Borat is getting sued..

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Should Borat have to pay damages for misleading and duping unsuspecting people ?

  • Yes

    Votes: 9 11.1%
  • No

    Votes: 58 71.6%
  • Yes in the case of the villagers, No for the American participants

    Votes: 14 17.3%

  • Total voters
    81
Yes, most definitely.

But it's possible Cohen figured the satire would be so obvious that no one would even consider believing his outrageous comments could be true and figure it would be all in good fun. He has done this before on The Ali G Show playing Borat in a village. I don't know where that village was but it was basically the exact same schtick. It's also possible that these villagers or someone connected to the village found out about the huge revenues of the movie and is trying to get their share somehow. If a suit was successful, how much money would directly go to the individuals of the village anyway? (again cynical:wink:)
 
I don't know if you've ever seen it, but there's a very interesting sketch that Baron Cohen did in his 'Bruno' character, a gay Austrian fashion reporter. He basically got chummy with all these student wrestlers and got them to do all sorts of homoerotic things, and then at the end he got one of them to say 'and hello to Austria Gay TV!'

The wrestler freaked out completely and apparently he punched one of Cohen's cameramen. And that reminded me of the frat boy story.

Still, sometimes I question myself why I'm laughing. It's like Dave Chappelle and his story about the racist pixie sketch he was doing - he suddenly felt he was being laughed at, rather than being laughed with.

The problem I have with Borat and with Baron Cohen's comedy in general, is that I wonder audiences now have a politically correct outlet for their prejudices, at the expense of someone who is probably from their same background (middle-class etc). I don't know if there ever is a palpable sense of 'hey, thank God it wasn't me on camera' too.

I don't really know. For the record I like Borat, Ali G and Baron Cohen and I will definitely see this film once it's released, but when he does dodgy things like putting the song about throwing the Jews down the well on the soundtrack of his movie, it removes the context of satire that is intended in the film (ie. of the folks in the bar singing along).

And I don't buy the argument just because Cohen is Jewish changes anything either.
 
trevster2k said:
Yeah, Borat should be ashamed of himself for introducing us to a town we never heard of filled with people we know nothing about in a country most of us can't find on a map and then exploiting them to make us laugh at our own ignorance.

Do you think it would of made a difference if it was filmed in another country?
 
Yes. These people were conned. I'd be furious if it happened to me. He gained peoples' trust under false pretenses. He was wrong.

I do however think some of the people were stupid for being fooled.
 
Justin24 said:


This is Ridiculous. You ok with him if he made fun of certain people (mainly right wing since you "HATE") them but you find it offensive when he makes fun of your glorious left wing?? If you watched the film he does make fun of Right wing people too, such as the Rodeo scene.

My glorious left wing?! :lol: when on earth did i mention that?
In one scene he makes fun of a racist and completely homophobic republican - he makes him look ridiculous because he is saying some really ridiculous stuff about gay people.
That I can deal with.
But making fun of feminists, who are furthering a just cause ... in my opinion thats just wrong.

I HATED this film and pretty much hate the people with such narrow minded homophobic views, and in my opinion they deserved to be belittled if they are willing to say such belittling things about other people.
 
Oh Plu-ease; making fun of sacred cows is the cornerstone of great humour, you may find it wrong, and thats fine, but there is a strong case that such edgy comedy is good for society. It's the only way to get at the humourless and dour fundamentalists who furthur causes, I think it's great and should be employed more against all targets of which I think that feminists are totally legit; along with the religious, gay, rich, poor etc.
 
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A_Wanderer said:
Oh Plu-ease; making fun of sacred cows is the cornerstone of great humour, you may find it wrong, and thats fine, but there is a strong case that such edgy comedy is good for society. It's the only way to get at the humourless and dour fundamentalists who furthur causes, I think it's great and should be employed more against all targets.

You're right - it is funny, especially for people that can take it all tongue in cheek.
But I know that most of the people going (especially where i live) to see it are teenage kids, and they are all adopting that ridiculous idea about feminists looking like men and it being acceptable for jewish people to be humiliated in such a manner.
Maybe the certifiate should have been higher.
I don't know if Borat should be sued, I don't know if its already been answered - but did the people featuring in the film know they were going to be in it?
 
