Top > Entertainment > 2006 > October > 2006-10-07

Kazakhstan, Westside

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to land this week on US soil, and according to reports, his visit is mainly targeted at raising the awareness to the fact that Kazakhstan is definitely not what Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen claims it to be. Ever since the fictional TV reporter from Kazakhstan insulted the former Soviet republic for the first time, a river of words has been flooding the internet, in a joint effort to save the country from stereotypical doom.

Anticipating the visit, Cohen, as Borat, attempted to invite President Bush to a screening of his upcoming movie, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.", but never made it past the White House secret service agents who turned him away. He later tried to invite OJ Simpson, Mel Gibson and "other American dignitaries" as well.

Cohen, 35, recently co-starred in the US box office hit "Talladega Nights" and has appeared in TV comedy series "Da Ali G Show" on U.S. cable channel HBO and Britain`s Channel 4, where he showcases his main characters- Ali G, Borat and Bruno the Gay fashion expert. Cohen`s "Borat" comedy routine has drawn legal threats from the Kazakh government, which keeps a tight lid on criticism in its news media.