[whataretheysaying] Mary Madigan: Kazakhs hate Borat - NOT

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Posted by Mary Madigan:
Kazakhs hate Borat - NOT
http://whataretheysaying.powerblogs.com/posts/1164512726.shtml


   Via [1]CBC

     A Kazakh novelist says actor Sacha Baron Cohen, creator of the
     character Borat, deserves a national award for popularizing
     Kazakhstan.

     Sapabek Asip-uly, known for several novels describing the Russian
     colonization of the former Soviet state, called on the Kazakh Club
     of Art Patrons to give Baron Cohen its annual award...

     Borat "has managed to spark an immense interest of the whole world
     in Kazakhstan, something our authorities could not do during the
     years of independence," Asip-uly said in a letter published by the
     Vremya newspaper on Thursday.

     "I truly hope my initiative will be supported for the benefit of
     the glorious nation of Kazakhstan," Asip-uly said...

     Borat is doing a great service for the country, Asip-uly said.

     "If state officials completely lack a sense of humour, their
     country becomes a laughing stock," he said.

     Government officials in the former Soviet republic have been
     objecting to Borat's antics for months and shut down a Borat
     website earlier this year, saying it makes a laughing stock of
     Kazakhstan.

   Asip-uly appears to be using Borat to take a few potshots at the
   current Kazakh regime.

   Since tje regime usually imprisons and tortures critics, and since
   they seem to be tolerating this dissent due to the publicity Borat has
   provided, good for him.

References

   1. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/11/24/borat-kazakh.html