[Correspondent Diary] 'Even Giuliani Was Fooled'... Comedian Mocking Trump Through Film

Movie Borat 2 Released Ten Days Before Presidential Election, Sharp Criticism of Trump in B-Grade Comedy
Hidden Camera Attempt on Vice President Pence... Filming Also at the White House
Trump's Rival Bezos' Amazon Releases the Movie
Trump Ally Giuliani Faces Hidden Camera Interview Controversy... "Nothing Happened" Explanation
Lead Actor Mocks, "Heaven Knows"

A scene from the movie Borat 2 [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] A 'B-grade' film released by a British comedian and actor has become a focal point of interest in the final stages of the U.S. presidential election. Rudolph Giuliani, former New York mayor and personal lawyer to U.S. President Donald Trump, received sharp criticism from the actor, and Vice President Mike Pence also appeared in his hidden camera footage. (You can watch various videos related to this article on the Asia Economy website)

On the 23rd (local time), British actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen said in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," "If the president's lawyer's actions there were appropriate, then only heaven knows what he did with other female reporters in the hotel room."

Actor Cohen at Borat Station and former New York Mayor Giuliani (right)
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This refers to his recently released film "Borat 2" on Amazon. In the movie, after an interview with Giuliani, who plays the role of a Kazakhstani reporter and the daughter of the film's protagonist Borat, the actress suggests continuing the conversation in the bedroom. Giuliani readily agrees and enters the room, leans diagonally on the bed, and puts his hand inside his pants. When Giuliani later explained that there was no inappropriate behavior during the interview, Cohen mocked him.

The scene ends with Cohen, playing Borat, appearing in the bedroom wearing women's underwear and shouting, "My daughter is only 15 years old."

Giuliani was reportedly so shocked by Cohen's appearance that he called the police.

Borat is a film in which British comedian Cohen, disguised as a Kazakhstani journalist, travels across the U.S. and experiences various events, edited in a documentary style without a script.

Giuliani defended the inclusion of the hidden camera scene featuring him in Borat 2 by claiming it was an attempt to tarnish his relentless efforts to expose criminal activities by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his family.

In the interview, Cohen said, "I just recommend everyone watch the film. Something quite clear happened," leaving the judgment to the audience.

Cohen also revealed that he was hiding and monitoring the scene to ensure the safety of the actress playing the reporter during the hidden camera shoot. According to his statement, he intervened to defuse the situation when it was about to worsen.

Produced 13 years after the original, this sequel features crude B-grade comedy from a Korean perspective. Yet, it fully exposes the dark realities surrounding U.S. politics, including President Donald Trump and the far-right.

Appearing Dressed as Trump at Vice President Pence’s Speech

Cohen's hidden camera targets were not limited to Giuliani. In March, Cohen appeared at Vice President Mike Pence's speech venue dressed as President Trump, claiming he would offer his daughter as a gift. This scene also appears in the film.

Those who did not understand the situation saw Cohen shouting in a Trump costume and instead responded with applause and chants of "Four more years," and Pence continued his speech in response, preventing any 'unfortunate incident.'

According to U.S. media such as Vanity Fair, this scene was actually filmed at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) annual meeting held in February. On YouTube, edited footage shows Cohen’s appearance in costume, his removal from the venue, and Pence’s speech. U.S. media confirmed the authenticity of the event in their reports.

In this film, Cohen refers to Donald Trump as "McDonald Trump" instead of using his real name and showcases his womanizing. The names of Jeffrey Epstein, a hedge fund billionaire and Trump associate who was charged with underage sex trafficking and later died by suicide, and former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon also appear.

In the movie, Cohen interacts with QAnon supporters who back Trump and promote emerging far-right conspiracy theories, and even sings a song disparaging former U.S. President Barack Obama, which they supposedly created together. Essentially, the film mocks President Trump.

Trump very careful who he let into his events and house. No Covid test necessary - High 5! pic.twitter.com/Kf5gGk3n2M

? Borat (@BoratSagdiyev) October 23, 2020

Trump Also Interested in Cohen’s Film: "A Conman and Not Funny"

Cohen’s targeting of President Trump with hidden cameras is also being revisited. When asked by reporters if he had seen Borat 2, Trump said, "Cohen tried to scam me in the past. He’s a conman and not funny."

Cohen also conducted a hidden camera interview with Trump in the 2002 film "Ali G Indahouse."

It appears Cohen attempted another hidden camera stunt involving Trump in this film as well. Deleted scenes released by Cohen on Twitter show the female lead talking to reporters in front of the White House and meeting Trump’s eldest son Eric.

It is notable that Borat 2, released ten days before the U.S. election, is available only on Amazon, not in theaters. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, a newspaper known for its critical coverage of President Trump.