Sacha Baron Cohen: A Candidate's Impression

His name really is Sacha Baron Cohen. Really! [Well, no, it's really Sacha Noam Baron Cohen.]

When I saw his movie (Borat), the credits listed him as Sacha Baron Cohen, though I thought that couldn't really be his name. Insert Noam and my disbelief grew.

Why did I think his name had to be a put on? Well, if someone walked up to me in real life and said, "I'm Such a Gnome Barren Cohen," or "I'm Such a Barren Cohen," I would think, "How self-deprecating," especially since "cohen" is another word for Jewish priest and Sacha himself is an observant Jew. [Of course, this rendering as "such a" works only if he pronounces that as "Satcha," as in "satcha deal," instead of as "Sasha."] But...this is not real life we're talking about.

Did I like the movie? Immensely.

Do I approve of Sacha's antics, on and off screen? Certainly. I have a special fondness for comedians who try to push the envelope, especially those who try to get a laugh at their own expense (as when, in Borat, Sacha nude-wrestles with a fat man and ends up with his face pressed up against his opponent's ass). Now there's a guy who's really willing to put it all on the line (as it were) in the name of his art. As far as his mock interviews are concerned, those remind me fondly of an art form called guerrilla theater.

I haven't followed Sacha's career prior to Borat, but Borat revealed a decent range as an actor - especially when Sacha curls up and cries. Beyond comedy (and acting talent in general), Borat's crude anti-semitic shtick could benefit the real world. Who knows? Maybe tensions in the Middle East could be defused with a good belly laugh or two. Too many people these days are too serious, and that's not working. So perhaps Sacha's got something here.

Side Effect: My curiosity about Kazakhstan, featured in Borat, was aroused, so I looked up some info. I was amazed to learn it's about four times the size of Texas! Maybe Borat will inspire others to investigate obscure names and places, which might not always remain so obscure.

Good show, Sacha!

END NOTE:

This blog entry is brought to you by Steven Searle, who is running for President of the United States in 2008. Unlike Sacha, I'm not play acting.

Steven Searle for U.S. President in 2008

The only candidate with a contract: "You wouldn't sell your house without a contract; why give your vote away?"

http://www.BestPartyAvailable.org/

bpa_cinc@yahoo.com