April 27, 2012, - 2:14 pm

Sacha Baron Cohen “Dictator” Movie DOA: Muslim Autocrats Still Preferable to Muslim “Democracy”

By Debbie Schlussel

Next week, the summer movie season kicks off with the first blockbuster film, “The Avengers.”  And a week or so later, Sacha Baron Cohen’s “The Dictator” arrives in theaters.  The movie stars Cohen as an Arab Muslim dictator of the fictional Republic of Wadiya.  To plug the movie, last week the studio behind the movie sent me an “OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM HIS EXCELLENCY ADMIRAL GENERAL ALADEEN – SUPREME LEADER, ALL TRIUMPHANT GENERAL, BELOVED OPPRESSOR, AND CHIEF OPHTHALMOLOGIST OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF WADIYA” about the dictator’s promotion of solid gold armored vehicles for sale.  I’m sure you get the point:  Cohen and his movie are mocking Arab Muslim dictators (such as another opthalmologist, Syrian dictator Bashir El-Assad and the late Muammar Qaddafi, after whom Cohen also seems to have modeled his General Aladeen).  And the movie’s “plot” is how the dictator in the movie works his darnedest to keep democracy from his people. But, as we’ve seen with Gaza, Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, and everywhere else where we’ve intervened to remove dictators like this, the dictators are the far lesser of two evils and much preferred to Islamic democracy.

Not that this should have been a secret to anyone.  And yet it was.  During eight years of President Bush crowing about democracy in the Muslim world (and so many mindless “conservatives” gushing over that BS), I repeatedly warned that it would elect Muslim extremists and be a disaster, further destabilizing the Middle East.  And every single step of the way, I was right.  It’s the undeniable truth of the Muslim world that their dictators are noxious and live free of criticism for doing what Israel can never do.  And yet, the larger undeniable truth is that the people the dictators rule are barbarians and savages, who–in Egypt, for instance–are now legalizing necrophilia.


And so, the obvious message against and mocking of these dictators by Hollywood and Cohen in “The Dictator” is already a disproven thesis.  It’s already out of style like neon leg warmers and women’s shoulder pads of ’80s women’s fashion.  I’ll see this movie and review it here, but now you already know my take.  And I expect I’ll be laughing a lot less than I did at previous Cohen silver screen material. The only ones who’ll be laughing are the Islamo-barbarians now running the countries we’ve freed up for them.

Below is the silly press release the studio sent me, promoting the movie. It shows me my prediction about few laughs is probably spot on. This ain’t funny . . .

Date: April 18, 2012

From: Office of Propaganda

RE: Dartz Motorz PROMBRON (ex.RussoBaltique) Aladeen Edition

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM HIS EXCELLENCY ADMIRAL GENERAL ALADEEN – SUPREME LEADER, ALL TRIUMPHANT GENERAL, BELOVED OPPRESSOR, AND CHIEF OPHTHALMOLOGIST OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF WADIYA

His Excellency Admiral General Aladeen has graciously granted his express permission for Dartz Motorz, manufacturer of ultra-luxury armored vehicles and exclusive provider to the Wadiyan government motor pool, to offer limited edition commemorative vehicles honoring the Ruthless Protector of the Precious and Expendable People of Wadiya. Like civil rights in Wadiya, this offer will not be around for long.

Named for the undemocratically and forcibly elected Leader of Wadiya, the gold Aladeen Edition armored vehicles will be revealed to the people of the world at the Top Marques Monaco show under the high patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco. Top Marques Monaco, held at the Grimaldi Forum April 19 – 22, is revered as the world’s most exclusive supercar show where drivers experience firsthand the latest state-of-the-art machines on the prestigious Formula One racetrack, the Circuit de Monaco, mere weeks before the famous race takes place. A race that Aladeen has already won.

The Dartz Motorz PROMBRON (ex.RussoBaltique) vehicle comes from a long line of armored vehicles more than a hundred years in the making; it was originally built in 1912 for Russian Tzar Nikolai II. The PROMBROM was also NOT used in the accidental hit-and-run death of Wadiyan political opposition leader Maran Harouri, nor in the accidental repeated running over of the six witnesses to the hit-and-run.

Labeled the “World’s Most Expensive Armored Car,” the PROMBRON is the fastest and most maneuverable luxury armored all-road vehicle in the world. With supercar power and the technology of a spaceship, it boasts very unique protection capabilities from level B2 to B7+, providing occupants with resistance to RPGs and .50 caliber high velocity armor piercing rounds (or as Aladeen calls them, “love letters from his people.”)

