Oh, those atheistic European Muslims are the worst. You can't walk three steps in Amsterdam without tripping over someone on a non-prayer mat, not praying to Allah, and undoubtedly spreading Islamofascism and hating my freedom.

I think that the blonde is actually Rachel Drasch from SNL or Carlos Mencia in drag stealing the hot new Sacha Baron Cohen approach to comedy. She can't be serious with the 'atheist Muslims' bit, can she?

It is important to note that this segment followed a story about a family in Mississippi whose daughter was literally removed from her public elementary school because she wasn't down with all of the praying and Bible study. Naturally, if you are a fine journalist like Karen Tucker, I think the first thing that you do is grab Alec Baldwin and go tell the little girl to SHUT UP.

This particular segment is ALWAYS idiotic on the Zahn show. Atheists shouldn't feel uniquely targeted by the Mutt and Jeff show on display courtesy of Cable News Nonsense.

The one shot approach is pretty amazing. He stays in character just as good as Sacha Baron Cohen does.

There is a new commentary track by Kevin Smith on the deluxe edition of ROADHOUSE that is hilarious and beautiful (he had talked about Swayze at length on one of the Clerks commentary tracks previously).

Next to this commentary, there is also a commentary track by the director of ROADHOUSE who takes the movie very seriously and seems to have no sense at all of how funny/awful/absurd ROADHOUSE is. It may be more humorous than the Kevin Smith track in a purely uncomfortable Sacha Baron Cohen way.

Swayze has the potential to be the next Shatner or Hoff. He just needs a stint on Dancing With The Stars to restart his career.

I don't see H.G. as a "blackface" type character, but more of a funny persona. He's not gay, and I think that is pretty common knowledge. Actually more of playing upon people comfortability with gays. Much like Sacha Cohen.

grspec:

What could this lil' toon do to be more hateful? Drag a couple of the sebben behind a pick-up truck? You get away with more with animation (even much more in Japan . . .yikes raping penis monsters), but still . . .

However, I do think the community should discuss/argue about/debate the intent of pieces such as this one when applying its guidelines. There are pieces that "make fun" of other races to explode stereotypes and challenge traditional power structures (Chappelle, Voltaire, anything that Sacha Baron Cohen touches) and those pieces that "make fun" to subjugate and humiliate minorities (Coal Black, Nippin the Nips, anything that Andrew Dice Clay touches).

grspec, I think that you are doing a disservice to skillful and thoughtful satire when you argue that all pieces use racial stereotypes with the same purpose.

"I'm still worried that a lot of people watch the film and have their prejudices about central asian Muslims reinforced."

Well I believe that will be ultimately their loss... Personally to me I think Sacha realized that preaching about negative stereotypes and how they are bad is not as well heard as a full on satirical parody of ill informed people. Sure there will be those over who this completely flies over, but for many they will realize and start to question their views on their own.

"Borat is not so much laughing at Kazakh people as he is laughing at people who have a lack of knowledge of other cultures" - sure, this is part of it. Look at the way he exposes the ignorance of some Americans. Are you arguing that he uses an ill-informed stereotype to expose those who hold ill-informed stereotypes? The problem with that, is it assumes that people are aware of using stereotypes, or become aware by watching Borat. I'm still worried that a lot of people watch the film and have their prejudices about central asian Muslims reinforced.

btw - Sacha Baron Cohen's brother Erron brought out a great album of Middle Eastern music called 'Zohar' - mixed Arab, Muslim and Jewsih music together - very well produced

Mark Thomas is a British political activist and comedian: he's the original Ali G, as he was the first - before Sacha Baron Cohen; who was obviously inspired by his work (and toned down his politics). I highly recommend any of the Mark Thomas Comedy Product series (or his one offs like Mark Thomas: Weapons Inspector) as he's the rare type of comedian who can communicate the bland bullshit of intricate politics in a hilarious (yet slightly depressing) way - like a later British Bill Hicks.

Depp was even nominated? Why?

Stranger than Fiction was a really good movie, but this was totally Sacha's to win.

The Way of the Master series and website are such great comedy. One day, Cameron may drop the Christian Guy character and be revealed as America's Sacha Baron Cohen.

Though it is more likely that he is just a dreadful Leviticus-lovin' pedant.

What a cheap shot, but after seeing Borat today, whatever, it's funny.

@Semiapies: so Sacha Baron Cohen is the anti-Mel?

Great: one of the many reasons why I would never want to be famous (various programmes trawling through my personal history!) At least this will stop all those stupid 'anti-semitic' insults thrown at Sacha Baron-Cohen (he's Jewish! That's the joke!)

P.S: I have it on good authority that Richard Whitely was a wanker...

okay, just so everyone knows, sacha baron cohen (the guy who plays borat) is Jewish.

"Universal Pictures has won the intense bidding war for "Bruno," Sacha Baron Cohen's follow-up movie to "Borat."

Sources said that Universal is paying $42.5 million, beating out such other contenders as DreamWorks, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. Pictures for the worldwide rights to the film (HR 10/27). The price includes the production budget of the film, rumored to be in the $20 million-$25 million range. Also included is a significant backend component, believed to be the 15% range.

The price has raised eyebrows in Hollywood because Baron Cohen's much-hyped "Borat" has yet to open. Despite much advance praise for "Borat," distributor Fox scaled back its Friday opening to about 800 theaters because it is concerned that the movie wasn't registering high enough in audience-awareness tracking.

With "Bruno," Baron Cohen is calling upon another of his comic alter egos, Bruno, a gay fashionista from Austria who fancies himself as "the voice of Austrian youth TV" and who sashayed from New York Fashion Week to Miami nightclubs in his previous appearance on HBO's "Da Ali G Show,"on which Baron Cohen also first introduced Borat to American audiences.

As in the case of "Borat," Jay Roach would produce with Baron Cohen. No director is on board, though it has been reported that Baron Cohen wants to shoot the movie during the summer."

Enjoy it while it's fresh...

I honestly think Sacha Cohen is one of the best improvisational comedians alive. If not THE best.