Funny Americans
THE Carina Chocano article [“Borat, a Truth Serum in Our Midst,” Oct. 15] is the most insightful analysis of the humor and psychology of the upcoming film, its “real people” and Borat’s overall appeal.
Chocano was the only journalist that seemed to grasp the “politeness” phenomenon that appears to afflict most of Borat’s unwitting “costars.” While their reactions to Borat’s boorishness might be labeled naive, I feel this response has a certain sweetness and tolerance to it that makes you feel sympathetic even to the most insensitive, politically incorrect “victims” of [Sacha Baron] Cohen’s skewering.
However, she did not directly address the important fact that in most cases the interviewees act as if they are Borat’s media “partners.” Because of this sense of being part of the “program,” the participants’ first instinct is to help this “poor foreigner” do his job as best they can.
That too, I offer, is a very positive, good-hearted, middle-American trait that Cohen/Borat exploits to its funniest extremes.
HOITE C. CASTON
Independence, Kan.
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