Tuesday, 7 August 2018

Who Is America | Building a Mosque in Kingman Arizona | Sacha Baron Cohen





I wonder if any of you have seen this. I know that S,B.C. is not to everyone's taste, but this excerpt from his current TV show must be the funniest thing I've seen all year. I hope some of you will enjoy it as much as I did. 
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16 comments:

  1. Moving with Mitchell7 August 2018 at 11:04

    I can't laugh. Bunch of assholes. And supposedly MY people!

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    1. Raybeard7 August 2018 at 19:47

      All countries have their share of idiots, Mitch. It just so happens that 'your' people have become, thanks largely to present WH occupancy, more emboldened, more visible and more vocal.

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    2. barryearle26 August 2018 at 16:48

      I don't agree, Raybeard. The history of the U.S. is littered with this kind of reaction to "the other." And then there are the others who were here first--native Americans--and our treatment of them. We slaughtered them and then built our economy on slavery. It's part of America's DNA. This has nothing to do with Trump who merely plays on the prejudices of his base. He is taking advantage of what's already there and has always been there.

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    3. Raybeard26 August 2018 at 21:11

      I've no doubt, B., that racism was always there, but speaking from this distance it seems that what Trump has done is to give a seeming 'validation' to prejudices which, before him were latent and less spoken of, even regarded as being shameful. Now, apparently, much of the shame of having such attitudes has gone and expressing racial/religious bigotry, whether it be to Native Americans, African-Americans, Mexicans, Muslims or whoever, is now looked on in large swathes of the population as something of which to to be proud. To my mind that is something new and very alarming indeed. You might say that the 'mask' has been removed, defiantly so - and larger numbers than was realised, are revelling in their newly 'validated' visibility.

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  2. John Going Gently7 August 2018 at 13:05

    Yes ....it says more than you wish to see

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    1. Raybeard7 August 2018 at 19:50

      I suppose that when they found out that they were having the piss taken, it was suddenly all the fault of SBC - and that they are, in reality, such caring, tolerant and sympathetic people.

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  3. Bob7 August 2018 at 16:55

    God, people make me sick.

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    1. Raybeard7 August 2018 at 19:52

      I wonder how typical people like this are, Bob. More than one might wish to think, I suspect.

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  4. paul8 August 2018 at 05:08

    Ever since the Orange Abomination announced his run, these people have slithered out from under the rocks. Is this who we now are? These are hateful and stupid people. Good example in this video: The mention of "The Clinton Foundation" which received boos. But the Trump Foundation, which benefits only Trump, is beyond reproach.

    S.B.C. is a genius. One question: How is this show received in The UK? Here it is televised on a premium subscription service. Do you receive it for free?

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    1. Raybeard8 August 2018 at 07:08

      The 'Who is America' prog is being shown on our (free) Channel 4, our most 'progressive' terrestrial channel. It's broadcast at way past my bedtime and so far I haven't watched any on 'catch up' though that's readily available at any time I want. It's only been the few minutes-long excerpts from American TV which I've caught here via YouTube. I think it's high time I attempted to watch the whole series to date.
      Mention of the show has been muted, even from the critics, which is a bit odd. After the first episode, which I hear was a bit flat, there hasn't been much interest shown but from what I see it's definitely warmed up now.

      The YouTube excerpts I've seen so far are just so hilarious, especially interviewing Republican politicians. (The one where he uses a 'paedophile detector' was a classic!)

      SBC first became known here when he used his Ali G persona (15-20 years ago?) on TV before he started on films. As Ali G he caused considerable offence to LGBTQs by referring to gays as 'batty boys', the term widely used by Jamaicans (and others?) usually coupled with threats to kill, though the phrase was consistent with the personality he was then adopting.
      He's widened his repertoire since then - and on film he was so good in 'Sweeney Todd' as well as being not at all bad in 'Les Mis' (at least far better than his on-screen wife, Helena B.C.) - and his 'Bruno' film had its moments.

      In this latest Mosque programme his mentioning of the 'Clinton Foundation' was a risk-taker but it worked, getting the predicted reaction. I think Democrats will get the joke and not be so offended, but it takes some measure of brains to see the irony of it, and that is something in which the other side is hopelessly lacking. I loved the audience's sharp intake of breath when he said "And this is what your town will look like". I wonder what the Arabic sign above the shop actually said - I want to think that it was something like "Trump is a moron".

      I agree with you that the double-standards of so many American voters is breath-taking - and there are easily enough of them to make a difference. They'll forgive him ANYTHING at all - on the excuse that he's "doing God's work"! Now he'll be ratcheting up tensions internationally (Iran and North Korea) and nationally (trade wars with the rest of the world, and immigrants - always easy to fall back on) so that enough people get scared that they'll vote red in upcoming elections, especially in November, allowing him to get his hideous policies through Congress and Senate which have been stymied up to now. And when the inevitable murder of someone in the "Enemies of the people" media happens - in CNN probably - that'll be okay because
      he's on Gawd's side! (I just saw this morning that some loony religious figure has blamed the Californian forest fires on God's wrath being called down on the state because of the gays! What took them so long?

      Anyway, looking forward to more SBC gems coming up which I'm positive will be hitting the target.

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    2. paul11 August 2018 at 06:05

      You are so fortunate to have Channel 4. I have become addicted to one of their shows: "Come Dine With Me." Lucky to have YouTube" as it makes it possible for you to see or preview our shows and we get to see your shows.

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    3. Raybeard11 August 2018 at 07:10

      I'll take your word that I am 'fortunate', Paul, as I watch little TV, at least other than current affairs and political progs - though SBC may well come into the latter class despite being on so late.

      I've never watched 'Come Dine' but was aware of it along with numerous other shows which just pass me by. Is it the one where one member of a group invites the rest to a meal which they've concocted themselves? If so anything to do with cooking leaves me unmoved - and if it involves meat (or fish) I'd be looking away anyway. But that's just me.

      Channel 4 is the most innovative and progressive of our 5 terrestrial channels and I'd be lost without it. If I had to give up one of them it would be our main ITV channel which is also striving to be low-denomination populist.

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  5. anne marie in philly11 August 2018 at 05:23

    to borrow some lyrics from a show tune:

    "Life is full of cretinous wretches
    Earning what their sweatiness fetches
    Empty minds whose pettiness stretches
    Further than I can see"

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    1. Raybeard11 August 2018 at 07:12

      'Empty minds' is exactly right, W.Q.

      I was not only surprised to find that Mr Leslie Bricusse is still with us, but, looking him up, I find that he's only 15 years older than I am. He seems to have been around for eternity - as I suppose I almost have too, which sometimes it feels like!

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  6. Ron26 August 2018 at 07:28

    I LOVE IT RAY! This is America, or at least too much of America. I live among some of these people. Racist bigots who can't get their head out of their ass. Thanks for posting this.
    Ron

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    1. Raybeard26 August 2018 at 21:16

      It needs exposure like this, Ron, in the guise of comedy - and I DO find it very funny, though also terrifying on another level - to shine a light on what people really think but may be too afraid to voice it for fear of being shouted down.

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