One refreshing addition to the Georgian blogosphere as the January election approaches is Georgia Ink, the blog of cartoonist Vladimir Shioshvili. With elections in the South Caucasus generally tense, Shioshvili injects some humor into proceedings by asking, for example, why was the State of Emergency lifted at 7pm?

Anyway, here’s hoping we get something similar here in Armenia in time for the February presidential election. Until then, Georgia Ink is at http://blog.shioshvili.com.

(more…)

Given that my 2.5 year old Siemens CX65 mobile died on me a few days ago thanks to an apparently inherent design flaw with the circuit board, time for some mobile phone humour. Myrthe at The Armenian Odar has more.

Earlier today I met a girl from Lebanon who had brought some things from my boyfriend’s parents for us. We didn’t know each other and we were supposed to meet on the Republic Square. This is part of the phone conversation we had when we were trying to find each other.

She: Are you standing in front of the museum?
I: Yes.

She: Are you wearing a black summer dress?
I: Yes.

She: Okay, I think I see you. Are you talking on the phone right now?
I: ….

(more…)

Aaron Johnson of What the Duck stumbled upon my blog and sent an email this morning pointing me in the direction of the latest instalment in his comic strip. This time he covers the issue of citizen journalism and photography.

(more…)

Blogian carries news that the BBC Russian site says Borat’s Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan will not be shown in Russia. Unfortunately, Simon thinks Armenia will follow suit and I guess he’s right. However, I live in hope that it will at least make it here on DVD and earn itself an underground following like South Park.

The decision comes after Kazakhstani, Jewish, Muslim (Azerbaijanis too?) and Gypsy groups and officials have talked against the movie. At least Armenians are not against, according to the report (since there is no mention of them).

I assume they will not show “Borat” in Armenia either. If they do, they will most likely (and I think they should) mute some Armenian words (at least one phrase) that are really offensive in the Armenian culture.

(more…)

With the Armenian President scheduled to make an official visit to Kazakhstan tomorrow, PanArmenian.net says that it will coincide with the second meeting of the Kazakh-Armenian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. However, Artyom at iArarat jokes that all might not be as it seems.

And so the rumor has it, that after meeting Premier George Walter Bush and complaining about the Borat phenomenon and the adverse effects thereof, Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev is planning a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Robot Robert Kocharyan to raise the issue of Azamat Bagatov’s Armenian background and find out whether they can jointly execute the guy.

(more…)

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.

Nothing to do with Armenia yet again, but as with music I like pointing local Armenians in the direction of those things that have defined my life entertainment wise. So, after being pleasantly surprised at the albeit small underground popularity of Da Ali G Show, and especially Kazakh journalist Borat, as well as the highly controversial and totally wicked South Park, now comes the turn of English comedy veterans Monty Python.

Monty Python casts a considerable shadow over modern comedy. As such, the term ‘pythonesque’ has become a byword in surreal humour. However, this is perhaps somewhat misleading, since the humour of Monty Python, whilst certainly nonsensical and surreal, is still strongly characterised by a preoccupation with the British social class system — most notably with British working class stereotypes. These themes cannot be said to be essential to surrealist comedy as a whole.

(more…)

Sometimes Armenians take themselves too seriously which is why it’s nice to find a site that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Besides, like other nations — and especially ghettoized and mono-ethnic ones — Armenians seem to dwell only on the dream rather than the reality.

Most of these armenians have weak impressionable minds that others can easily take advantage of. If your friend smokes weed, you smoke weed. If your friend dresses like a gangsta, you do too. If your friend has a gun, you get one too. This is cool if your 14 years old because its your age to act dumb and give in to peer pressure. But most of the people on this site are older than 14 years old. What I want to do with ArmenianIdiots.com is to try to show how incredably stupid they look and how unoriginal thier lifestyle is so that they might consider reevaluating whats important in thier lives and try to do something great with it. I dont understand how theres more armenians that would rather become gangsta rappers than doctors. Or how you can go on a computer, claim that your a hard gangsta and cuss people out online. Gangstas dont go online.

Still, pity the owner of the site can’t spell. Anyway, Armenian Idiots is at http://armenian-idiots.com/

Central Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia

By Zarchka

This is an expression that I can hardly translate, but if I could it would sound something like “New Year on top of all our problems.” In order to clarify this, I must explain that Armenians say “ooof” when they complain about something or if there’s a tiresome problem which is difficult to solve. One often, if not always, hears this sentence uttered by nearly all the citizens of Armenia, especially by women as men like to pretend that it doesn’t bother them at all. Why does New Year, which is so welcomed in Europe, the US and other countries, arouse so much discontent on the part of Armenians?

Let’s not hold back, and let’s speak openly. Armenia is not a rich country and people that can hardly make ends meet are more numerous than those who don’t lift a finger but still manage to make money. Yes, right, Armenia is a country of extremes, especially when foreigners call at an Armenian house only to be astonished by the amount of food presented to them. They might even think that Armenia only pretends to be in transition or a country of poverty because the poor in other countries cannot afford to lay a table with enough food to last for 10 days. On average, the total cost of such a table will be $300 as prices in the markets and shops are raised at this time of year.

In reality, Armenians like to show off.

(more…)

Last week, while visiting Georgia, this joke was doing the rounds:

U.S. President George W. Bush, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and Mikhail Saakashvili were called to heaven for a meeting with God. “The world will end next week and you must prepare your nations for judgement day,” God told the assembled Presidents.

Bush returned to the United States and addressed the nation. “There’s good news and there’s bad news,” he said. “The bad news is that the world will end next week. The good news is that there is a God.”

Putin returned to Moscow and spoke to his people. “There’s bad news and there’s even worse news,” he said. “First, next week the world will end. Even worse, as there are still many atheists among us, there is a God.”

The Georgian President went back to Tbilisi and gave a press conference.

“There’s good news and there’s even better news. Today, you will be pleased to hear that I, Mikhail Saakashvili, head of state of the Republic of Georgia, attended a private meeting with God and the Presidents of the U.S. and Russia.

“The other good news is that next week, all your troubles will finally be over…”