Furthermore, all Dartz vehicles come equipped with patented 3” ionized glass, also RPG resistant. Each vehicle is handmade with great attention to sumptuous detail, exemplified in the exotic hand-stitched leathers and wood used in the interior, reclining massage seats, champagne bottle chillers and wine racks. And there’s room in back for up to six kidnapped actresses or faded supermodels.

Ten Aladeen Edition vehicles will be made available as part of this limited offer. MSRP ranges from $500,000 to $750,000 (USD). Actual price will vary depending on equipment and package options. (Price excludes title, taxes, registration, license fees, insurance, dealer prep and additional options.) By purchasing one of these vehicles you are also legally agreeing to have sex with Aladeen.

# # #

Contact:

Office of Propaganda

323-956-5508

See attached photo.

Yup, like I said, not funny. And don’t expect the movie to be any better. I don’t.

Watch the trailer . . .




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25 Responses

I love it. I did not like any of his other films. I only watched one and was turned off. This one looks like I will be paying to go see it.

Tina on April 27, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Speaking of democracies, let us not forget that Hitler was elected by the people of Germany. Some quibble that he did not get a majority of votes, but then neither did many of our presidents. Hitler got over 42%, and the only reason he did not get a majority was that another even more right wing group got a substantial number of the votes.

During his tenure, Hitler’s popularity grew, and after each military success, his popularity grew even more.

Hamas has lost its popularity not so much because Gaza is still a craphole, but because, in the words of one citizen, they refuse to confront Israel.

Obama knows that Syria will gain a worse dictator, an Islamic extremist and yet he still bushes for Assad’s overthrow, whom he was just courting several months ago.

It is amazing that so many Jews still love Obama. Je ne comprend pas.

Jonathan E. Grant on April 27, 2012 at 2:25 pm

pushes for Assad’s overthow, not bushes.

Jonathan E. Grant on April 27, 2012 at 2:29 pm

It has the look of day old bread. The Shah of Iran was infinitely preferable to what came afterwards.

Worry01 on April 27, 2012 at 4:39 pm

His name is Bashar, not Bashir fyi

tohd on April 27, 2012 at 5:31 pm

You know, I initially tried to buy Bush’s bullshit democracy theory. Now I am convinced that it will come to the non-Israel Middle East only AFTER we beat the crap out of them WWII Germany/Japan style. Only after such a beating, with Islamosupremacism utterly disproved and their cities in ruins, will these animals be ready for civilization. But attempting civilization before the breakdown is like expecting day 2 Marine recruits to complete the Crucible. Ain’t gonna happen.

Carter’s betrayal of the Shah was contemptible and disgusting.

Occam's Tool on April 27, 2012 at 5:33 pm

Sacha Baron Cohen is more eccentric than Robin Williams.He only amuses himself.

Him and Adam Sandler need to stop it already with the silly predictable humorless movies only a third grader would find funny.

ebayer on April 27, 2012 at 5:35 pm

Sacha Baron Cohen is very easy to sum up. He is a television comedian in the tradition of Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton and Jonathan Winters, who all also had a menagerie of goofy characters who’s identities they would assume.

The difference between him and them however, is that they all had the good sense to realize that most of what makes for a mildly amusing five to ten minute sketch on a variety program would probably not work at all when stretched to an hour and forty minutes. That’s why there was never a “Clem Kadiddlehopper” movie or a “Maudie Frickett” movie.

I’ve never actually seen any of his television work (outside of talk show appearances), which I understand is very popular in the UK. I can sort of see how Ali G, Borat, Bruno, and this latest character could possibly be slightly humorous in the context of a five minute sketch, but I saw the “Borat” movie, and have absolutely no intention whatsoever of seeing anything else he creates for the big screen.

Irving on April 27, 2012 at 5:56 pm

The reason Islam produces dictators is the absence of anything related to Enlightenment values that produced modern Europe. Islam is opposed to them.

You’re either going to get an enlightened autocrat or you’re going to get an Islamic theocrat.

What you won’t get in the Muslim World is a democrat. There may be exceptions like Benazir Bhutto but since they have short lives, the rule holds true.