The film hasn't come out yet (in Australia), but going on the basis of Da Ali G Show with the riviting Throw the Jew Down the Well what's wrong with highlighting anti-semitism by bringing it to the surface with an ignorant persona? Anti-Jewish attacks are on the rise all over, I don't think that highlighting prevalent views is part of the problem - it's part of the solution (plus it's really funny).
 
partygirlvox said:


My glorious left wing?! :lol: when on earth did i mention that?
In one scene he makes fun of a racist and completely homophobic republican - he makes him look ridiculous because he is saying some really ridiculous stuff about gay people.
That I can deal with.
But making fun of feminists, who are furthering a just cause ... in my opinion thats just wrong.

I HATED this film and pretty much hate the people with such narrow minded homophobic views, and in my opinion they deserved to be belittled if they are willing to say such belittling things about other people.

Feminists are just as narrow minded as racists and homophobes. They have a view of men that is totally behind the times.
 
I just think that alot of people aren't going to find it ironic, and some are likely to adopt those views.
Arguably people so niave shouldn't be allowed to watch films...
But it happens, I know plenty of boys in my school who have started quoting from the film and not in an ironic sense at all. Most of them actually think Borat is being dead serious, and that all the anti-semitism is hilarious in the literal sense.

However I thought Da Ali G show was brilliant, i was a huge fan and walked in Borat expecting to love it. :huh:
 
japes4 said:


Feminists are just as narrow minded as racists and homophobes. They have a view of men that is totally behind the times.

All of the feminists I know, myself included, are pro-choice. Not 'anti men' at all. I don't understand how you mean views of men which are totally behind the times?
 
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It should all be open for discussion and mockery, anyone who walks out of a movie and literally hates Jews was probably harboring that bigotry before (the film is hardly Der Ewige Juden) and misandry represented by bull dyke caricatures is offensive and I think funny, if only for the response.
 
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Butterscotch said:
Yes. These people were conned. I'd be furious if it happened to me. He gained peoples' trust under false pretenses. He was wrong.

I do however think some of the people were stupid for being fooled.

Yes the Americans were stupid and should be exposed in the way that some were, the bigots and misogynists esp.

The villagers in Romania however were conned and misled, they should be compensated.

I love the double standards of some here, I find it quite quite amusing and revealing.

dbs
 
trevster2k said:
So should Rick Mercer be open to lawsuits for Talking to Americans? He asked fake questions exposing the ignorance of people and getting a huge laugh. The people signed waivers and voila, appear on Canadian television looking like idiots.

http://home.comcast.net/~wwwstephen/americans/

Satire is sometimes cruel and I get the impression from the article that if they were paid more money, the village wouldn't have been so offended.

It also brings up the question, well, since we are all now so aware of these people living in an impoverished community, is anyone going to help them or just interview them about how they were misled? Perhaps the government of Romania should be doing more to help these people and eliminate the discrimination they face. Without their exposure on this film, which most reasonable people know is not factual (who would think they really drink urine, but then again there are the people from Talking to Americans :wink:), no one would realize their despair.

Trev,

As you read my posts you can probasbly gauge that I'm not too rigid of a personality.

You make some decent points on satire however you can't compare stupid Americans with impoverished and uneducated villagers; your analogy has holes in it.

It would have been better for Borat to have been upfront with the villagers; first, negoiated with those that wanted to participate, disclosng everything and then there would have been no law suits from Romania.

dbs
 
A_Wanderer said:
The film hasn't come out yet (in Australia), but going on the basis of Da Ali G Show with the riviting Throw the Jew Down the Well what's wrong with highlighting anti-semitism by bringing it to the surface with an ignorant persona? Anti-Jewish attacks are on the rise all over, I don't think that highlighting prevalent views is part of the problem - it's part of the solution (plus it's really funny).


Youre view is the same as mine pretty much. A lot of people here cant face those kind of attacks and a great way to bring them to light and deal with them is through humor. I dont see anything wrong with it. The entire controversy (aside from that village who probably have bigger issues than being portrayed wrong) is wrongly portraying people, but its actually portraying these people and their ridiculous ideas. I see nothing wrong with it. Then to know its all a joke.....just laugh a little maybe?
 
diamond said:


Yes the Americans were stupid and should be exposed in the way that some were, the bigots and misogynists esp.

