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So not antisemitic

Wednesday, 16th May 2007

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Daniel Finkelstein puts Iain Dale straight for asserting that Borat is somehow antisemitic:

There has been a debate about this among Jews, with the US anti-defamation league attacking Sacha Baron Cohen. But I think (admittedly unscientifically, I haven't got a poll to hand) that the vast majority share my view. Borat is a vicious satire on anti-semitism.

I think East Europeans might have cause to be upset, but most Jews are laughing. Admittedly a little uncomfortably, since Borat's views are too close to those truly held by others for complete comfort, but laughing nevertheless.

Daniel is completely right. But here's something you might not know. Whenever Borat is supposedly speaking Kazakh in the film, he is actually speaking Hebrew. Sacha Baron-Cohen's private joke with Jews, I think.

 

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