NormanF on April 27, 2012 at 6:26 pm

The Liberals/Democrats that everyone keeps clamoring for in the Muslim world are the same people whom we hate here and we call socialists (See American Democrats/Obama adminstration).

Furthermore just as we see the conservative Islamists here as barbaric those around the world, specifically Europe and Asia veiw the conservative Christian/Jewish Right as barbaric and un-enlightened (Albeit alot less than the Islamists but still woefully living in the dark ages)

I truly believe that faith is each persons private matter but that it should be kept out of all politics whether its in the Middle East aka Muslim World or the West aka the Christian World.

Without we make much more sane and rational decisions.

George A. on April 27, 2012 at 7:57 pm

ooh…oops sorry and my review of this movie is its going to be probably like his other movies…filled with vile and immature jokes.

I’d much rather watch re-runs of Seinfeld than see that.But I am looking forward to debbies other movie reviews

George A. on April 27, 2012 at 7:59 pm

Happy weekend everyone. It’s now time to play George A-Hole’s favourite game…”Find the IRRATIONAL statement in what I consider to be my (George A-hole) very own rational statement”.

“I truly believe that faith is each persons private matter but that it should be kept out of all politics whether its in the Middle East aka Muslim World or the West aka the Christian World.

Without we make much more sane and rational decisions.”

Luckily, this stupid game is over in seconds flat for those with a brain. George A-hole. Never, ever makes sense when the maroon posts!

Skunky on April 27, 2012 at 8:27 pm

Who can ever forget the “Vogue” article last year that praised the viper Asma Assad, wife to the despicable Bashar al-Assad? Now the dumb git who wrote it says she is embarrassed…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2135552/Writer-embarrassing-Vogue-article-praised-wife-Syrian-dictator-confesses-horror-having-near-them.html

The article is scrubbed from the net but I have the magazine. I hate Vogue and never buy it but I remember seeing her title on the cover while shopping at Costco. I have always hated Vogue so I bought it because what I have learned about the ME (mostly HERE!) told me this would be a huge cock-up for Vogue and I wanted to make sure I had a hard-copy when they got around to erasing their embarrassing history. And they have.

Skunky on April 27, 2012 at 8:52 pm

Cohen is a genius. Some people might not “get” his humor, but enough people get it to keep his work financially viable.

That being said, “Borat” was his apex with “Ali G” coming in a strong second. Bruno wasn’t on par, but his schtick is kind of self-limiting as his popularity grows.

Still, I’m fan enough that i will see this one in the theater.

DS_ROCKS! on April 28, 2012 at 2:07 am

Actually, if the movie does not show what the people of Wadiya are like or depict them as victims, I’d say it would be really funny. I agree that the Muslim populaces of all these countries – Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, Libya, et al are savages, but why pass up mocking their overthrown dictators?

It’s not like any of them were friends of America. Gadaffi signed a treaty abandoning his WMDs, but that’s only out of fear after he saw what happened to Saddam. Mubarak was only too happy to deflect public hatred of him and his regime by encouraging anti-American and anti-Jewish sentiments – it was in his regime that the Protocols of the Elders of Zion was made into a TV series and run on Egyptian state controlled TV. With the Saudis and Qataris, it’s even worse – yet, FNC keeps referring to them as our ‘allies’.

As it is, the success or failure of this movie is not going to determine whether Assad remains in power or not – he already has all his support lined up behind him, even though he’s lost quite a bit of ground. Russia and China are not going to let one of their last customers go down in flames, like in Libya. They’ll back him, and so will Iran and Iraq. As I’ve often said, Syria would be the perfect battleground for a jihadi taqfir civil war. Recently, a lot of Paki Muslims from UK (i.e. Sunnis) turned up in Syria in the ranks of the ‘Free Syrian Army’, while I’m sure Assad and his allies in Hizbullah, Basij and Mahdi Army would be only too happy to do a rerun of 1982.

So I’d say – just enjoy this movie – it’s not often that one sees Muslims being mocked, so on the rare occasion that it happens, just savor it!

Infidel on April 28, 2012 at 2:08 am

    Muslim dictators are not the West’s cup of tea.

    But their would-be successors are far worse.

    If democracy produced moderate and pro-Western governments in the Muslim World, it would be a good idea to allow it there.

    As we have seen though, all it does is allow Muslim fanatics to take over and run these countries and in the long run they are a lot more dangerous than Al Qaeda jihadis living in a cave.

