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Arkansas fight fans fall for Baron Cohen stunt

JON GAMBRELL

The Associated Press

Latest comment posted at 12:14 PM EST 08/07/08

Cage fighting card turns out to be prank for future movie starring the Borat comedian ...Read the full article

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  1. Ryan Ginger from Canada writes: If the folks from Arkansas weren't uneducated idiots--yes, I said it--this prank would never have worked. Cohen is funny.
  2. Ryan Hickman from Canada writes: surprised the rednecks would part with $1 beers so easily like that!
  3. Dennis Rice from St. John's, Canada writes: Ryan (Ginger):

    I don't see where the 'uneducated' part comes into play here. Seems like a pretty straight-forward bait & switch to me.

    Then again, I didn't laugh once during Borat, so maybe it's just my sense of humour.
  4. Tobin Manley from The Bronx, NYC, United States writes: Yes Ryan Hickman, nothing says educated like regurgitating stereotypes.
  5. michael moore from toronto, Canada writes: You can be sure that the footage they shot will be used in a movie. It looks as if he doesn't have to go to Eastern Europe to sucker people into being fodder for his films.
  6. Plan 9 from Outer Space, Canada writes: ...
    Borat was boring.
    ...
  7. Tim Cares from Canada writes: I really have to wonder what it is that Mr. Cohen finds funny about these things.
    Must be emotionally stunted.
  8. Spud Light from Ottawa, Canada writes: I'm suddenly reminded of Andy Kaufman. Most people didn't 'get' him either. But you just couldn't stop watching ...
  9. View Finder from Canada writes: Humour is just one small part of the Cohen experience (the penis if you like) and part of what makes him so funny is his knack for manic juxtaposition in order to reveal societal prejudices.

    As for you people who don't find him funny, best to you. But one has to wonder: why are you taking the time to share your ennui in a comment? Is it to express your cavalier wit or sense of irony or insight? No, it's just to admit that the ones who don't get the joke are by far the most boring!
  10. Sami Lama from Toronto, Canada writes: Ummm ... anyone who willing shows up to 'Blue-Collar Brawlin' is an idiot. Just as WWE and UFC are fodder for over-testosterone fuelled idiots. These people deserve to be made fun of.
  11. johnyboy frolix from haileybury, Canada writes: Well said view finder,,,
    When ali g interviews his main man buzz aldrin, buzz tells ali g what makes a joke funny...
    'It's when you mix the real with the absurd.....'
    Real prejudice and ignorance are best and sadly cohen doesn't appear to have a lot of problems finding it..
  12. Mark H from Columbus, IN, United States writes: 'Sami Lama from Toronto, Canada writes: Ummm ... anyone who willing shows up to 'Blue-Collar Brawlin' is an idiot. Just as WWE and UFC are fodder for over-testosterone fuelled idiots. These people deserve to be made fun of.'

    Put the wrong group as the subject of the term 'these people' and you suddenly become a bigot. Strangely, Southerners are usually exempt. I love double standards!
  13. The Economic Hitman jr. from Vancouver, Canada writes: 'Straight Dave'..... priceless!
  14. Eric B from Ottawa, Canada writes: To all those above that don't appreciate this humour, simply don't watch it. I for one loved satire / mockery type humour, from Rick Mercer to John Stewart & Colbert to Baren Cohen.

    He's the same as the others, but targets international cultures differences instead of politics and mainstream media. genious!
  15. noel fowles from salt spring island, writes: View Finder from Canada writes : -ennui-cavalier-manic juxtaposition-

    Was this put in to show how clever you are? It has always been easy to make fun of low intelligence, and poorly educated people. As for irony, Mr. Adder's Baldrick said it best. -It's like bronzy and goldsy, only made of iron-
  16. Har Har from Canada writes: The Borat character in the show was funny, but the Borat movie was disappointing in my opinion...
  17. A C from Albertario, Canada writes: View Finder,

    I think that you're dead on when you say humour is just one part of the Cohen/ Borat experience. More than being funny, Cohen does a wonderful job of exposing hypocrisy, and upacking social and sexual codes that devolve into absurdity, class pretension, and he does so with all of the appropriate anger and heart-felt distaste for human folly that informs great comedy and great art.
    As for Arkansas, . . . but for the grace of god go I, I fear. Had I been born there I might have been convinced to drink beer at a brawl.
    I'm sure he could just as easily be making fun of any social class or group regardless of region or economic status. Arkansas just happens to make itself available by having such an attraction to blue collar brawlin.'

    And if you don't find Borat funny, well . . . then I guess he's not . . . at least to you. But comedy's not universal as much as we'd like to believe it is.
    The millions who laugh at Leno may not laugh at Cohen, and the folks who laugh at Cohen's work may not laugh at Molliere or Jerry Lewis or Jacques Tati. But that doesn't mean that they're not all funny, in the right cultural context. After all, while timing is everything in comedy, context is something, yet again. Ask WALL-E.
  18. Jorly fuster from Canada writes: of all his characters Bruno is the one I like least, I guess it's because it's too easy to rile up people and I think it's been done before character wise (think a gayer Dieter). Now his character Ali-G, now that's a funny character. He should do a movie with that guy.
  19. Rain Couver from Canada writes: Those that find wrestling entertainment would definitely not understand the nuances of Baron Cohen's comedy, right Plan 9 and Tim Cares? The humour is, in fact, a sad reflection on American society.
  20. Overtaxed and underlaid from Canada writes: LOL fantastic. the key is that the crowd became 'engraged'. Not confused, not bemused, not cross, not nonplussed... ENRAGED.