The villagers in Romania however were conned and misled, they should be compensated.

I love the double standards of some here, I find it quite quite amusing and revealing.

dbs

I said they were stupid, I never said they deserved it. I voted in favor of him being sued!
 
I personnally think you have to have a lot of humor for that movie, especially if you are Jewish...

Me and my friends thought it was hilarious and we always say "Hi five!" to each other...

I vote with Borat because people shouldn't just assume something, they have to make sure of it, even if it has to be on paper, if everything was on paper then they should bring that to court (if they do) to even show it was on paper..
 
Where are you getting that idea from? None of them say that anywhere in the article.
 
hmmm wild ideas i guess...

"They made us look like primitives, like uncivilised savages. Now they're making millions but have only paid us 15 lei [around £3]."
-----
"He said he was ashamed, confessing that he only agreed to be filmed because he hoped to top up his £70-a-month salary - although in the end he was paid just £3."

everything boils down to money
and i mean that about both sides
 
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partygirlvox said:


All of the feminists I know, myself included, are pro-choice. Not 'anti men' at all. I don't understand how you mean views of men which are totally behind the times?

So feminism boils down to reproductive rights? That's the only qualification?
 
elevation2u said:
hmmm wild ideas i guess...

"They made us look like primitives, like uncivilised savages. Now they're making millions but have only paid us 15 lei [around £3]."

-----
"He said he was ashamed, confessing that he only agreed to be filmed because he hoped to top up his £70-a-month salary - although in the end he was paid just £3."

everything boils down to money

Yes, I noticed that the low wages paid to them were cited several times as an insult-to-injury type factor. But nowhere do any of them suggest that they "would have been okay with the film if they received more money"; on the contrary, it seems clear from the article that what disturbed them most was the way their lifestyle was portrayed and that this was not at all in line with what they'd been led to expect. That's quite a cynical leap to get out of it that they would have been happy to overlook all of that if they'd simply been paid more.

I just think it's unrealistic to expect people living in a remote farmers' and peddlers' village without even running water to be in a position to grasp the implications of it all being "just satire," especially given the language barrier. Rural Romania is nothing like anywhere in the US and Roma (gypsies) in particular tend to be extremely socially and culturally marginalized even relative to surrounding ethnic communities.
 
japes4 said:


So feminism boils down to reproductive rights? That's the only qualification?

...Sorry? I literally have no idea what your talking about!
I just basically think reducing the feminists in the film to just ridiculous 'men' wasn't funny.
 
Here's another article.
Note I only have a problem with what Borat did with the villagers.

I don't have too much sympathy for any of the educated Americans that chose to make fools of themselves.

Yolland if you could add a third option to the poll questions:

#3 Yes, but I think only the villagers should be compensated because they were taken advantage of much more than the Americans (or something to that effect) I'd apprecaite it.

Anyway here's the article:

Now Romanians Say 'Borat' Misled Them
Nov 14 9:08 AM US/Eastern

By WILLIAM J. KOLE
Associated Press Writer

GLOD, Romania






The name of this remote Romanian village means "mud," and that's exactly what angry locals are throwing at comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.
Cohen used Glod's Gypsies as stand-ins for Kazakhs in his runaway hit movie, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." Now offended villagers are threatening to sue the film's producers for paying them a pittance to put farm animals in their homes and perform other crude antics.



Residents and local officials in the hardscrabble hamlet 85 miles northwest of Bucharest said Tuesday they were horrified and humiliated to learn their abject poverty and simple ways were ridiculed for a movie now raking in millions at box offices worldwide.

"We thought they came here to help us _ not mock us," said Dana Luca, 40, sweeping a manure-stained street lined with shabby homes of crumbling brick and corrugated iron sheeting.

"We haven't got anything here. We haven't got running water. We can't even bathe," she said. "We are poor people, but we are still people."

Nicolae Staicu, leader of the 1,670 Gypsies, or Roma, who eke out a living in one of the most impoverished corners of Romania, said he and other officials would meet with a public ombudsman on Wednesday to map out a legal strategy against Cohen and "Borat" distributor 20th Century Fox.