    That is why I don’t find this movie too funny since since it doesn’t show what the populace in a fictional Muslim country is really like and no they aren’t like us!

    NormanF on April 28, 2012 at 4:40 pm

What you won’t get in the Muslim World is a democrat. There may be exceptions like Benazir Bhutto but since they have short lives, the rule holds true.

NormanF on April 27, 2012 at 6:26 pm

Benazir was by no means a democrat – if you followed the postings on this site following her assassination. She was the main person behind the creation of the Taliban, and a vindictive woman, who ousted her mother as the head of the party, got a brother of hers killed – all to hang on to power. What was particularly venal about her was that due to her UK education, she’d easily come across to Western interviewers as being a Westernized leader for such a country, even while she happily went along w/ the jihadis in her country.

Now, some Western analysts are predicting that former Pakistani cricket legend Imran Khan, who heads another Islamic party, will come to power, and steer Pakistan away from jihad, ignoring completely his own statements about his commitment to the Islamization of Pakistna.

Infidel on April 28, 2012 at 2:14 am

    She was killed though for not being an extreme enough Muslim and also for being a woman.

    By the standards of her own country, she was too moderate to be acceptable to even more fanatical people there.

    Which makes my point: that without a change in Islam, democracy is simply not going to take root anywhere in the Muslim World.

    And since Islam is a cult that uses fear, terror and periodic assassinations to make sure its followers don’t question anything, its barbaric and savage nature will continue to remain a threat to free peoples around the world.

    Its not Bhutto or any other would-be Muslim reformer that’s the problem. The real problem is Islam itself.

    NormanF on April 28, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    What you wrote about Imran Khan illustrates the applicability of the rule I wrote about.

    If you don’t have a dictator to keep the Muslim masses in check, in a free election, they will choose an even more extreme dictator.

    All the politically correct apology for Islam in the West doesn’t in the slightest change this truth about their societies.

    Democracy should usually moderate societies. When introduced into Muslim countries it has exactly the opposite effect upon them.

    No, democracy is not suitable for every culture and era and that kind of sloppy thinking will get us all killed.

    NormanF on April 28, 2012 at 4:34 pm

This “democracy for all” notion is one that should have been “out of style” shortly after it was introduced by Woodrow Wilson. Instead it is maintained through the allowance of pointless political correctness to stand in the way of the blunt facts of history and philosophy.

That is, the nations that are successful democracies/Constitutional Republics/Constitutional Monarchies did not get there easily. Britain (and with it the USA) did it through a slow seven hundred year process that went from the basic guarantee of rights to high nobles, through to the slow introduction of a semi-fair court system under Henry VII, the slow growth of a parliament to check the powers of an absolute king, a violent Civil War that led to time of dictatorship, the philosophical development from Divine Right of Kings to the understanding of human rights guaranteed by Natural Law, and eventually the decrease of the monarchy to a moral leader rather than political. France meanwhile took a quicker path – all they had was a bloody decade of revolution followed by a decade of dictatorship, a massive loss in a major war, then a century or so of failed republics intertwined with monarchist revivalism. Germany, well we all know what happened after their first failed attempt at democracy. And even after that they needed fifteen years of Konrad Adenauer to merge elected leadership with the iron rule to which Germans were accustomed. Russia meanwhile has gone from autocratic czars into 70 years of autocratic Communists and even now all they’ve attained is a dictatorship under the guise of Democracy in which corruptocrats and mafiosos run rampant.

Considering history’s lesson of the slow growth of democratic ideals even in nations that share at least some part of Judeo-Christian thought and the ensuing respect for Natural Law and basic human liberties, the belief that those completely outside of that culture can and should succeed with the same form of government – lacking the principles on which it is founded – based entirely on the belief that some empty suit in D.C. thinks such is in all cases the best for of government is utterly absurd. Japan may have gotten there, after a horribly devastating war and after popular values being changed at the end of MacArthur’s bayonet.

These Middle Eastern nations though are supposed to be properly democratic and respectful with just a few months of civil war and dictator toppling? No way. They aren’t even as Japan, neutral and unfamiliar with the centuries of thought behind democratic rule. Rather these nations are actively antithetical to the respect for basic human rights, and the basic love for liberty that is the core behind such a free form of governance.

