What did you think of the Borat film? On the hole, I liked it.

At first the Kazakhs hated it. Then they started to realize that it had raised their visibility and that they might be able to use that to their advantage (the old "no such thing as bad publicity" notion). You can't buy that kind of publicity. Not that they'd want to, but it makes sense to look for a silver lining in case there might be one.

When the movie came out, Borat assembled a news conference out in front of the Kazakh embassy in DC, pretending to be an embassy staffer plugging the film. A genuine public affairs type from the embassy came out to shoo him away. The conversation was not recorded, but the embassy person was interviewed afterwards.

Part of what he said was "I called him 'not a Kazakh,' and he called me 'an Uzbek imposter.' "



Without ever mentioning the film, the Kazakhs purchased a great deal of space in the Washington Post for an advertising supplement describing the country and it's people. The Russians have done the same thing 4 or 5 times, most recently to talk about how Medvedev is a worthy successor to Putin).

Kazakhstan embassy spokesman Roman Vassilenko disputes Borat's facts on Kazakhstan. [This was NOT part of the advertising supplement]

Borat says: Kazakhstan is the No. 1 exporter of potassium.
Vassilenko says: Kazakhstan's oil industry is responsible for the country's economic boom.

Borat says: Prostitution is one of the major industries in Kazakhstan.
Vassilenko says: Women in Kazakhstan are more likely to be doctors, lawyers, and teachers than prostitutes.

Borat says: The traditional Kazakh beverage is fermented horse urine.
Vassilenko says: The traditional Kazakh beverage is fermented horse milk.

Borat says: The Kazakhstani greeting is "jagshemash."
Vassilenko says: "Salamatsyz ba" is "good afternoon" in Kazakh.

Borat says: The Running of the Jews is a favorite pastime in Kazakhstan.
Vassilenko says: Horse racing and other games on horseback are popular at Kazakhstani festivals.

Borat says: The "2003 Tulyakev Reforms" are responsible for such freedoms as women being allowed to ride on the inside of a bus.
Vassilenko says: Kazakhstan's biggest governmental change in recent history was its independence in 1991. Women have had the right to vote in Kazakhstan since 1924.

Borat says: Kazakhstan's space program launches chimpanzees and toddlers into orbit.
Vassilenko says: Kazakhstan participates in the International Space Station program, and hosts the station's docking site in its steppes.

Borat says: Kazakhstan's embassy spokesman Roman Vassilenko is an "Uzbek imposter."
Vassilenko says: Vassilenko is a proud patriot of Kazakhstan. His country is home to many migrant workers from its northern neighbor Uzbekistan.

Borat says: Borat has no connection with comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, and would support Kazakhstan if it decided to sue him.
Vassilenko says: Another spokesman for Kazakhstan once said his government "reserved the right" to legal action against Cohen. No specific threat of a lawsuit was made or intended.

Borat says: Gays in Kazakhstan once had to wear blue hats, and are executed by hanging.
Vassilenko says: Homophobia is a social ill in America.

Vasilienko is of Ukrainian ancestry, so he might have to work extra hard at being a Kazakh nationalist.

Eat your heart out, borat! (SO-ching MA-sheen = sewing machine)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8XchliuFZQ&feature=related

The Heart of Eurasia

Between that clip and all of the related responses, I think we can all get a new appreciation for Kazakhstan's society, culture, industry and hot women.

Hell Yes!