Man says he was the original Borat
A Turkish Internet celebrity is convinced he was the inspiration for Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Borat” character, so he’s traveling to London seeking an apology and a way to get paid from the film’s surprise success.
Mahir Cagri, 44, a freelance journalist, became a cyber celebrity after posting a personal website in 1999, featuring unintentionally amusing photos of himself playing pingpong or the accordion and sunbathing in a skimpy bathing suit. Fans loved his broken English.
The title character in the movie “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” was first developed for “Da Ali G Show” on HBO.
The 20th Century Fox movie took in $26.5 million in the U.S. its opening weekend, more than any other film.
On the commentary track to the DVD of “Da Ali G Show,” Baron Cohen says Borat was influenced by someone he met in southern Russia.
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