Staicu accused the producers of paying locals just $3.30-$5.50, misleading the village into thinking the movie would be a documentary, refusing to sign proper filming contracts and enticing easily exploited peasants into performing crass acts.

Only five villagers have jobs at a nearby sanatorium and a stone quarry, Staicu said. The rest weave baskets, grow apples, pears and plums, gather mushrooms in the dense Carpathian Mountain forests rising above the town, or raise a few scrawny chickens.

With no gas heating or indoor plumbing, most keep warm with wood stoves and drink from wells. Horse-drawn carts far outnumber automobiles on unpaved, badly potholed roads, and mangy stray dogs growl and snap at strangers. Acrid fires smolder in trash piles on the outskirts of the village, and children _ their clothing worn and torn _ play in yards littered with stumps, scrap metal and other bric-a- brac.

"These people are poor and they were tricked by people more intelligent than us," he said. "They took one of our 75-year-old ladies, put huge silicone breasts on her and said she was 47. Another man they filmed to look like the poorest person in the world, and one of our men who is missing an arm had a plastic sex toy taped to his stump."

"We are suing because they were not truthful," added Staicu, who said he saw parts of "Borat" and was disgusted.

"They did not film reality," he said. "We've really had enough of this."

Neither Cohen's agent in London nor 20th Century Fox's offices in Los Angeles immediately returned phone messages Tuesday from The Associated Press.

The mood in Glod, meanwhile, was tense and volatile, with crowds of angry, shouting villagers repeatedly gathering around reporters.

One man was seen slapping his sister, who had appeared in the film, and slamming the gate to his ramshackle home shut to keep her from being interviewed. At another point, a resident threatened news photographers with a stick, and another pelted their car with rocks.

People in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, where the mustachioed Cohen's character hails from as a TV journalist on an adventure across America, also have decried how they are depicted in the film, whose opening scenes were shot in Glod.

Two members of a fraternity at a South Carolina university who appear making drunken, insulting comments about women and minorities also are suing 20th Century Fox and three production companies, claiming the crew liquored them up in a bar before filming and told them the movie would not be shown in the United States.

Not everyone in Glod is upset. Sorina Luca, 25, excitedly described how she was given $3.30 to bring a pig into her home and let the producers put a toy rifle into the hands of her 5-year-old daughter for one scene.

"I really liked it," she said. "We are poor and miserable. Nothing ever happens here."

But a 23-year-old woman who gave her name only as Irina said she felt bewildered and dismayed that Glod's poverty was reduced to a parody.

The smash success of "Borat," she said, just rubbed salt in Glod's collective wounds.

The film remained the No. 1 weekend draw at U.S. movie theaters for a second week, grossing $28.3 million, according to the latest figures released Monday.

"They made us put a cow in our living room, and they made it defecate and urinate in the house. Everyone's angry because they didn't pay them the way they should have," she said.

"They're making a lot of money _ but they've made us a laughing stock."
 
diamond said:
Note I only have a problem with what Borat did with the villagers.

I don't have too much sympathy for any of the educated Americans that chose to make fools of themselves.


Diamond, I thought you said that those of us who said as much were showing a double-standard.

Did I misunderstand you on the previous page, or have you simply changed your mind?
 
ms. corianderstem,

yes, i think you misunderstood, allow me to clarify.

contextually speaking i was referring to bleeding hearts who always champion the underdog, the down troddened and the like (usually those of the liberal mindset) but everything is thrown out the window due to the villagers signing a document they didn't understand (or were lied to about) all for a few laughs, labeling the villagers as "money hungry" ect.

get it?

dbs
 
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Ladies and Gentleman and other participants in this thread,

The Poll has been slightly modified thanks to a request and if you want to vote again you are free to do so.

I think i need to thank Yolland or whoever made this available.

Should Borat have to pay damages for misleading and duping unsuspecting people ?


1-Yes
2-No
3-Yes in the case of the villagers, No for the American participants

*See Poll at top of thread
 
diamond said:


contextually speaking i was referring to bleeding hearts who always champion the underdog, the down troddened and the like (usually those of the liberal mindset) but everything is thrown out the window due to the villagers signing a document they didn't understand (or were lied to about) all for a few laughs, labeling the villagers as "money hungry" ect.


:lol: Your "perception" of people makes me laugh.
 
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