Vo
Best
Deli!
Voted
Best
Deli!
once created a skit about Chasids
called "Schvitzing."
The sketch caused a nervous BBC
to sweat; they rejected it.
Time was on Cohen's side, howev-
er, when he clocked in to appear on
Britain's The 11 O'Clock Show in
1998, a late-night satirical series
where off-the-wall humor was the
watchword.
Watch out, Britain — winner of
the 1999 British Comedy Award as
best newcomer, Cohen segued to his
own series. It was only a matter of
time — and talent — until Cohen
packed up his characters and brought
them to the American screen,
ensconced as he is now at HBO and
as the star of a recently released series
of DVDs.
With all the honors coming his
way, don't expect the Anti-
Defamation League's Sensitivity
Award to be one of them.
In episode nine of the past season,
Cohen's Borat bore a big resemblance
to a bigot, claimed the ADL, who
took issue with the character per-
forming a tune in a country/Western
bar, urging audience members belting
down liquor to join in on tunes that
were below the belt:
Throw the Jew down the well,
So my country can be free.
You must grab him by his horns,
Then we have a big party.
If you see the Jew coming,
You must be careful of his teeth.
You must grab him by his money,
And I tell you what to do ...
Everybody!
Everybody wasn't thrilled, notably
the ADL which, in a letter to Cohen,
wrote: "While we understand this
scene was an attempt to show how
easily a group of ordinary people can
be encouraged to join in an anti-
Semitic chorus, we're concerned that
the irony may have been lost on
some of your audience — or worse,
that some of your viewers may have
simply accepted Borat's statements
about Jews at face value.
"We appreciate that the characters
on your show ... are vehicles by
which you seek to unmask the absurd
and the racism and homophobia that
often go with it. However, in
attempting to expose bigotry and
prejudice, you also bear a responsibil-
ity to be sensitive. Many viewers of
this particular episode have told us
they found the segment distasteful,
and even dangerous."
Bite the bullet? Not when the gun's
still cocked with sure-fire comedy. To
the Times, Cohen says he's only
doing what comes naturally — for
other people: "Part of the idea of
Borat is to get people to feel relaxed
enough that they fully open up. And
they say things that they never would
on normal TV. So if they are anti-
Semitic or racist or sexist, they'll say
it."
Maybe America has much to learn
from the observant Jew from England
whose observations are not as benign
as a Seinfeld's, but do point to the
malignancy of malice in our society.
After all, not everyone thinks his
statements are uneducated.
For some pomp and circumstance,
just look at Cohen's latest accom-
plishment:
In full regalia as Ali G, he recently
delivered the 2004 commencement
speech to the beautiful minds at
Harvard University.
Now that's what you call ... respek.
A Little Bit of New York Right Here in Bloomfield Hills
Ph: 248-932-0800
6646 Telegraph Rd.
Fax:
248-932-1465
At Maple • Bloomfield Plaza
8
ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN
FABULOUS GOURMET
THANKSGIVING
From Whole Turkeys to
Complete Dinners, Side Dishes
and Scrumptious Desserts
Oi crfict
04,,
Michael Elkin is entertainment editor
444.1 ,._ci/ce
Gourmet Italian Cuisine
at the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia.
Rated 3 1/2 Stars
by The Detroit News
New episodes of Da Ali G Show
premiere 10-11 p.m. Saturdays,
beginning Nov. 13, on HBO.
Check your local cable listings.
Watch past episodes of the show
on HBO on Demand.
20% 0
Food Bill of $40 or more
Excludes alcohol • w/coupon.
2080 Walnut Lake Road • West Bloomfzele4 MI
Available for parties
Call: 248-851-2500 for reservations
Ali G
Glossary
Now Open Mondays
Mon-Thurs 5-10 • Fri-Sat 5-11 • Sun 4-9
907750
A sampling of "Ali talk":
agro: hassle, stress
big up, fanks: thanks
big up to you: well done,
pleased to meet you
go to me Julie: sleep
in da house here
is wicked rocks
mam: mother
natter. talk
pacific exact
youf: youth
r
IM
SPOSITA'S I 0 °A OFF
RISTORANTE
Fine Italian Dining in a
Casual Atmosphere
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!
OUR NEW HOURS
For a complete glossary, go
to -wvvw.hbo.com , where
Ali G's commencement
speech to recent Harvard
graduates also is posted.
IMMI
MI
I
I
I TOTAL FOOD BILL
1
(MON-THURS. ONLY)
1
1
I PLEASE PRESENT THIS COUPON I
1
1
TO RECEIVE DISCOUNT!
I
I ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER • EXPIRES 11/30/04 I
I. sr um um air um am ow mit INN ms ow NI
;Monday-Thursday
4pm- lOpm
Friday
4pm- 11 pm
Saturday
4pm- 11 pm
Sunday
4prn-9pm
33210 W. 14 Mile Road
In Simsbury Plaza
Just East of
Farmington Road
West Bloomfield
RISTORANTE
(248) 538-8954
JR
11/12
2004
904'150, .
51