I saw Borat last night. Let’s just go ahead and get that out of the way. I was tired, I don’t own a TV (not pretentious, just too busy), and I really had know idea Borat’s schtick was all about. But it looked silly, my brain was fried, and I was seeking some base low-brow humor to lift my spirits. A good fart joke perhaps? Maybe some quasi-clever double entendre?Â
But I got so much more! Yes, the film was about as low-brow as you can get. It was offensive and childish and occasionally made me a little nauseous. But it was also a shocking expose on modern Americana the likes of which ought to send all of us into a panic. The foul emanations that this comic genius is able to solicit from people in “polite†society is an accomplishment on its own. But for these people to betray a complete lack of shame in signing the consent form is just mind-boggling. If you live in a liberal city, or if you simply live – as I do – in an academic bubble, I highly recommend you go out and get a good look at what’s going on in your neighbors’ heads.