By Karim Hammam
Sacha Baron Cohen has apologized to the people of Kazakhstan for the first time over his portrayal of the fictional journalist Borat Sagdiyev. The 55-year-old comedian made the remarks during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, stating that the character "has got nothing to do with Kazakhstan."
Character origins and random selection
Cohen explained that he originally developed the character for the BBC, at which time Borat was said to be from Albania. The character's nationality changed depending on which channel was paying for the content, and Cohen mimed sticking his finger randomly on a map to illustrate how Kazakhstan was eventually chosen. "I went: 'Where is a place that no one knows anything about? Kazakhstan!'" he said.
Direct address to Kazakhs
Turning to the audience at New York's 92nd Street Y, Cohen added: "So guys, Kazakhstanis out there, maybe some of you have been sent here on a specific mission... I'm asking you to abort that mission. I mean no harm. I respect your people, your culture. Please do not take it personally."
Previous complaints and acknowledgment
The comedian recalled receiving a complaint from the Kazakh embassy when he first performed the character, which he acknowledged was "quite right." He admitted he cannot do a Kazakh accent and that Kazakhs "look nothing like Borat," noting the country is next to Mongolia. Cohen said the humor relied on the ignorance of audiences who could believe outrageous things about a place they had never heard of.
Current project
Cohen is currently promoting another sequel, Ali G: Who Iz I?, which one writer for The Independent described as "appalling."
