I suppose it was inevitable. When you make a movie (and have a years-long history of making comedy) that is both brilliantly funny and completely offensive, you're going to have the occasional mishap.
From a story on Monsters & Critics entitled, 'Borat whacked, New Yorkers live up to their rep':
The comedian - who created the fake sexist and racist Kazakhstan reporter Borat - approached a man in New York and said: "I like your clothes. Are nice! Please may I buying? I want have sex with it."
The man didn't find his comments funny and punched Cohen in the face. Cohen cried out for help, but his pleas were ignored and he was repeatedly hit. Hello, he was in New York! Fellow British actor Hugh Laurie finally rushed to Cohen's aid, managing to push the man away and drag the comedian to his feet... Cohen was not seriously injured.
Film bosses are pleading with Cohen, 35, to stop posing as Borat on US streets to avoid further violent attacks.
Other stories in the news tell of Cohen being sued by some of his Borat movie 'co-stars' for the humiliation of looking like idiots in the movie.
Incidentally, I first heard of Cohen—his Ali G character specifically—about six years ago when the CEO of our company walked into the boardroom in Hong Kong delivering his remarks in Ali G speak. I think most everyone in the room thought he was nuts as we'd never heard of Ali G. He gave us each a video tape, telling us that Cohen was a comedic genius that we'd be seeing a lot more of. (Unfortunately I couldn't watch it as it was in PAL format, which won't play in U.S. VCRs). Little did he know that Cohen would go on to make a movie that is on its way to becoming the highest-grossing comedy of all time.
Borat whacked, New Yorkers live up to their rep | Monsters & Critics
I'm not suprised he took a few in the chin either! I can't imagine he'd make it very long in my hometown in the south...
Posted by: Sandra | November 13, 2006 at 10:22 AM