Until they share the same value in life, liberty, and property as Locke or the same view as Jefferson that all men are created equal, they are unready for the privilege that is any form democracy. These revolutions aren’t founded in individual liberty or even the misguided notion of equality at the expense of individualism, but in radicalism, religious fanaticism, and the desire for genocide. One does not even need to be a pragmatist to understand that such a people are better governed by a strong man. At least there it is one individual that can be replaced with another if he descends from simply crazy to actively malicious. Here, Pandora’s box has been opened…

Brian R. on April 28, 2012 at 2:20 am

    Excellent prognosis of the problem at hand! I’ve gone from blind allegiance of the neo-con war of Bush and the “possibility of democracy” in our two theatres of war (Afghan & Iraq) to your way of thinking – and, in fact, that of so many other people who know & understand the death cult known as pisslam. I’ve read volumes of stuff on the subject; and although I’m not 100 percent convinced that the Bosniacs (Bosnian muzzies) – who resettled in our area after the Balkan Wars of the mid-190s – are the evil-doers we now associate with that wretched political cult masquerading as a religion, I’m also reminded that they grew up in Tito’s Yugoslavia, where ALL religions were outlawed and/or suppressed; and those of a particular post-war generation actually grew up relatively agnostic and certainly accepting of those of other religious denominations. They were also basically South Slavs and NOT Arabs – and their level of sophistication and civilization was relatively high. However, the wars brought out centuries-old wounds, and the polarization began in earnest; so that today most of the religious & ethnic groups live apart – but the pre-war tensions are high and always ready to explode.

    I do believe that Democracy might have had an even chance of success in that now-wretched country (Bosnia) had not the cloud of centuries of emnity still pervaded their lives, society and social institutions.

    Joy on April 28, 2012 at 8:40 pm

Debbie didn’t Mark Cuban ask you out when he was promoting “Redacted”? I mentioned that to H. and he doesn’t believe me.

A1 on April 28, 2012 at 1:58 pm

First of all Ms. Schlussel, Dubya’s taking out of Saddam was a good thing, whether democracy was installed or not. You must obviously know that Saddam was bankrolling a lot of the terrorism directed at Israel from the PA. That was cut off when Saddam was ousted. Secondly, allowing muslims and/or arabs to elect their leaders, which of course yields results worse than the dictator, allows the world to clearly see that arabs are incapable of advanced thought regarding individual rights and liberty.

FK: Only someone with absolute ignorance about the Muslim and Arab worlds and the Mid-East would support what Bush did, getting rid of a Sunni bulwark to the Shi’ite crescent and handing Iraq over to Iran through “democratic” elections. Clearly, you are clueless on the Shi’ite revolution and who is funding HAMAS, Hezbollah, etc. It’s called: IRAN. Replacing Saddam Hussein with Shi’ites hurt Israel and even the Israelis said Saddam Hussein was not a threat to Israel. You, who are clueless on the region–and tout this BS about how we need to “show the world Arabs can’t handle democracy” by wasting thousands of American lives and helping bring about the Shi’ite revolution–know better, right? Hilarious. Even more hilarious: that you think because the world didn’t see through Gaza/HAMASastan and Hezbollahstan in Lebanon, we needed to send our guys to die so the world could see yet again what it continues to ignore about Muslims and “democracy” and hand over the final piece of the Shi’ite crescent to Iran to make it complete. Beyond moronic. DS

FrenchKiss on April 30, 2012 at 12:58 pm

As in the case of the assasination by drowning in the Danube of Qadaffi’s former PM is it no surprise that Assad will not step down to go anywhere? Ironically, Assad is the canary in the coal mine preventing the genocide of his minority Shia allewite and Syrian Christian supporters by Sunni Arab Springers( no relation to Jerry Springers).
Equally ironic the only safe country where he could theoretically be protected from muslim brotherhood retaliation is guess where? Yup. Its Israel.
If Israel was “raptured” en masse tomorrow from the world stage what would Hamas and Hizbollah do? Slaughter one another of course. Beam me up Scotty!

Ron Wolf aka "Columbo" on May 1, 2012 at 12:00 am

Muslims, Jews, and Christians are all as bigotted, barbaric, and power hungry as each other. Given the chance to rule, all three religions will revert to barbaric violence against those outside your particular brand of silly little sky fairy beliefs.
What a sad bunch of fools!

Sacha Cohen is hilarious! Maybe his comedy just cuts a bit too close to the bone for you and your bigoted readers?

Aref on June 21, 2012 at 11:51 pm

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