't already. It's a reminder of the good entertainment that a movie can still be....without all the racism, smut, nudity, language, violence, blood, gore or other Hollyweird trademarks of today.


169 posted on 01/05/2007 8:18:24 AM PST by prairiebreeze
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To: Quilla

I saw Borat. I laughed; I cried; it was much better than 'Cats'.


170 posted on 01/05/2007 8:18:46 AM PST by Lazamataz (Me a skeptic? I trust you have proof.)
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To: Dominic Harr

FYI.
He is supposed to be from Kazakhstan.
A former soviet republic (muslim).
A place where Russia liked to dump toxic waste.
Also know for the local practice of 'bride stealing'.
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kz.html


171 posted on 01/05/2007 8:21:58 AM PST by Unassuaged (I have shocking data relevant to the conversation!)
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To: Zack Nguyen

Supposedly there is a scene where he makes fun of some born-agains. They believe him and want to save him.

He thinks it's funny.


172 posted on 01/05/2007 8:46:05 AM PST by ladyjane
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To: sarasota

There's a point in South Park???

who knew.


173 posted on 01/05/2007 9:24:42 AM PST by altura
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To: altura

Not to my knowledge yet my two daughters (32 and 23) love S Park. I find it more than offensive but that's just me.


174 posted on 01/09/2007 6:41:50 AM PST by sarasota
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To: what's up

Vulgarity has its place if used with skill. Monty Python, Mel Brooks...


175 posted on 01/11/2007 2:56:10 PM PST by Borges
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