Borat’s Armenian Connection
Now that Artyom is back from Armenia and Karabakh, he’s posted news of an Armenian connection in the controversy that is Borat. The U.K.’s Guardian newspaper reports that as everyone’s favourite Kazakh journalist made his way around the U.S. for the mockumentry, Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, his sidekick, Azamat, was played by ethnic Armenian actor Ken Davitian.
The film involves Borat leaving his home in Kazakhstan to come to the United States and record a documentary at the behest of the Kazakh Ministry of Information. He leaves behind his mother, wife and the town rapist, bringing along his obese producer Azamat. While in America he watches an episode of Baywatch and falls in love with Pamela Anderson, so he buys a dilapidated ice cream truck and drives from New York to Los Angeles to have her vagin and make her his wife. Through the course of his trip he interviews people from across the country. Most of the movie is not staged; rather, Cohen, in character as Borat, interviews and interacts with people who do not know they are being filmed for a movie (they later sign releases allowing the footage to be used). In one scene, which rather worryingly is not staged, Borat goes into a gun shop and asks the man behind the counter: “Which gun would be best to shoot the Jews?” The man recommends to Borat a 9mm handgun without flinching. Some other comedic highlights include a naked wrestling match between Borat and Azamat which spills over into a crowded business seminar, and Borat’s appearance on a crowded beach wearing only a tiny green wrestling thong which stretches from his crotch over his shoulders. Also throwing a decorative bag over Pamela Anderson’s head to try to capture her to marry her. For the movie, Borat made a song called “You, Be My Wife” with spectacular and bizarre Croatian keytar player Belinda.
According to Wikipedia, while Borat, played by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen from Da Ali G Show speaks Hebrew, Polish and Czech to Americans who can’t differentiate it from Kazakh, Davitian speaks Armenian. Anyway, as a big Ali G and Borat fan, I’m really looking forwards to seeing this film if it ever makes it to Armenia. The film’s official site here.
The BBC has a story on how Borat fooled the U.S.
The full story is here.
Premiere also has a review of the film online:
The full review is here.
Comment by Onnik — October 27, 2006 @ 12:41 pm
Sorry! I saw Sacha Baron Cohen in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and I came away wondering why this guy was inserted into an otherwise hilarious film. He was nothing more than an over acting distraction. Too bad when there are so many good British actors looking for work in Hollywood. To me, he just doesn’t have the chutzpah.
Comment by Darwin Jamgochian — October 27, 2006 @ 5:08 pm
I saw the Borat film today and I distinctly recognized the language spoken by the rotund sidekick as Armenian. Regardless of what you may think about the film, I was so excited to hear the Armenian language spoken in mainstream media. I have just started taking Armenian language courses and it was very exciting to be able to recognize the language in such an unexpected setting.
Comment by Anoush P. — November 5, 2006 @ 7:19 am