## Definition
Borat Sagdiyev is a fictional character created and portrayed by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Borat is a Kazakh journalist who travels to the United States to make a documentary about American culture, but his ignorance, offensive behavior, and misunderstanding of social norms expose the prejudices and absurdities of the people he encounters. The character first appeared on *Da Ali G Show* (2000-2004) and starred in the film *Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan* (2006) and its sequel *Borat Subsequent Moviefilm* (2020). The films use a mockumentary format in which real people interact with Borat, often revealing their own biases.
## Why It Matters
Borat is one of the most controversial and influential comedy characters of the 21st century. The films generated hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, introduced catchphrases into global vocabulary (“Very nice!”, “My wife!”), and sparked intense debate about the ethics of prank-based satire. Supporters argue that Borat exposes racism, sexism, and homophobia by giving people enough rope to hang themselves. Critics argue that the character reinforces stereotypes about Kazakhstan (a real country that was deeply offended by the portrayal) and that the “pranks” are cruel, not revelatory. The 2020 sequel, released during the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. election, was even more politically charged, including a scene involving Rudy Giuliani that made headlines worldwide.
## Example
The original *Borat* film (2006) featured scenes in which Borat: attended a dinner party in the South and offended the hosts with his comments about women and minorities; visited a gun shop and asked what weapon would be best for killing Jews; performed the “national anthem” of Kazakhstan at a rodeo, prompting the crowd to cheer before they realized the lyrics were anti-American; and traveled with a bear in an ice cream truck. The sequel (2020) focused on the Trump era, with Borat disguising himself as various characters to infiltrate conservative events, including a rally where he performed a song with lyrics about injecting political opponents with the “Wuhan flu.” Both films use the same technique: real people, real reactions, edited to create maximum comedy and discomfort.
## Internet Angle
Borat is an internet-native phenomenon. The character’s catchphrases have become memes: “Very nice!” is used as an ironic reaction GIF; “My wife!” is a standard reply to any mention of marriage; the “Borat voice” is a text-to-speech staple. The films themselves are heavily memed: specific scenes are clipped, captioned, and shared across platforms. The 2020 sequel’s Giuliani scene was an internet event before the film was even released — the clip circulated on Twitter, generating news coverage and political debate. Borat exists in a feedback loop: the internet makes the character famous, the character produces content that the internet then distributes, and the cycle continues. The character is both a product of and a commentary on internet culture’s love of outrage and absurdity.
## Related Terms
– **Sacha Baron Cohen**: The comedian who created and plays Borat
– **Mockumentary**: The genre that Borat’s films belong to
– **Kazakhstan**: The real country that Borat supposedly represents
– **Very nice!**: The catchphrase that became a global meme
– **Prank comedy**: The tradition that Borat’s satire belongs to
– **Rudy Giuliani**: The politician involved in the 2020 sequel’s most famous scene
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