Kazakh president's daughter defends 'Borat'
Friday, 21 Apr 2006 13:04
Kazakh president's daughter defends 'Borat'
Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who introduced the cult figure of Ali G to the small and silver screens, has received some unexpected high-profile support after an international row erupted over one of his many satirical sketches.
Cohen has been targeted for much criticism for his Borat sketch, which depicted the people of central Asian state Kazakhstan as drunkards, misogynists and racists.
His website was closed down by the country's officials and legal action has been threatened against him.
But today the daughter of the country's president has backed Cohen's TV sketch and has advised all Kazakhs to calm their anger at the show.
Dariga, one of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's three daughters and a leading politician, told Kazakh newspaper Karavan: "This website damaged our image much less than its closure which was covered by all global news agencies."
She added: "We should not be afraid of humour and we shouldn't try to control everything, I think."
The support will no doubt be warmly welcomed by London-born Cohen, 34, who is a history graduate from Christ's College, Cambridge.