    Love it. Can't wait to see that movie!
  21. boris moris from vancouver, Canada writes: Boris think Borat steal ideas from Boris to buy bling to make Borat more like Boris.
  22. Dennis Rice from St. John's, Canada writes: View Finder from Canada wrote: 'As for you people who don't find him funny, best to you. But one has to wonder: why are you taking the time to share your ennui in a comment?'

    Does one? Really? Shouldn't one realize that a comments section after a story about an entertainer is the appropriate place for such comments?

    View Finder from Canada wrote: 'Is it to express your cavalier wit or sense of irony or insight?'

    One has to wonder, can one who uses the word 'ennui' make such an accusation and be taken seriously?

    View Finder from Canada wrote: 'No, it's just to admit that the ones who don't get the joke are by far the most boring!'

    One has to wonder whether one can 'get' a joke and not find it funny.

    One also has to wonder why people make anonymous comments.
  23. View Finder from Canada writes: noel fowles from salt spring island, writes: Was this put in to show how clever you are?

    No, I just write that way. Big words ouch hurt brain tho. Thought bracketed use of (penis) lent common touch. Liked your irony Baldrick quote though. Ah, the good olden days of turnips and queens.
  24. Jim Mohagan from Funkytown, Canada writes:
    Humour is very subjective. You can't 'explain' why something is funny. You either laugh or you don't.

    I thought Borat was hilarious. I see Cohen as part of a long lineage of satirists - using humour to skewer social idiocy and hypocrisy. He simply holds up a mirror. If you don't like what you see, don't blame the mirror.
  25. Jump Much? from Toronto, Canada writes: Jorly Fuster, there is an Ali G movie. It came out a few years before Borat. I don't think it was shown in Canadian theatres, but you can rent it on DVD.
  26. Liam Stockdale from funtario, Canada writes: Hey, Steve Allan, what possible relevance could the fact that Baron Cohen is Jewish have to this incident? And of course, if he is a Jew, he must be a zionist. Give me a break. It seems like Baron Cohen has been successful in exposing one more person's innate bigotry. Good on him.
  27. johnyboy frolix from haileybury, Canada writes: I wonder if Steve Allen was at the cage match!!! Perhaps secretly wishing he could be the next challenger!!!
    Like i said it is sad that ignorance and racism is all too easy to find and even misinformed racism. Everybody knows Cohen is black from staines .....respekt west side. keep it real
  28. Lindsay K. from Vancouver, Canada writes: >

    BRILLIANT. You're absolutely right. I don't think it could be said any better than this.

    And, as a side note, for those who have only seen the Borat movie - I dont think you are getting the full Cohen experience. It seemed like the movie was 'dumb-ed down' from the show; it had a lot more gross-out humour, and it was a lot less politically charged. The show is a billion times more intelligent, and definitely worth watching if you haven't seen it yet.
  29. C C from Canada writes: Ahh this is for the new Bruno film.

    Bruno's P-A-R-T-Y wrestlers was one of the best features on the Ali G show.

    Homophobe wrestler: 'Austrian GAY TV? This isn't Gay TV!'
  30. Jim Mohagan from Funkytown, Canada writes:
    vincent furnier from Montreal, Canada writes: 'Steve Allan: You obviously haven't seen Cohen's vicious lampooning of Jews in the Borat movie.'

    I don't recall any vicious lampooning of Jews. I do remember the vicious lampooning of anti-Semites: 'The Running of the Jew'. Painfully accurate dark humour. I'm sure Steve Allan would be first in line to watch that event.
  31. Kevin Desmoulin from TO, Canada writes: isn't nothing sacred any more, lol
    it one to to chuckle at some one, another to go to where they live and play jokes on them.
    The reaction was to be expected.
  32. David Gibson from Canada writes: I sincerely wish that someone would take care of Cohen.
  33. Mike from Van from Vancouver, Canada writes: This is hilarious. Kind of gives you some insight into how Shrub got "elected" twice.

    I wonder how many people in the room realized they'd been had and walked away laughing.
  34. Carl Baldin from Canada writes: Tim Cares...to answer your question......Money, That's what Mr. Cohen and his Hollywood buddies find funny about these pranks.

    I'd like to see some Hollywood people make pranks about the plight of Palestinians supressed by the Israel government and see how that goes over.
  35. Guy Olivier from Columbus, Ohio, United States writes: "Tobin Manley from The Bronx, NYC, United States writes: Yes Ryan Hickman, nothing says educated like regurgitating stereotypes."
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    I think the audience played into their own stereotypes quite well wouldn't you say.

    That said, I don't like the gay stereotyping of the actors either... neither are funny.
  36. Brian Sexsmith from Toronto, Canada writes: Only in America could you fill an arena with a gig called Blue Collar Brawlin. Oh well - at least it wasn't a beauty pageant for 5 year old girls dressed up as sex-pots.
  37. Action Jackson from Canada writes: This guy's doing the US a public service. It's healthy for stupidity to be brought out and mocked without mercy.
  38. David Linton from Canada writes: Action Jackson from Canada writes: This guy's doing the US a public service. It's healthy for stupidity to be brought out and mocked without mercy.

    Yes indeed, he should come up to Canada, where there is plenty of stupidity to go around

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