The REAL Borat

I think it's valuable for fans and critics to see the guy behind Borat and Ali G. He doesn't often make media appearances out of character but the real Sacha Baron Cohen appeared on The Daily Show and David Letterman.

Borat

Sacha Baron Cohen committed a number of sins in the making of his movie- Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan - but his biggest sin is one of success.

Chances are none of the people who are out to sue his ass would have bothered had his movie not made millions.

Their racist, sexist tendencies would have remained hidden in small art theatres where fans of the Ali G Show would have sought out this weird little movie.

Of course people who don't like Borat may get the last laugh. Sacha Baron Cohen has been using this character for the past few years to explore comedy and racism in his warped way. Many granted him interviews thinking him an obscure journalist from an obscure country. I'll take bets that not many people will allow themselves to be humiliated by Borat superstar.

Borat is listed as number 3 in the "Coldest People in Hollywood for 2006"

How can the top box office winner for two straight weeks be on the Frigid 50 already? Simple: there's no future for Borat.

More opinions on Borat on a little weblog called Being Chandra created by my lovely wife.

More pictures of The Who

The Who in concert

The Who in Concert

Pengrowth Saddledome

Calgary, Alberta Canada

October 5, 2006

When is a folk festival not a folk festival?

Depending on who you talk to, the Calgary Folk Music Festival is either one of the best folk festivals in North America or ... well... it's not a folk festival at all.

During the course of the four-day event (and at least once after it was over) I was involved in conversations - not instigated by me - about whether or not the festival should drop the word folk from its name.

The discussion was sparked by this year's line-up (as well as last year's and the year before.. and so on). The 2006 Calgary Folk Festival included performers many fans of traditional folk music - or "folkies" as they are known to people who traffic in clichés - would probably not concider folk music.

The list includes Broken Social Scene, Feist, Macy Gray and Matthew Good along with artists who fit the more traditional singer-songwriter definition such as Garnet Rogers, Dar Williams and Jez Lowe (who still don't fit other people's definition of folk but that's for another article).

Anyhoo, I find the whole issue rather tiresome but I will explain why the festival should retain the word folk in its name and, frankly, it has nothing to do with the horrible age-old argument over the definition of folk music.

The Calgary Folk Festival is structured like a folk festival, which distinguishes it from other kinds of music festivals. It is as simple as that.

It happens at one site, outdoors, with a number of side stages reserved for workshops, concerts and jams as well as a main stage. The set up is much different than jazz and bluegrass festivals I have attended and, from what I have read, most rock festivals - punk and metal - rarely feature collaborations. That is one feature that makes the Calgary Folk Festival, and other folk festivals, so special.

Is it all folk music? Who cares?

Is it a folk festival? Absolutely.

Wacky Mel

I have decided what Mel "Mad Max" Gibson has to do before I could forgive him for his anti-semetic outburst. He must change his name to Shlomo.

I want to talk to a person not a machine!

If that's what you shout whenever you call a bank or some other large nameless faceless institution - like a cable company, phone company, software company or government agency - then the website below is for you.

Your know the ones I mean. You call and get this: "Hello. Welcome to the xyz Bank. Your call is important to us. (yeah right). We have a number of options for you. If you want to find out about payments, say 'payments'." -- payments -- "I'm sorry, I did not understand. If you want payments say payments. " - - PAYMENTS. "I believe you said payments. Now here are more (freakin') options.

AAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHH

But, check out this gethuman website. It tells you secret ways to get around those annoying computerized answering machines (on steroids) built to steer you away from talking to a human being.

I heard about it last month during a CBC Radio One interview on the program As It Happens. There are very few ways to get around the system. At least this gives you some tips on poking at it a little.

This is my first in a series of "That's a great idea, why didn't I think of that!" websites.